Gingerbread Syrup
Add that cozy holiday flavor to your favorite foods with this easy homemade gingerbread syrup. Drizzle it over your pancakes or waffles, or feature it on your holiday grazing board with some spiced pear butter and orange marmalade.
All you'll need is a few simple ingredients and under 20 minutes in the kitchen to whip up a jar full of this sticky syrup that will last for weeks!
The holidays for me have always been a special time, and that's because I absolutely love trying out new homemade gifts. There's just something special about taking the time to make something from scratch, pouring it into a jar and finishing it up with a nice ribbon!
My fig paste, fig compote and pickled rhubarb are classics that I love making over and over again. And this time, I wanted to try my hands at something with more warm, cozy flavors, and a nice homemade gingerbread syrup seemed like the right idea!
Quick Look
- 🔪Prep time: 0 minutes.
- ⏲️Cook time: 15-20 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 8 servings.
- 📋Main ingredients: Ground spices, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla.
- ♨️Cooking method: Combine brown sugar and water in a saucepan 🡢 bring to a boil 🡢 add ground spices 🡢 take off heat 🡢 add vanilla and molasses 🡢 cool and store for later.
- ⭐Difficulty: Very easy.
- 🥣Serving ideas: Feature on a holiday breakfast spread along with honey fermented cranberries and some spiced Christmas jam.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It tastes SO much better and stronger than store-bought, commercially available gingerbread syrup, because it has real ingredients.
- It's incredibly versatile- just like my apple cider caramel sauce. You can add it to your drinks, or drizzle it over your favorite breakfast items or even desserts!
- You'll find the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth that evoke the coziness of the holidays in every spoonful!
Recipe Ingredients
Ground spices: I used a mix of ground cinnamon, cardamom, dried ginger powder (which I like to make from scratch) and some allspice.
Molasses: For that depth. I would recommend using unsulfured molasses for best results. It tastes much better than blackstrap molasses.
Brown sugar: You can use either light or dark brown sugar- whatever you have at hand.
Vanilla: Just a dash, for that sweet aroma.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don't have molasses, you can use maple syrup for a lighter flavor.
- Sometimes, I like to reduce the amount of brown sugar I'm using, and add some of my homemade date sugar instead. It lends a beautiful rich sweetness to the gingerbread syrup.
How to Make Gingerbread Syrup
Step 1: In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
Step 2: Now turn down the heat and add the dried spices. Give it a mix and continue cooking for 15 minutes over low heat.
Step 3: Take off heat and let it cool down slightly. Mix in the vanilla and molasses.
Step 4: Transfer to a clean glass jar with an airtight lid and refrigerate.
💭Top Tip
You can also use fresh ginger if you can't find dried ginger. Just make sure you strain the syrup to remove the solids before you store it.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Spices lose their potency over time, which is why, it is best to use fresh ground spices.
- If you're storing the syrup for later, allow it to cool down completely to prevent condensation in the jar.
- For a fun, citrusy flavor, you can also add some freshly grated lemon or orange zest into the mix. I usually have some leftover after I make my candied citrus peel, and I end up adding it to the syrup, and some into my spiced orange honey.
- You can also add a pinch of salt to the syrup towards the end, to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. I like to do this when I make my pecan praline sauce too!
How to Use Gingerbread Syrup
This spiced syrup is such a versatile addition to your kitchen! You can drizzle it over pancakes or waffles for breakfast. I like to team it up with some of my stewed apples and homemade date syrup.
You can also use it as a base for cocktails or even in homemade salad dressings (I do this sometimes with my homemade browning sauce) —its rich flavor can elevate any dish!
The syrup can also be a fantastic addition to your desserts. Drizzle some over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mix it into yogurt for a flavorful treat. I like to sprinkle some of my homemade gingerbread granola or Feuilletine flakes on the top for a bit of texture.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Yes, you can, but the flavor will be less rich and lack that depth that you'll get from brown sugar. I like to use white sugar for recipes like homemade golden syrup, that don't need that deep, brown color.
You can store the syrup in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
More Homemade Holiday Gifts
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this gingerbread syrup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Gingerbread Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
- Now turn down the heat and add the dried spices. Give it a mix and continue cooking for 15 minutes over low heat.
- Take off heat and let it cool down slightly. Mix in the vanilla and molasses.
- Transfer to a clean glass jar with an airtight lid and refrigerate.
Notes
- You can also use fresh ginger if you can't find dried ginger. Just make sure you strain the syrup to remove the solids before you store it.
- Spices lose their potency over time, which is why, it is best to use fresh ground spices.
- If you're storing the syrup for later, allow it to cool down completely to prevent condensation in the jar.
