2-Ingredient Orange Simple Syrup
Orange simple syrup is made with just 2 ingredients and you’ll have a delicious, versatile, delicious orange syrup for non-alcoholic drinks, cocktails, and more!
Looking for more homemade syrups? Try my grapefruit simple syrup, strawberry syrup, or blackberry simple syrup.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this orange syrup recipe:
- Organic cane sugar – this is my favorite type of sweetener to use. It’s not as processed as white granulated sugar, isn’t sickly sweet, and dissolves well.
- Navel oranges – you can use any variety such as blood oranges or cara cara oranges. These other varieties will change the color of syrup and have a slightly different flavor.
How to Make Orange Simple Syrup: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Peel. Wash, dry, and peel the oranges. Remove as much white pith as possible.
- Juice. Juice the orange after you’ve removed the peel.
- Dissolve sugar. Combine water, freshly squeezed orange juice, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then add in the orange peels.
- Simmer & strain. Cook the infused simple syrup over medium-low heat for 10 minutes then pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the peels or use them as a garnish for drinks.
Helpful Tips
- Let the syrup cool to room temperature before storing it.
- Avoid cooking the syrup over high heat as you can burn the syrup, which will ruin the flavor.
- This syrup isn’t as sweet as simple syrups with a 1:1 sugar-to-water ratio, so you may need to use a bit more in drinks depending on personal preference.
- Using a dark sweetener such as maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar will alter the color of the syrup.
- Use the juice from fresh oranges for the best orange flavor.
Quick Tip: Some pith (the white part of the peel) is fine, but too much will give the syrup a bitter taste.
Storage
Fridge: Once the syrup has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: To make it last longer, pour your syrup into silicone ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them into a freezer-safe bag where they’ll last for up to 6 months.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this orange simple syrup recipe using what you already have?
- Use another orange variety – you can also use clementines or mandarins but you’ll need to double the amount since they’re smaller in size.
- No organic cane sugar? – use white sugar. I wouldn’t recommend using raw/turbinado sugar as the granules are too coarse and don’t dissolve as easily.
- Use a liquid sweetener – such as honey.
- Add-ins – whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, fresh rosemary sprigs, etc.
How to Use
There are several ways to use orange syrup. Here are a few ideas:
- Drinks: iced tea, hot tea or hot toddies, mixed with ice and club soda for homemade orange soda, iced coffees, mocktails, old fashioned cocktail, holiday drinks, etc.
- Breakfast: drizzle over french toast, oat flour crepes, pancakes, etc.
- Dessert: brush onto cakes to keep them moist or in place of part of a liquid sweetener – would be amazing in my pumpkin olive oil cake loaf, drizzle over vanilla ice cream, etc.
- Salad dressings: use in place of the honey in my orange vinaigrette dressing to give a more intense orange flavor or in place of the maple syrup in my kale crunch salad, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you like a sweeter simple syrup, add an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar. This will give you equal parts liquid and sugar.
You can use any citrus such as grapefruit, lemon, lime, etc.
More Flavored Simple Syrups
I hope you love this Orange Simple Syrup! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
2-Ingredient Orange Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- organic orange peel from 1 navel orange white pith removed
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup organic cane sugar
Instructions
- Remove peel. Scrub and dry the oranges, then use a vegetable peeler to remove thin strips of peel. Set aside.
- Juice oranges. Cut the oranges in half and squeeze out the juice. Pulp is fine because you’ll strain the syrup later.
- Dissolve sugar. Combine freshly squeezed orange juice, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in the orange peels and reduce to medium-low heat.
- Simmer and strain. Cook for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and run the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove the peels and pulp. Let cool completely before putting the lid on and storing.