I always like to keep some fresh ginger on hand, especially for soothing upset stomachs—it’s a real lifesaver, particularly during early pregnancy. Besides, ginger root brings a delicious punch to drinks, gingerbread, and even iced tea. On its own, ginger can be a bit spicy, but turning it into ginger syrup adds a nice sweetness to various foods and beverages.
Ginger is a wonderful herb with loads of health benefits, including improving circulation and boosting immunity, making it ideal for chilly weather. The classic ginger syrup recipe uses fresh ginger root and a sweetener, like brown sugar or organic cane sugar. The process is similar to making elderberry syrup: you simmer the ginger in liquid, strain it, and then bottle it. If you want to avoid refined sugar, this can be made with raw honey instead.
This particular ginger syrup recipe has you simmer the ginger in water, then mix the strained liquid with raw honey. This way, you not only get all the benefits of ginger, but also those of raw honey, which is both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
If my fridge is ever out of fresh ginger, you can bet there’s some dried ginger in my pantry! It’s a great help for nausea during the first trimester of pregnancy, and the kids love it for settling upset stomachs. Here are a few more health perks of ginger:
While enjoying a cup of ginger tea can be a nice way to end the day, ginger syrup is even more versatile. Ginger simple syrup is often found in cocktail recipes like the classic Moscow mule or the newer Penicillin. But it’s not just for bartenders—you can also whip up some healthy mocktails with ginger syrup.
I like using a ginger bug to create homemade ginger ale (also known as ginger beer). Though the process is straightforward, it does require some hands-on attention and fermentation time. For a quicker option, try mixing homemade ginger syrup with sparkling water or club soda for an easy ginger ale twist. Here are some other ideas for using ginger syrup:
For homemade cough syrup, I blend an herbal infusion of ginger and other herbs with lemon juice and honey. This ginger syrup recipe is similar but skips the additional herbs, leaving room for you to customize it with different flavors. Add a splash of vanilla for a ginger vanilla syrup that’s amazing on ice cream. Or, simmer lemon and lime zest with the ginger for a citrusy kick. For an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial boost, try tossing in spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves. Rosemary, orange zest, and lemongrass also pair well in a ginger syrup mix.
Making ginger syrup is as simple as making tea. Start by chopping up organic ginger root—just make sure the pieces aren’t too big to get a good infusion, or too small to strain easily. Once you’ve infused the water with ginger, strain out the bits and stir in raw honey. Your syrup is now ready to go!
This ginger syrup will last for several weeks in the fridge. While honey can last a long time (it even dates back to ancient Egyptian tombs!), herbal tea has a shorter shelf life. For longer storage, freeze it in ice cube trays and use it as needed.
Have you ever tried making simple syrup? What will you create with your ginger syrup? Let us know in the comments!
