Microwave Simple Syrup Recipe

Name: Simple Syrup Recipe in the Microwave
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 4 min
Ingredients: .5 cup water; .5 cup sugar

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This Microwave Simple Syrup recipe needs just water and sugar plus your trusty microwave. This homemade simple syrup is ready in just minutes and is an awesome shortcut for an important ingredient for making delicious cocktails at home. Need to sweeten up a drink but don’t want to spend the time to make traditional simple syrup? Use my recipe below.

Microwave Simple Syrup in a mason jar on a counter next to a bar spoon. — Let’s make this quick and easy microwave simple syrup recipe!

Microwave Simple Syrup is a great hack!

This Microwave Simple Syrup recipe will help you make a batch of sweetener for your beverages, quickly. This method is perfect if you need simple syrup faster or don’t want to bother with the stovetop.

While you’ll still have to let it cool a little before using it, making it in the microwave means you won’t have to wait for the water to boil which will save a little time.

Having this simple syrup on hand will help to ensure that all your drinks (cocktails and mocktails) are perfectly balanced and sweetened.

Plus you can also easily adjust how sweet or not sweet you want your drinks by adjusting the amount of water and/or sugar used when making your simple syrup in the microwave.

Ingredients

A bowl of sugar next to a bowl of water on the counter. — What you need to make microwave simple syrup.

water
sugar

The basic ratio for traditional syrup is 1 part water to 1 part sugar.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and the full recipe.

It really doesn’t matter what type of sugar you use. I prefer to use white sugar since that is what I have on hand. But you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar or even maple syrup (these will change the flavor of the syrup a little bit).

How to Make Simple Syrup in the Microwave

Woman adding sugar to water in a large glass measuring cup.

Step 1

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the water and sugar.

Woman stirring sugar and water in a glass measuring cup to make simple syrup.

Step 2

Stir to combine.

Step 3

Microwave for 2 minutes.

Woman stirring simple syrup in a glass measuring cup.

Step 4

Stir until the sugar completely dissolves. *Be careful, the vessel might be hot!*

Woman pouring microwave simple syrup from a large glass measuring cup into a mason jar.

Pour it into a glass jar to cool. It’s also a great way to store it in the refrigerator.

To Use in a Drink

You can use this microwave simple syrup to add sweetness to coffee, iced tea cocktails and mocktails.

If you aren’t following a recipe, start with about 1/2 of a Tablespoon, taste it and then add more as needed.

If you are following a recipe, it should call out how much to use in the drink.

Variations

I don’t love overly sweet drinks so I typically cut down the amount of sugar I use. Instead, I do 1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup of water.

You can play around with that ratio even more to create your perfect recipe.

You can use this base syrup to create flavored syrups. You’ll add the herb or fruit to the vessel with the sugar and water and once you remove it from the microwave, you will need to steep it for about 20 minutes. This may not impart as much flavor as when you make them on the stovetop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does simple syrup need to boil?

No. You don’t need to boil the simple syrup to get it to turn out correctly. In fact, bringing it to a boil may change the consistency. Boiling causes the water to evaporate and it will make it thicker. Making simple syrup in the microwave creates a thinner syrup since it has less time with heating and will retain more of the water.

What is simple syrup vs sugar syrup?

They’re the same! Simple syrup is a sugar syrup. But people may refer to them differently.

What can I substitute for simple syrup?

If you don’t want to use simple syrup, you can use another sweetener like agave syrup, maple syrup or honey but this will alter the flavor a little bit.

A jar of simple syrup on a counter next to a cocktail shaker and a short glass with ice.

Making simple syrup in the microwave is a great time-saving hack for anyone who loves making their own cocktails at home but doesn’t have time for complicated recipes!

Make sure you don’t lose this recipe by saving it for later! Also, for more recipes make sure you’re following me on Pinterest, Instagram and like my page on Facebook. If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and tag me in your pictures!

More simple syrup recipes

Mason jar holding simple syrup made in the microwave on a counter next to a glass of ice and a cocktail shaker.

Simple Syrup Recipe in the Microwave

This easy Microwave Simple Syrup recipe can be made quickly and is perfect to use to sweeten all types of recipes from cocktails, to mocktails and even coffee and tea. All it takes is two ingredients, some stirring and microwaving.