There’s nothing like a warm summer night with the drinks flowing. Having simple syrup on hand is a fun way to liven up any botanically-infused beverage and, damn, it’s so easy to make!
Simple syrups were the original way to sweeten up cocktails without having the grainy texture of sugar. Although we often hear the term “simple syrup” used behind a bar, this sugary ingredient can be added to any number of drink recipes (including non-alcoholic varieties) and can be elevated with, you guessed it, herbs!
With herbal simple syrup you can add a little extra panache to your sparkling water, or boost the flavor depth in your next mocktail or cocktail recipe. If you ask us, we’re more of a mocktail, microdose kinda crew, but herbal simple syrup can take just about any drink up a notch.
Herbal Simple Syrup
Many close friends and family have wondered and asked how to make simple syrup. For us, we love experimenting with different teas for the base of the simple syrup as it adds so much flavor - and we just can’t resist putting an herbal flare on things!
This summer, we’ve been using Make & Mary's The Empress Tea loose-leaf blend for simple syrup due to its calming and cooling properties. Plus, it makes us feel like goddesses when we add it to a drink recipe.
The Empress Tea embodies a special, organic blend of full-spectrum herbs that are perfect for mellowing out the intense feelings you may be having from these high summer temperatures.
The rose and lavender do wonders for the mood, relaxing any manifested tension and soothing frazzled nerves. Coupled with chilling peppermint, this brew levels out internal body heat so you can feel balanced and in control of your emotions.
Along with these herbs for equilibrium, we’ve also included hemp flower to work directly with the body’s stress response. The C B D in the hemp can help support level-headed reactions to situations that may otherwise put you over the top. It’s supremely helpful for those blistering days when patience may be low and mental unease is high. The hops in the blend work powerfully with the hemp (they’re from the same plant family!) to invoke a sense of calm, release excess tension, and leave you feeling highly inspired.
How to Make Simple Syrup
We can’t stress how easy this process is, and having this syrup on-hand just may turn you into an on-call botanical bartender. This simple syrup takes just a few minutes to make, and adding an herbal twist with our Empress Tea will transform your delicious drinks into garden party empresses.
Yield: 1 ½ cups simple syrup
Duration: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons Make & Mary’s The Empress Tea loose-leaf blend*
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
*includes 50mg of C B D per tablespoon
DIRECTIONS
- Steep the Empress Tea in 1 cup of just-boiled water for 20 to 30 minutes, covered. Strain the liquid from the herbs.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the Empress infusion and 1 cup of sugar to a simmer. Swirl and stir the sugar occasionally until it’s completely dissolved.
- Store your Empress Tea Simple Syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready for use. The simple syrup should last up to 2 weeks.
We have a few ways we like to incorporate The Empress Simple Syrup into our days. One of our favorites is as easy as it gets - we call it the Sparkling Empress. Just add a tablespoon of this simple syrup to a glass of sparkling water and complete it with a citrus wheel or mint sprig as garnish. To make it really pop, you can drop in a splash of freshly squeezed citrus juice!
Another way to enjoy The Empress Simple Syrup is to include it in iced lattes! For a mellow afternoon or evening beverage, our Luna Latte hits the spot. Simply make a chamomile infusion and allow to cool. Stir in a tablespoon of The Empress Simple Syrup, froth some oat milk, and pour it over your cold infusion. Bonus points if you blend in a dropperful of the Make & Mary Inner Beauty Tincture with your frothed milk!
Sweet Farewell
This vegan simple syrup will bring delight to each sip of your botanical beverage. It adds a refreshing pop to cool you down on the hottest of days and can be incorporated into endless summertime recipes to jazz things up.
So next time you’re hanging with friends or are having solo time on your porch, bring the herbal simple syrup magic and unwind.
More Highly Inspired Recipes & Rituals
Healthy Popsicle Recipe with Empress Tea
Moon Milk Recipe for a Sense of Calm
CBD Mocktail Recipe: Ginger Rose
