Brown sugar syrup is one of the most versatile ingredients to have ever existed. It is the key ingredient to many of our favourite treats. And this includes your favourite bubble tea and Starbucks go-to orders! With that being said, you'll no longer have to stop by the coffee shop or the nearest boba stall. Not once you've found out that their secret ingredient is ridiculously easy to make!
You've come to the right place if you need a thick brown sugar syrup recipe for boba tea. But feel free to modify it for any other dish and beverage. You can even make your own DIY brown sugar syrup for cocktails!
Jump to:- What is brown sugar syrup made of?
- What can you use it for?
- Is brown sugar syrup artificial?
- Brown sugar syrup calories
- Brown sugar syrup ingredients
- Brown sugar syrup without brown sugar
- Brown sugar syrup with maple syrup
- How to make thick brown sugar syrup
- Making it thin
- How to store
- Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe (Boba, Cocktails and Desserts)
- Variations
What is brown sugar syrup made of?
Brown sugar syrup is a simple syrup made of brown sugar and water. It is also relatively simple, with only two ingredients. Brown sugar will caramelise with hot water and turn into a liquid sweetener.
This sweet syrup has a deep flavour with hints of caramel and toffee. It's all thanks to the molasses content in brown sugar itself. The rich flavour makes it a great addition to several sweet concoctions.
What can you use it for?
You can use this two-ingredient sweetener for many dishes and beverages. Some examples include boba drinks, coffee, cocktails and pancakes! The drizzle of sweetness goes well with almost everything from breakfast to desserts!
Here are some treats that are popular with this syrup!
Boba drinks
Boba drink, or bubble tea, typically consists of black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls covered in thin brown sugar syrup. Some boba places also serve the Instagram-worthy tiger milk tea by drizzling the sweetener into the cup. So it is understandable why the world went crazy over this concoction when it was introduced in bubble tea shops. With our homemade DIY brown sugar recipe, you’ll be making homemade boba in no time!
Coffee
Skip the plain white sugar and sweeten your coffee with this gooey sweetener. It gives a richer taste and a caramel undertone to your caffeine fix. Hence, some people prefer this sweetener over regular white sugar in their coffee for the flavour. You can mix it with some milk or cream to make a delicious latte with a hint of caramel flavour.
Cocktails
You can also save the sweet drizzle for your weekend drinks! Interestingly, this sweet stuff is used in many popular cocktails such as Smash, Old Fashioned, Irish Coffee, and Caipirinha.
Of course, it works best in bourbon or whiskey-based drinks. However, you can add it to your favourite cocktails for a little sugary depth. So, this makes some easy scotch drinks for beginners!
Desserts
Thick brown sugar sweetener also tastes fantastic as a topping for desserts. You can eat with ice creams, puddings, and cakes. It also makes a sinfully tasty dipping sauce for snacks like pretzels and churros.
You will also find this sweetener works well for Japanese desserts like raindrop cake and warabi mochi!
Another way to sweeten up your morning is to drizzle the sweetener over your pancakes and waffles. It makes an excellent alternative to maple syrup and honey. Therefore, having no maple syrup or honey shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your favourite breakfast!
Our DIY recipe will show you how to make thick brown sugar syrup or thin, depending on what consistency you want! So, you can use it for all kinds of dishes!
Is brown sugar syrup artificial?
Brown sugar syrup is non-artificial. It does not contain white sugar, but it's not sugar-free. It also contains minerals like calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium. However, this does not make it significantly healthier than other syrups since the minerals are present in minuscule amounts.
Moreover, it can be artificial if you make it using refined brown sugar. The refined version is dyed white sugar mixed with cane molasses. On the other hand, you can only obtain the unprocessed form from sugar cane. Therefore, make sure you have raw and unrefined brown sugar to make a non-artificial sweetener.
Brown sugar syrup calories
A serving of this sweetener only contains around 50 calories. So a drizzle or two of it can be considered a decent amount to satisfy your sugary cravings.
Brown sugar syrup ingredients
You will only need two ingredients to create the Starbucks brown sugar syrup, water and brown sugar. It is not hard to find them since they are available in most grocery stores. Plus, we're pretty sure you already have these ingredients on hand!
