Easy 2-ingredient Grenadine Syrup Recipe

Published by Izzy

on Jan 28, 2020

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Learn all you need to know for how to make Grenadine Syrup for cocktails and drinks! With only 2 ingredients – pomegranate juice and regular sugar, this recipe shows you some easy tips to make this delicious sweet and tart non-alcoholic bar syrup, with a beautiful deep red color.

Like simple syrup, grenadine is a key ingredient in so many cocktail and mocktail recipes. Don’t rush out to buy it, as it’s ridiculously easy to make at home from scratch and much cheaper.

Since it lasts a while in the fridge, you can make a big batch and you’ll always have some on hand.

Pouring grenadine over ice cubs in a highball glass.

What is grenadine?

Grenadine is a popular non-alcoholic syrup that’s sweet and tangy with a dark red color. It’s used in many popular cocktail recipes like Sea Breeze and Tequila Sunrise, and mocktail recipes like Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers Drink.

Despite what many people often think, grenadine is not a cherry-flavored syrup. It’s actually pomegranate juice mixed with sugar and heated until it becomes a syrup.

How to make grenadine syrup

Basic grenadine syrup is made with two ingredients:

Pomegranate juice: You can make your own pomegranate juice from fresh pomegranate, or you can use store-bought juice.
Sugar: I use regular granulated sugar for this recipe. Brown sugar works fine as well, although it will give the syrup a darker color.

The best ratio for grenadine is EQUAL PARTS of pomegranate juice to sugar (1:1 ratio). Feel free to adjust the ratio and make the syrup richer by adding more sugar or less sweet by using less sugar.

Start with adding pomegranate juice to a saucepan over medium low heat.

Adding pomegranate juice to the saucepan.

Then add in the equal amount of sugar.

Stir constantly and cook until the surface just begins to bubble and the sugar is completely dissolved. Pro tip: Don’t boil the mixture!

Remove your syrup from the heat and allow it to cool before storing it in a bottle or using it in your cocktails.

What does grenadine taste like?

Grenadine tastes sweet and tangy with a vaguely pomegranate fruity flavor. It shouldn’t have any cherry flavor. Note that homemade grenadine syrup is not as thick as simple syrup or the traditional store-bought grenadine. The consistency is more like juice than syrup.

How long does homemade grenadine last?

Let your syrup cool at room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can last up to 4 weeks.

Homemade grenadine stored in mason jars.

What is grenadine syrup used for?

Grenadine is often used to add a pop of red color or some sweetness to drinks. It’s a popular ingredient for so many cocktail recipes as well as non-alcoholic drinks. Here are some ideas:

For Cocktails: Tequila Sunrise, Sea Breeze, the Hurricane, and the Paradise cocktail, etc.
For Mocktail or Non-alcoholic Drinks: Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers drink, etc. It’s sometimes added into lemonade or tonic water for extra color and flavor.

Other ingredients that you can add to grenadine syrup:

This homemade grenadine syrup is a basic recipe that you can use for your drinks. You can add more ingredients to this syrup for extra flavors:

Pomegranate molasses (2 tablespoons)
Orange flower water (3 drops)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 teaspoon)

Tools I Used in this Recipe:

If you give this a try, please comment below and let me know what recipes you used it in!