Homemade Grenadine Syrup

Learn how to make your very own grenadine syrup from scratch using only 3 ingredients. This is the perfect must have syrup for your cocktails, mocktails, alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

Why buy it from the supermarket when you can make it at home? That's my motto for so many things.

I like to make my own grenadine syrup because I know exactly what goes into it and it is relatively easy to make.

You only need 3 ingredients and less than 20 minutes of your time. That's is all you need and your grenadine syrup is practically readily available to use.

What is grenadine syrup?

In short the word "Grenadine" derives from the French word "Grenade" which means pomegrenate.

The actual fruit is round in shape, it's red colour in red and the skin is quite thick. The taste is slightly sweet yet tart at the same time and the interior contains a plethora of seeds.

Pomegranate is the fruit that is commonly used to make true grenadine.

The reason why I am highlighting this in particular is that because there is a misconception that grenadine syrup is a cherry flavour syrup.

The above couldn't be further from the truth.

Grenadine substitutes

Pomegranate is a seasonal fruit so obtaining it can be difficult some people make grenadine using fruit that has a similar tart taste. 

A good example of this is by using blackberries, raspberry or even cranberry juice to make grenadine instead.

All of the above are great alternatives for making grenadine.

Ingredients you need

• Pomegranate juice - I'm using 100% pomegranate juice, with no fillers because the pomegranate fruit is out of season. Make sure you are using sure pomegrante that doesn't contain any additional sugar or other ingredients.
• Raw cane sugar - I personally prefer this granulated sugar which also gives the syrup a nice dark hue and a great level of sweetness.
• Lime juice - Add a bit of zest and tartiness to the syrup.

How to make and use grenadine syrup

Grenadine is typically made using a small number of ingredients - pomegranates, sugar (granulated), lemon/lime or orange flower.

Some people add orange blossom/flower water but this ingredient can sometimes be difficult to obtain and not crucial so I usually omit it.

The aforementioned ingredients are usually combined in a saucepan and gently heated through until the sugar disssolves.

Once the sugar dissolves the pan is removed from the store and left to cool down before transferring the liquid into a sterilised bottle/jar.

It's very simple and straight forward in terms of how to use grenadine syrup, you simply add the amount needed to your cocktails/mocktails and punch recipes.

You can add it to so many more drinks because it makes ANYTHING taste a million times better.

Reasons to make your own grenadine

As stated before, I like to have complete control over what goes into my syrup.

When scanning the ingredients of the storebought kind I was left disappointed because most of them continued a bunch of additives and refined sugar.

Making your own is not only fun but perfect if you're like me and very particular over what ingredients you want to include.

I personally like to use raw cane sugar as my sweetener or coconut sugar depending on what drink I'm using it in.

Coconut sugar isn't as sweet as raw cane sugar which results in a subtly sweet grenadine (unless you choose to increase the amount of sugar).

I also like to use lime juice as opposed to lemon because pomegranate is quite acidic and lime juice isn't as acidic as its lemon counterpart.

The steps

• On medium heat, add the pomegranate juice and raw cane sugar to a medium sized saucepan.
• Continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (do not allow the liquid to boil)(use a spoon to check when the sugar has dissolved).
• Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the stove and add the lime juice and stir.

• Allow the syrup to completely cool down.
• Transfer the syrup into a clean, sterilised jar/bottle.
• Store in the refrigerator and use accordingly.

Notes and tips

• Remember, pomegrante is seasonal so if you cannot obtain the actual fruit then use pomegrante juice like I have done.
• It's best to use grantulated sugar as you have a better idea over how long the liquid needs to be on the stove until the sugar dissolves without overheating it.
• You can use agave nectar or maple syrup, use ⅔ cup instead.
• Feel free to add some orange blossom or orange floral water as these are popular citrus additions.
• If you do decide to use coconut sugar instead of granulated, keep in mind that the end result won't be as sweet.
• This grenadine syrup should be stored in an air tight container and can last for up to one month (I usually use mine within 2 weeks of making it).
• Some people add about ¼ cup of vodka to preserve it's shelf life.

More recipes to try

• Ginger Syrup
• Guava BBQ Sauce
• How To Make Hemp Seed Milk
• Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
• Homemade Browning Sauce
• How To Make Date Paste
• Gluten Free Flour Recipe
• Annatto Oil
• Vegan Condensed Milk

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