Make the best homemade cardamom syrup infused with vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus – perfect for coffee, chai, and desserts! Plus, it's ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes!
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Quick, Easy, and Versatile Cardamom Simple Syrup
Simple syrups are a versatile flavoring - popularly used in hot drinks, lemonade, and various desserts – and readily available in many grocery stores/ online In several flavors.
Unfortunately, most commercial versions come with a surprisingly high price tag considering simple syrup is just a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water, simmered until the sugar dissolves, optionally infused with other flavors.
Luckily, that means they’re really simple to prepare at home, just like this 6-ingredient cardamom syrup (which isn’t a flavor you’ll find at most grocery stores). This vanilla cardamom syrup is fragrant, flavorful, and a unique way to flavor tons of drinks and dishes. Better yet, it’s quick and simple to make. And if you like this recipe, you'll also enjoy this 2-Ingredient Raspberry Syrup and Easy Cranberry Pear Sauce.
What Does Cardamom Taste Like?
While a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg or cloves is popularly used as a cardamom replacement, there’s much more to its flavor. In fact, cardamom comes from the seed pods of plants within the ginger family.
It has a strong, pungent aroma with a flavor that, while warm and slightly sweet, like cinnamon and nutmeg, is also spicy/peppery, earthy, with a hint of floral, fruity citrus.
Because of that, combining this aromatic ingredient with ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, and citrus peel helps to balance and enhance the cardamom flavor for a homemade cardamom syrup that’s out of this world!
The Ingredients
This 6-ingredients cardamom syrup pairs cardamom with complementary warm and aromatic flavors.
However, you can experiment with other types. I.e., brown sugar, demerara, turbinado, muscovado, coconut sugar, etc. Obviously, the flavor and color will differ.
What Could I Add To This Cardamom Syrup Recipe?
- Nutmeg: Just a little will enhance the warmth of the syrup further.
- Ginger: Add a small amount of grated ginger for a kick to the syrup.
- Rose: Add rose water or edible rose petals to make a fragrant rose cardamom syrup.
- Orange blossom water: Instead of rose, this floral water will also add a delicate yet aromatic depth to the syrup. Add ½ teaspoon or more, to taste.
- Orange juice: To make more of a pronounced orange cardamom syrup, replace a small amount of the water with orange juice.
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How to Make Cardamom Syrup
Step 1: First, gently crush the cardamom pods with a rolling pin and slice the lemon and orange peel. Transfer the cardamom pods to a small saucepan and lightly toast them over medium heat for about a minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients (water, sugar, lemon & orange peel, vanilla, and a cinnamon stick), then stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
If you’re using vanilla extract (vs. a pod), you may prefer to add it at the end, so no flavor is ‘cooked off.’
Step 3: Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes for the flavors to infuse and the syrup to reduce and thicken slightly. Pour the citrus vanilla cardamom simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight bottle or mason jar. Enjoy!
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use fresh cardamom: To ensure its flavor is at its best.
- Adjust the ratio: Simple syrup combines equal parts sugar & water, simmering only until the sugar dissolves. Rich syrup uses a 2:1 ratio for a thicker, richer syrup (and extra natural preservative power). Alternatively, simmer the syrup to thicken and reduce it slightly.
- Don’t boil it: Bring the syrup to the point of ‘just’ boiling and immediately lower it to a simmer. Otherwise, it can cause a bitter/ burned flavor.
- To make low-sugar cardamom syrup: While using a sugar alternative is possible, the syrup will be thinner, and the shelf life may be affected.
How to Use Cardamom Simple Syrup?
- Use it as a cardamom coffee syrup in hot or iced coffee, tea, and chai masala
- In vegan hot chocolate like this dairy-free peppermint hot chocolate
- To flavor mocktails (like this sparkling pineapple strawberry mocktail) or lemonade
- Add flavor to a fruit salad
- Poach pears or plums with it
- Add it to vegan sorbets
- Brush it over layer cakes (like this fluffy vegan coconut cake) and cupcakes (like this vegan strawberry cupcake)
- Flavor vegan whipped cream or vegan frosting (like this vegan orange buttercream frosting) with it
- Mix it into oatmeal or dairy-free yogurt
- Drizzle it over vegan pancakes (like these easy vegan pumpkin pancakes), waffles, and this easy vegan Just Egg French toast
- Gift it to others
Cardamom pairs particularly with flavors like chai, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, pear, plums, apple, ginger, vanilla, etc.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Allow it to cool, then store the cardamom syrup in an airtight glass bottle/jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Freezer: I like to store homemade syrups in an ice cube tray. Because of the sugar, it won’t freeze solid, but you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
Cardamom Syrup
Equipment
- mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 5 cardamom pods, gently crushed to open
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 one inch lemon peel
- 1 one inch orange peel
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the crushed cardamom pods and lightly toast for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add water, sugar, lemon peel, orange peel, cinnamon stick, and vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Bing to boil. Then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until it reaches a syrup-like consistency. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the syrup into an airtight bottle or mason jar.
- Keep stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use fresh cardamom: To ensure its flavor is at its best.
- Adjust the ratio: Simple syrup combines equal parts sugar & water, simmering only until the sugar dissolves. Rich syrup uses a 2:1 ratio for a thicker, richer syrup (and extra natural preservative power). Alternatively, simmer the syrup to thicken and reduce it slightly.
- Don’t boil it: Bring the syrup to the point of ‘just’ boiling and immediately lower it to a simmer. Otherwise, it can cause a bitter/ burned flavor.
- To make low-sugar cardamom syrup: While using a sugar alternative is possible, the syrup will be thinner, and the shelf life may be affected.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I love the flavor of cardamom. This takes my morning coffee to another level. It tastes kind of exotic.
Andrea says
Right?! It adds such a nice depth to it!
Sabine says
This Cardamon syrup recipe is just perfect. So versatile and so good.
Andrea says
Agreed! There are so many ways to enjoy it!
Elizabeth says
Love this for my cup of tea - so yummy!
Andrea says
Yesss! Adds such a nice touch to the mix!
Melinda says
This cardamom syrup was incredibly easy to make. I’m planning give it as gifts in little jars, during the holidays. It’s a great alternative to store bought sweetened syrup in coffee.
Andrea says
Aw - love that idea so much!
Katie says
This syrup is absolutely fantastic! Perfect addition to any fall drink and it's so easy to make!
Andrea says
Right?! So simple and adds such a great element to drinks!
Andrea White says
The flavor is so good!
nancy says
wow this cardamom syrup flavour is perfect. I want to add this to everything!
Andrea says
Agreed! It's the best!