Herb & floral syrup
Basil Simple Syrup
Vivid green and peppery-sweet. Made for gin, lemonade and summer fruit.
- 35 min total
- 11⁄3 cups + 1 tbsp330 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Basil simple syrup is 1:1 sugar syrup infused with fresh sweet basil. Blanch 1 packed cup of basil for 10 seconds, chill it in ice water, then blend it into cooled syrup and strain. The blanch keeps it bright green instead of murky brown.
Basil is even touchier than mint. A hot steep turns it khaki and gives it a cooked, spinach-like edge. A 10-second blanch switches off the browning enzymes, so you can blend the leaves straight into cool syrup and keep that fresh, peppery, clove-like aroma.
The result is a vivid green syrup that does in seconds what muddling a fistful of basil does in a minute. The last drink tastes the same as the first.
Tastespepperysweet herbalhint of clove
The recipe
Basil Simple Syrup
Ingredients for 11⁄3 cups + 1 tbsp330 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, blender, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, swing-top bottle, shakersmall saucepan, blender, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, swing-top bottle, shaker
Method
-
Make the syrup
Warm the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until clear, about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely. An ice-water bath under the pan speeds this up.
1 cup200 g granulated sugar1 cup240 ml water
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Blanch the basil
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and set a bowl of ice water beside it. Put the leaves in a sieve and lower the whole sieve into the boiling water for 10 seconds, just until the leaves turn bright green.
1 cup25 g fresh basil leaves (packed)
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Shock
Plunge the sieve straight into the ice water for 1 minute. Lift it out and squeeze the leaves gently in a clean towel to remove excess water.
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Blend
Blend the basil with the cooled syrup and the lemon juice, if using, on high for 30–45 seconds, until evenly green.
1 tsp1 tsp lemon juice
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Strain and bottle
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, letting it drip without pressing. Bottle and refrigerate right away.
Storage. Keep it sealed and cold for up to 1 week. Basil fades faster than mint, so make small batches. Freeze extra in an ice-cube tray for summer drinks. Throw it out if it turns slimy, fizzy or sour-smelling.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 35 kcal, 9.1 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Gin Basil Smash
2 oz (60 ml) gin, ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) basil syrup with 4–5 fresh leaves. Shake hard and double-strain over ice.
Full recipe and historyBasil gimlet
2 oz (60 ml) gin or vodka, ¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) basil syrup, shaken and strained into a chilled coupe.
Strawberry basil lemonade
Muddle 3 strawberries with 1 oz (30 ml) basil syrup and 1 oz (30 ml) lemon juice, then top with 4 oz (120 ml) still or sparkling water.
Basil-lime soda
1 oz (30 ml) basil syrup and ½ oz (15 ml) lime juice over ice, topped with soda water.
Fruit drizzle
Toss 1 tbsp (15 ml) with 2 cups of sliced strawberries, peaches or watermelon just before serving.
Classic drinks with Basil syrup
Gear for this recipe
Ninja Professional 72 oz Countertop Blender (BL610)
1000 watts pulverizes almonds for orgeat and makes no-heat blender syrup in a minute. Big pitcher for party batches.
Best for Orgeat and no-heat syrups
Mixology & Craft 16-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
Best for Starting a home bar
OXO SteeL Muddler
Best for Mojitos, smashes and herb syrups
Amber Glass Swing-Top Bottles, 16 oz (6-pack)
Best for Light-sensitive, naturally coloured syrups
More gear for this recipe (4)
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Regency Wraps Ultra Fine Cheesecloth (9 sq ft)
Best for Crystal-clear syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Basil turns black wherever it's crushed, so handle it gently until it's blanched.
- Blanching in a sieve lets you lift every leaf out at once. Basil wilts and overcooks fast.
- Never store the syrup with leaves in it. They turn slimy within days.
- Late-summer basil is the most aromatic. Taste the syrup before using it and adjust the pour.
- Basil's best partners are lemon, lime, strawberry, watermelon, peach and cucumber.
Variations
Strawberry basil
Simmer 150 g sliced strawberries in the syrup for 10 minutes, cool it completely, then blend with the blanched basil and strain. It comes out pink-red and works well in lemonade.
Thai basil
Swap in Thai basil for an anise-licorice twist that's great with lime, rum and coconut.
Lemon basil
Blend in the zest of 1 lemon for a brighter, more citrusy syrup for gin and sparkling water.
Basil-mint
Use half basil and half spearmint for a fresh, garden-style syrup that's good in mojitos.
Questions people ask
How do you keep basil simple syrup from turning brown?
Blanch the leaves for 10 seconds, shock them in ice water, then blend them into cool (not hot) syrup and strain. Blanching deactivates the enzymes that brown basil.
Can I use dried basil?
Not for this syrup. Dried basil tastes like hay and dried oregano rather than fresh basil, and it makes the syrup murky. Fresh leaves are the whole point.
How long does basil simple syrup last?
About 1 week in a sealed bottle in the fridge, or 3 months frozen as cubes.
What alcohol goes with basil syrup?
Gin is the classic match, as in the Gin Basil Smash. Basil syrup also works with vodka, blanco tequila, white rum and prosecco.
Can I use Thai or purple basil?
Yes. Thai basil gives an anise twist that suits rum and lime. Purple basil tastes similar to sweet basil but makes a muddy, brownish-pink syrup.