- Water
- Brown sugar: You can opt for either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. However, note that the light version will give a light caramel flavour. On the other hand, the caramel flavour from dark brown sugar is more robust. You can also create a stronger caramel flavour by adding two tablespoons of molasses to your preferred sugar.
Brown sugar syrup without brown sugar
An easy way to make homemade syrup without brown sugar is to use white sugar and molasses. As mentioned earlier, you can create brown sugar artificially with these two ingredients. Just add two tablespoons of molasses to 1 cup of white sugar and mix it with a cup of water.
Brown sugar syrup with maple syrup
You can also make brown sugar syrup with maple syrup if you don't have molasses. Just combine a cup of granulated white sugar with a tablespoon of maple syrup to imitate brown sugar. Then, mix it with a cup of water. No worries, it will taste the same as the actual thing!
How to make thick brown sugar syrup
If you're wondering how to make thick brown sugar syrup, simmer it for a little longer! You don't even have to think about running to the grocery store for an additional ingredient. It gets thicker as you heat it over time, but don't cook it for too long. Otherwise, you will have to deal with a hard and sticky mess in your pan.
The thick and gooey syrup is commonly used for drizzling. However, you can prepare the liquid sweetener with this consistency if you're planning on indulging in some waffles or pancakes.
Making it thin
This sweetener can also be made thin and runny for drinks. If it is thicker than you wanted, add some water into the hot syrup before it fully cools. Be sure to add one teaspoon of water at a time and mix it into the syrup until the preferred consistency is achieved. You may also need to heat it on low as you do this to loosen up the consistency.
How to store
It is best to store your homemade sweetener in a glass jar or bottle to maintain the flavour. This method of storage will also make it last longer. Other than that, we recommend using a funnel for easy pouring.
You can also store the sweetener in the refrigerator, making it last for a month. However, it may further thicken up in the fridge, especially if you've prepared a thick syrup. Therefore, you may need to let it sit at room temperature or reheat it on low heat before serving.
Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe (Boba, Cocktails and Desserts)
Brown sugar syrup is the key ingredient in bubble tea and Starbucks drinks. It is super easy to make and highly versatile. Use it to add a comforting hint of sweetness to your favourite treats!
Author: Serena Josrin
4.72 from 21 votes
Print PinCourse: Dessert, Drinks
Keyword: brown sugar
Servings: 16 tablespoons
Calories: 52kcal
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Mix brown sugar with water in a pan and heat the mixture on low to medium heat. Stir the mixture occasionally while heating it.
For a thin and runny syrup, heat the brown sugar only until it has fully dissolved in the water. Then, add a teaspoon of water at a time if the syrup is a little thicker than desired.
For a thick and gooey syrup, slightly increase the temperature to reach a gentle simmer once the sugar has dissolved. Maintain the simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove the pan from the stovetop once the syrup reaches the desired consistency. Then, let it cool to room temperature. Finally, serve it or store it in a glass jar.
Notes
- Do not heat the syrup for too long to prevent it from being too sticky.
- Instead of boiling the syrup, aim for a gentle simmer to avoid quick evaporation.
Nutrition
Calories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 13gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 18mgSugar: 13gCalcium: 12mg
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.
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Country Kitchen SweetArt on Youtube has a simple video recipe showing how to make the syrup above with a twist of cinnamon! We recommend checking out their video if you’re looking to infuse your sweetener with other flavours.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Flavored Simple Syrup
Watch this video on YouTube
Variations
If you enjoy this homemade syrup, here are other simple syrups to try at home!
Apple brown sugar syrup
This syrup has a hint of apple flavour but doesn't contain any apple! Instead, it combines brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. You'll enjoy it if you're a fan of Starbucks' Apple Crisp Macchiato!
Brown cinnamon
This syrup gives a comforting nuance of flavour with a hint of cinnamon. You can easily make it by mixing a teaspoon of cinnamon with brown sugar and water.
Brown butter
As the name suggests, this variation contains butter. Therefore, it gives a sweet and buttery flavour. Try it with some fresh pancakes or waffles. It'll take your breath away.
Vanilla
This liquid sweetener typically consists of granulated sugar, water, and vanilla extract. It pairs well with coffee and tea.
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