Sweeten your drinks with this homemade grenadine syrup. Fresh pomegranates and lemon juice create a rich, vibrant flavor that completes your El Presidente or Tequila Sunrise. The syrup adds a bright red hue to your beverages--perfect for tropical vibes. Plus, you can throw this syrup together in 10 minutes or less.
It is essentially a pomegranate simple syrup. Typically a simple syrup has a ratio of 1:1 sugar and water. I decided to cut down on the added sugar in this recipe since the juice is already naturally sweet.
Commercial syrups often feature glucose-fructose, plus artificial color and flavor instead of actual fruit, giving grenadine a reputation for overly sweet, artificial flavor.
However, true grenadine syrup is complex, fruity and made from real pomegranates - which provide it with natural flavor and color. You'll add sugar and a touch of lemon juice to turn it from juice to syrup.
I prefer this homemade grenadine syrup recipe to the store-bought version by far. Once you try the fresh stuff, it really is hard to go back.
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What is Grenadine Syrup?
Grenadine is a bright red syrup that adds color and flavor to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, such as Shirley Temples, tequila sunrises or this Hawaiian Mai Tai recipe. It can also be used to color and sweeten desserts.
Ingredients
- pomegranates - Will need enough to get 2 cups of juice (between 4 and 6 depending on the size) or you can buy premade juice like POM brand. If you buy premade pomegranate juice, check the label to make sure that fruit is the main ingredient, not artificial flavors and high-fructose corn syrup.
- lemon juice - Freshly squeezed is best.
- orange flower water - This is completely optional but it does add a touch of floral flavor that complements the syrup well.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Recipe Variations
Once you've mastered this recipe, you can try it with different flavorings, such as:
- lime juice instead of the lemon juice
- rose water instead of the orange flower water
How to Make Grenadine Syrup at Home
Step 1. Squeeze the juice out. Cut the pomegranates into quarters or even eighths if they are large. Using an orange/lemon squeezer, squeeze the juice out of the pomegranates.
Step 2. Strain. Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids that might have snuck through.
Step 3. Dissolve sugar. Add the pomegranate juice and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Don’t let it come to a boil.
Step 4. Cool. Let it cool, stir in the lemon juice and orange flower water. Your homemade grenadine syrup is now ready to use.
Chef's Note: I usually don't add alcohol to my grenadine, but 1 tablespoon of vodka can extend the shelf life.
Joss' Top Tip
For the best flavor possible, make sure not to boil the syrup. Your goal is to dissolve the sugar but preserve the flavor.
Ways to Use Grenadine
As a cocktail syrup in alcoholic drinks: Some popular drinks that include grenadine are the El Presidente cocktail, Tequila Sunrise, Singapore Sling, Clover Club, the Mary Pickford, Malibu Sunset and the Hurricane.
Non-alcoholic Drinks: While grenadine typically shows up in alcoholic drinks, you can add color and flavor to your favorite non-alcoholic beverages, such as mocktails and Shirley Temples. Mixing drinks for the kids on New Year's Eve makes them feel like they can celebrate with the adults.
Food: You can also jazz up sweet foods with pomegranate flavor by adding grenadine to whipped cream, cakes and cupcakes, frosting, pancakes etc.
Homemade Grenadine Syrup FAQs
Keep refrigerated in a covered jar or bottle for up to 1 month.
You can freeze it for up to 1 year, but be sure to leave some space in the container because it will expand as it freezes.
Although grenadine might look like cherry juice, it's actually made from pomegranates. It comes from the French word, grenade, meaning pomegranate.
Grenadine is actually a type of syrup; 'grenadine' is just the more commonly used name for it.
More Homemade Syrups You Will Love
If you tried this Homemade Grenadine Syrup Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Homemade Grenadine Syrup
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 pomegranates - will need enough to get 2 cups of juice
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- ¾ teaspoon orange flower water - optional (or to taste)
Instructions
- Cut the pomegranates into quarters or even eighths if they are large.4 to 6 pomegranates
- Using an orange/lemon squeezer, squeeze the juice out of the pomegranates. You will need 2 cups of juice.
- Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids that might have gotten through.
- Add the pomegranate juice and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Don’t let it come to a boil.1 ½ cups sugar
- Let it cool. Stir in the lemon juice and the orange flower water, if using. It’s now ready to use.1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon orange flower water
Notes
- Pomegranate juice cheat: Alternatively, you can buy 2 cups pomegranate juice (such as POM) instead of juicing your own pomegranates to cut down on prep time. Make sure you buy 100% pomegranate juice.
- Yield: This recipe yields about 3 cups grenadine. The serving size for the nutrition information is approximately 2 tablespoons.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in a covered jar or bottle for up to 1 month. You can freeze it for up to 1 year, but be sure to leave some space in the container because it will expand as it freezes.
- Ways to use it in alcoholic drinks: Some popular drinks that include grenadine are the El Presidente cocktail, Tequila Sunrise, Singapore Sling, Clover Club, the Mary Pickford, Malibu Sunset and the Hurricane.
- Ways to use it in non-alcoholic drinks: While grenadine typically shows up in alcoholic drinks, you can add color and flavor to your favorite non-alcoholic beverages, such as mocktails and Shirley Temples. Mixing drinks for the kids on New Year's Eve makes them feel like they can celebrate with the adults.
- Ways to use it in food: You can also jazz up sweet foods with pomegranate flavor by adding it to whipped cream, cakes and cupcakes, frosting, pancakes etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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