Drinks How to Make a 2-Ingredient Ginger Syrup 4.3 (3) 3 Reviews This easy ginger syrup comes together with two pantry staples and will transform almost any drink into something special. By Lucy Simon Lucy Simon Lucy Simon is a New York-based wine, spirits, and food writer has been with Food & Wine since the spring of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 9, 2024 Tested by Julia Levy Tested by Julia Levy Julia Levy is an eater, maker and dabbler in all things food. With nearly a decade of work experience, over 1,000 recipes tested, hundreds of recipes developed and just as many articles published, she has become a veritable resource for all your food questions. Her work has appeared in Cooking Light, MyRecipes, Southern Living, Real Simple, Fine Cooking and other publications and websites. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 1 cup Jump to recipe Ginger is one of the most intriguing ingredients to pair with different flavors and spirits in cocktails, from a fan-favorite Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka Cocktail to a refreshing Moscow Mule. The easiest way to add pure ginger flavor to a drink is with ginger syrup. Made by simply infusing fresh ginger root into a solution of sugar and water, much like simple syrup, ginger syrup adds sweet and spicy notes to boozy and nonalcoholic drinks alike. The part we eat is the rhizome of the flowering ginger plant, or it's root system. It's been cultivated for thousands of years for both medicinal and culinary purposes, renowned for its flavor and purported benefits in digestion. Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Why this Ginger Syrup works Ginger is a very pungent ingredient, offering significant aromatics and spice. The spice in ginger comes from a phenolic compound present in the root called gingerol, which is chemically related to capsaicin and piperine, the compounds that also give chilis and peppercorn berries their heat. Sugar works to counteract the bite of spice, even if it doesn't negate its effects as strongly as certain acidic ingredients often used to balance spicy ingredients (citrus or vinegar, for instance). Worth noting, fresh ginger is very reactive to warm temperatures, and will lose some of its spice when subjected to heat for longer periods. This it due to the gingerol molecules converting to another compound called zingerone when cooked. Zingerone offers sweeter flavors with less pungency, which means you can tailor this syrup to your desired profile by dialing up or down the amount of time during which you allow it to simmer. Starting with fresh ginger is key. Because peeling ginger is one of the most tedious kitchen tasks, this recipe calls for ginger sliced into matchsticks with the peel left on. The matchsticks expose enough of the ginger to fully flavor the syrup, and any bits of ginger skin get strained out at the end. Add every bit of ginger, including the scraps, for a versatile no-waste ingredient. Frequently Asked Questions How do you know if your ginger syrup has gone bad? When stored chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container, ginger syrup will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. To know if it's time to toss your ginger syrup and make a new batch, look for cues including any surface mold, an off or sour smell, or crystallization. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3 1/2 ounces fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water Directions Cut the ginger matchsticks. Slice a thin layer off the bottom of the ginger knob to create a flat surface. Next, cut thin slices of ginger, lay them flat, and cut them lengthwise to create matchsticks. Combine ginger, sugar, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until thick and glazy, about 20 minutes. Strain syrup, and discard solids; let syrup cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store syrup in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 weeks. Rate It Print