Bar specialties syrup
Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
Fresh almond milk, sugar and a breath of orange blossom, for a real Mai Tai.
- 40 min total
- 1¾ cups420 ml
- Keeps 2 weeks
Photo: Unsplash · Unsplash License
Quick answer
Orgeat is a creamy almond syrup flavored with orange blossom water, best known from the Mai Tai. Blend 120 g lightly toasted blanched almonds with 1¼ cups hot water, strain through a nut-milk bag, dissolve 1¼ cups sugar into the almond milk, and finish with ½ teaspoon orange blossom water.
Traditional orgeat means hours of soaking and grinding almonds. The modern bar shortcut gets you most of the way in about 30 minutes: blend almonds with hot water into fresh almond milk, squeeze it out, and sweeten it while it's warm. It's richer and nuttier than anything made from carton almond milk.
Orange blossom water is what makes it orgeat rather than plain almond syrup. It's a floral lift you notice more as brightness across the whole drink than as a separate flavor. Add it drop by drop, because bottles vary enormously in strength.
Tastesnuttymarzipanfloralcreamy
The recipe
Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
Ingredients for 1¾ cups420 ml
You’ll need: blanched almonds, blender, nut-milk bag, kitchen scale, orange blossom water, swing-top bottleblanched almonds, blender, nut-milk bag, kitchen scale, orange blossom water, swing-top bottle
Method
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Toast (optional)
Spread the almonds on a baking tray and toast at 175 °C (350 °F) for 6–8 minutes, until pale gold and fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes. Skip this step for a whiter, more delicate orgeat.
11⁄3 cups120 g sliced blanched almonds¼ tsp¼ tsp almond extract
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Blend and soak
Blend the almonds with the hot water on high for 1–2 minutes, until smooth and milky. Let the mixture stand for 20 minutes to extract more flavor.
1¼ cups300 ml water½ tsp½ tsp orange blossom water¼ tsp¼ tsp rose water
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Strain
Pour the mixture into a nut-milk bag set over a bowl and squeeze hard. You should get about 1 cup (240–260 ml) of almond milk.
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Sweeten
Warm the almond milk in a small saucepan over low heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved, about 3 minutes. Don't let it boil, or it can split and scorch.
1¼ cups250 g granulated sugar
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Finish and bottle
Let it cool, then stir in the orange blossom water, plus the rose water, almond extract and vodka or brandy if using. Bottle, refrigerate, and shake before every use.
1 tbsp1 tbsp vodka or brandy
Storage. It keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge with the vodka or brandy, or about 1 week without. It separates as it sits, which is normal, so shake well. Throw it out if it smells sour or turns lumpy. Label the bottle 'contains almonds' for guests with nut allergies.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 35 kcal, 8.9 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Mai Tai
1 oz (30 ml) aged Jamaican rum, 1 oz (30 ml) aged rhum agricole or another aged rum, 1 oz (30 ml) lime juice, ½ oz (15 ml) orange curaçao, ½ oz (15 ml) orgeat and ¼ oz (7 ml) simple syrup. Shake with crushed ice and garnish with mint.
Full recipe and historyJapanese Cocktail
2 oz (60 ml) cognac, ½ oz (15 ml) orgeat and 2 dashes Angostura bitters, stirred and strained. Finish with a lemon twist.
Full recipe and historyAlmond latte
1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) in a hot or iced latte.
Italian almond soda
1 oz (30 ml) orgeat over ice with 6 oz (180 ml) soda water and a splash of cream.
Classic drinks with Orgeat syrup
SoursOrgeat
Army & Navy
United States, 1934
TikiOrgeat
Fog Cutter
Attributed to Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's, Oakland, 1947
Old Fashioned familyOrgeat
Japanese Cocktail
Jerry Thomas, New York City, 1862
TikiOrgeat
Mai Tai
Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's, Oakland, 1944
TikiPassion Fruit
Saturn
J. "Popo" Galsini, California, 1967
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
KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender (KHBV53)
Best for Fruit purées and orgeat
Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender
Best for Serious orgeat and fruit-syrup makers
Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale (11 lb)
Best for Exact ratios, every batch
More gear for this recipe (4)
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
Ellie's Best Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag (12 x 12 in)
Best for Orgeat and pulpy fruit syrups
Cortas Orange Blossom Water (10 oz)
Best for Orgeat
Blanched Slivered Almonds (1 lb)
Best for Orgeat
Tips for the best batch
- Save the almond pulp. It's essentially almond flour, so dry it in a low oven for baking or stir it into oatmeal.
- A light toast pushes the flavor toward marzipan. Skip it for a whiter, cleaner orgeat.
- Weigh the strained almond milk and add an equal weight of sugar for a consistent syrup from batch to batch.
- Orange blossom water is potent. Treat ½ tsp as a starting point and taste the orgeat in a drink before adding more.
- If you only make Mai Tais occasionally, make a half batch. Fresh orgeat tastes noticeably better than week-old orgeat.
Variations
Carton almond milk shortcut
Warm 240 ml unsweetened almond milk with 240 g sugar until dissolved, then add the orange blossom water and 2 drops almond extract. It's thinner and less nutty, but ready in 5 minutes.
Pistachio orgeat
Swap in shelled raw pistachios. The syrup comes out pale green and is wonderful in lattes and gin sours.
Macadamia or pecan
Both make lush, tiki-friendly orgeats. Toast pecans first, and use macadamias raw.
Questions people ask
What is orgeat and what does it taste like?
Orgeat (say 'or-zhat') is a sweet almond syrup flavored with orange blossom water and sometimes rose water. It tastes like liquid marzipan with a floral lift and a creamy body, and it's essential in the Mai Tai.
Is orgeat the same as amaretto or almond syrup?
No. Amaretto is an alcoholic liqueur with a cherry-pit edge, and almond syrup lacks orgeat's floral notes and body. Plain almond syrup is the closest swap, but homemade orgeat is noticeably better.
Can I make orgeat with store-bought almond milk?
Yes, as a shortcut. Dissolve an equal weight of sugar into unsweetened almond milk and add orange blossom water and a drop of almond extract. It's thinner and less nutty than fresh.
Why does my orgeat separate?
Almond fat and solids naturally settle out of the syrup. It's harmless, so shake well before each use.
How long does homemade orgeat last?
About 2 weeks in the fridge with a tablespoon of vodka or brandy, or 1 week without. It also freezes for up to 3 months. Shake after thawing.