With just 3 ingredients, this Lime Simple Syrup is the perfect simple syrup recipe for making mojitos, margaritas, moscow mules and adding to many other kinds of cocktails, mocktails, smoothies and more! Just add a splash to your favorite drink to give it a sweet and zesty citrus twist!
Easy Homemade Simple Syrup
If you love making classic cocktails, mocktails, smoothies, or other drinks at home, this lime simple syrup is a recipe you’ll want to keep close by! While a traditional simple syrup combines sugar and water to be used as a liquid sweetener in cocktails (and mocktails), this recipe infuses that liquid sugar with zesty kick of lime flavor, that may just be a game changer in your cocktail arsenal.
When you add a splash of this lime simple syrup to your beverage, it adds lime flavor while simultaneously sweetening the drink as well.
I first made this simple syrup when I realized that a Virgin Moscow Mule had the perfect combo of ginger and lime to knock out my pregnancy related morning sickness that lasted all day. Soon after I realized that this syrup was just what I needed for making virgin versions of my favorite mojitos and margaritas as well. As you can guess, if it tastes good in the mocktail version, it tastes great in the classic cocktail versions too!
Beyond drinks, this simple syrup can be used any place you need lime with a little sweet. Drizzle it over a fruit salad, use it as a glaze over shortbread cookies, throw it into a homemade vinaigrette, or use it between layers in a cake.
What You’ll Need
All you need is 3 natural ingredients to make this citrus flavored simple syrup!
- Granulated sugar – The sweetener in the syrup.
- Limes – You’ll need 2 limes and you’ll use both the fresh lime juice and the zest.
- Water – 2 cups of water.
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How to Make Lime Simple Syrup
It’s easy to make simple syrup – once you try it, you’ll never grab bottled simple syrup again!
- Combine the sugar and lime zest. Stir to combine in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the other ingredients. Squeeze in the lime juice and the water. Whisk to combine.
- Heat. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until the sugar melts and the mixture turns into a clear liquid.
- Cool. Remove from heat to cool completely. Once cool, transfer to glass bottles with lids and refrigerate until use.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this homemade simple syrup.
- Always use equal parts water and sugar. The main ingredients in simple syrup are granulated sugar and water, always at a 1:1 ratio. If you halve or double this recipe, you can do so easily – just make sure to keep the appropriate 1:1 sugar to water ratio by using the same amount of sugar and water by volume.
- Don’t boil the mixture. You should keep the mixture at a medium heat and whisk constantly so that the sugar dissolves and the mixture doesn’t boil. Boiling will lead to the evaporation of more water than you want.
- Allow to cool completely. Before transferring the simple syrup to the glass container or adding it to your drink, be sure to allow it to cool completely. I like to plan for at least an hour of cooling time.
Recipe Variations
Now that you’ve tried lime simple syrup, you probably won’t be too surprised to learn that you can swap the lime with virtually any other citrus fruit and get great results. Sweeter citrus fruits will lead to sweeter simple syrups, but sweet is not a bad thing when we are talking simple syrup. Get adventurous and play around with single flavors or try some fun flavor combinations! Here are a few of my own favorites.
- Lemon-lime syrup
- Grapefruit and blood orange syrup
- Meyer lemon and tangerine syrup
Uses for Lime Simple Syrup
So what can you do with your homemade simple syrup? The possibilities are truly endless! I originally made this for my Virgin Moscow Mule that helped me through the first months of my second pregnancy but there are so many other options. Here are just a few ideas:
- Homemade iced tea
- Add to seltzer water or club soda for a homemade soft drink
- Mixed fruit cocktails like daiquiris
- Fruit smoothies
- Mojitos
- Margaritas
- Limeade
- As a “dressing” on fruit salad
- Between layers of a layer cake
How to Store
Store your lime simple syrup in a tightly sealed glass bottle or other closed container. Don’t worry if you don’t have bottles like the ones in the photos, you can also use mason jars with lids or reuse a cleaned and sanitized condiment bottle.
Sanitizing is simple to do and will maximize the shelf life of any simple syrup. To sanitize, simply submerge your glass bottle in boiling water for a couple minutes to kill any bacteria. Carefully remove from the water, then allow to air dry and cool.
Simple syrup should always be refrigerated and as long as it’s stored in a tightly sealed sanitized glass container, it will last for up to 6 months in the fridge!
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Lime Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Pour the sugar and lime zest into a medium saucepan. Gently stir to combine.
- Squeeze in the juice of 2 limes and whisk to combine.
- Pour in the water and whisk to combine.
- Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until the sugar melts and the mixture turns into a clear liquid.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cook completely.
- Use a funnel to divide the liquid between two 8-oz bottles with lids.
- Add your simple syrup to your favorite cocktails or desserts.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
