October 20, 2018

Banana Syrup to add Real Tropical Flavor to Your Cocktails

Real banana syrup recipe Drinking Hobby

Learn How to Make an Easy Banana Simple Syrup for Drinks. 

Fruit syrups are used in drinks when you want to add extra sweetness and a slightly more complex fruit flavor than if you used just the juice or a puree.

You can add fruit flavors by infusing a simple syrup, mixing juice with a sweetener, or boiling a syrup with the fruit in it, but none of these quite yield the results I like to go for.

Use it Here!

Make the Bad Habit cocktail which is a unique Daiquiri that used this recipe for Banana Syrup.

You could also try some pre-made syrups, but fake banana flavor can take over a cocktail in just a few drops so avoid artificial options. If it looks yellow it's no good! Banana flesh isn't yellow... it's beige, so never buy one that looks like a banana peel (or has a label that reads Torani or Monin).

And if you are taking the time and spending the money to track down quality versions, you might as well just make some from scratch.

What macerated bananas for banana simple syrup looks like

The most flavorful way to make banana syrup

This might sound like a lot of work but it is actually quite simple, it just takes time...

  1. First you cover the bananas in sugar to pull out as much of their moisture and flavor as possible.
  2. Then you add a bit of water and heat it on the stove for a few minutes
  3. And last, you just let it sit overnight to infuse as much flavor as possible

Simple right?!

This method squeezes as much flavor as possible out of the bananas to add it to a finished drink.

Note that the recipe does not use equal parts sugar to water. That is the way you want to make a simple syrup with only sugar and water, but not if you are adding macerated fruit to the recipe.

As the bananas sit in the sugar they will release moisture. If you were to then add the same amount of water as you did sugar, it would be too thin and watery because the liquid of the bananas is not accounted for.

Peeling a banana to make homemade banana syrup

Syrups are used in cocktails to add flavor, but they are also a way to add some texture .

So you are looking for a result that has great fruit flavor, but also has some texture.

Also realize that the recipe calls for cane sugar as opposed to regular granulated sugar.

Cane sugar is less refined than white sugar and has the slightest hint of caramel flavor that works really well with banana. You can grab some on Amazon here (affiliate) if you cannot find it in your area.

If you are too impatient or forgot to make the syrup ahead of time, just let it sit and infuse after heating for as long as you can before you need to use it.

Enjoy adding some tropical fruitiness to your drinks.

Ingredients

  • 75 g Ripe Banana - (about 1/2 a medium banana)
  • 75 g Cane Sugar - (about 1/3 cup)
  • 50 g Water - (just under 1 3/4 oz)
  • pinch salt
  • 1 splash Everclear or High Proof Vodka - (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut the banana into thin slices and put them in a small saucepan.
  • Add the sugar on top of the slices and stir in the sugar to coat the banana pieces.
  • Let the bananas and sugar sit for about 3 hours and then add the water to the saucepan.
  • Heat the mixture gently over a medium heat for about 5 minutes without boiling. (see notes in post above)
  • Remove the mixture from heat and let sit covered in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Strain and bottle with Everclear or vodka to help preserve.
Tag me at @mydrinkinghobby when you make this!

Share This Recipe

Pinterest homemade banana syrup

Some useful links:

More Delicious Things!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>