The Best Substitute For Simple Syrup In Cocktails

A variety of popular cocktails are made with simple syrup to boost the sweetness in your boozy drink — an old fashioned, gin fizz, Long Island iced tea, martini, and cosmopolitan, to name a few. Instead of adding plain granulated sugar to a cocktail, bartenders use simple syrup, which is simply granulated sugar dissolved in water. The sugary liquid blends seamlessly into the cocktail instead of simply floating to the bottom as plain sugar is prone to do. However, you can use other sugary liquids to sweeten up your cocktail besides simple syrup, including agave nectar, honey, and maple syrup.

While simple syrup is easy enough to make, it doesn't add much flavor to your drink besides a mild sweetness. You might choose to use a simple syrup alternative to build more complex flavor or texture in your cocktail. Or, perhaps you just want to try something new. Either way, you can generally replace the simple syrup that's called for in a cocktail recipe with an equal amount of your sugary liquid substitute. 

A good cocktail has the perfect blend of bitter, sour, acidic, and sweet components. Simple syrup substitutes add the perfect amount of sweetness and nuance to your cocktail.

Agave nectar is a popular choice and is perfect, for instance, for making your spicy margarita sweeter. This gold-colored liquid sweetener is derived from the sap of the agave plant, which is why it's often used in tequila drinks. For authentic flavor, make sure to buy 100% agave nectar, such as Madhava Organic Light Agave. To turn it into a syrup that mixes perfectly in your drink, either boil equal parts agave nectar and water or add some warm water to the agave.

Honey is another perfect substitute for simple syrup since it's likely already in your pantry. It also adds a rich, distinct flavor to cocktails and pairs well with citrus. Case in point: The bee's knees, a cocktail originating from the Prohibition era, consists of gin, lemon, and honey. Boil equal parts honey and water for a thinner syrup that can be added to any cocktail as a sweetener. 

If you're a bourbon drinker, you might opt for maple syrup as your sweetener. Maple simple syrup tastes superb in an old fashioned, pairing perfectly with the sweet whiskey and zesty orange flavor. Due to its high viscosity, it's also best to dilute it by boiling it with equal parts water.