This homemade orgeat syrup recipe is an excellent, homemade flavor enhancer and sweetener for cocktails made with ground almonds. Use it when you want a subtle nutty, floral flavor added to your drinks instead of a plain old simple syrup.
In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground.
2 cups blanched almonds
Add the sugar and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ¼ cups water
Stir in the ground almonds.
Remove from heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.
Strain the mixture through 2 layers of cheesecloth or a nut bag and discard the ground almonds.
Add the brandy and orange flower water to the syrup.
¼ cup brandy, 1 ½ teaspoons orange flower water
Funnel the syrup into bottles.
Notes
This recipe makes about 1 ¼ cups syrup.
You can leave out the alcohol but just be aware this will give the syrup a shorter expiry date.
When storing orgeat, it can be refrigerated for up to two to three months, in an airtight container; a squeeze bottle is perfect! If you see signs of mold or a bad odor, throw it out.
If you have a large quantity of orgeat syrup after making it, you can also freeze it. It can stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 months. The aroma and flavor will fade over time so it’s best to use it within this timeframe.
Orgeat is mostly used in tiki drinks like the mai tai or in seltzers. However, it has other uses in flavoring non-alcoholic drinks like coffee and lemonades or dishes like ice cream, cakes, and fresh fruit. It gives an extra sweetness and flavor.