So many delicious mocktails are sweet drinks. That is one reason why we love them! It is hard to resist a glass full of something sweet and delicious. There are many different ways to sweeten a drink and we have tried them all. Sugar is a classic go-to sweetener and simple syrup is another common mocktail ingredient. However, we absolutely love using different types of syrup to make our non alcoholic drinks sweet. Golden syrup happens to be one of our favorite ingredients to add flavor and sweetness to a mocktail.

It is a thick, delicious, amber colored syrup that adds so much to your glass. We are going to tell you all about golden syrup and how to make it using our very easy golden syrup recipe.

What is Golden Syrup?

Golden syrup is a thick syrup made from cane sugar. It has the consistency and color of honey but it has a completely different taste. Golden syrup has a buttery caramel flavor that is delicious in baked goods and drinks.

Golden syrup is quite popular in the United Kingdom. It is a staple ingredient in many households. Lyle’s Golden Syrup brand is the most widely used golden syrup on the market. Lyles Golden syrup is considered to be the original syrup and the one many people look for in the stores. Golden Eagle syrup is another popular brand that is more common in the United States. However, you don’t need to search for where to buy golden syrup when you can simply make your own! Our golden syrup recipe will help!

How to Make Golden Syrup

Making golden syrup is actually incredibly simple. It only takes about 5 minutes to put the syrup mix together. The syrup then simmers on its own for about an hour, growing thick and rich while it cooks. Here is a quick look at how to make golden syrup using our easy golden syrup recipe.

Mix the sugars and water in a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Stir in the lemon juice then let the mix simmer for about an hour. Do not stir the syrup or the sugar may crystallize and become gritty.
Once the golden syrup is done cooking, it will be a thick consistency and have a deep amber color. You can also use a candy thermometer to make sure it has reached 240 degrees F. At that temperature, your syrup is completely cooked!
Stir in the vanilla extract then pour the hot syrup into a container to cool. We like to use a glass mason jar to keep the syrup in.
Store the golden syrup at room temperature. It will keep in your pantry for up to three months.

Boiling the sugar over low heat prevents the sugar from crystallizing and makes a smooth, easy to work with syrup. It does take a little bit of time to simmer the syrup to perfection but anyone can make this golden syrup recipe. You essentially just need to measure, stir and boil! It is as easy as it is delicious.

How to Use Golden Syrup

Golden syrup is a great ingredient to use in baking and drink making. It adds a very unique caramel taste to any recipe. Golden syrup is also considered to be a vegan product while honey is not. Anyone following a vegan diet can use golden syrup in place of honey in any recipe.

Lyle’s golden syrup is most often used as a baking ingredient. It is a key ingredient in treacle tarts, a classic British dessert. Here are a few other ways we like to use golden syrup:

Replace simple syrup in a mocktail recipe with golden syrup for a richer, sweet taste
Use golden syrup in place of honey in any drink recipe or baked good.
Drizzle golden syrup over pancakes in place of maple syrup for a more caramel taste
Dip the rim of a glass in golden syrup and then into salt, sugar, sprinkle or crushed candies to make a perfectly rimmed cocktail glass. The sticky syrup will hold the garnishes on well!
Stir a spoonful of golden syrup into your morning coffee or tea for a unique sweetness.

Using golden syrup is much like using honey, agave or corn syrup. It has a very similar texture so it can easily be interchanged in any recipe. You can use a golden syrup substitute in any recipe that asks for honey, agave or corn syrup, using a simple one to one ratio.

Unlike honey or corn syrup, you can easily make golden syrup at home. No need to run to the store to buy a container of Lyle’s syrup when you can just simmer a batch of golden syrup yourself!

Golden Syrup Mocktails

We are mocktail experts. Not to brag but we have created some seriously amazing non alcoholic drinks! You can use golden syrup to sweeten many of them. Anytime you see a mocktail recipe that asks for honey, simple syrup, molasses or agave, simply replace it with the same quantity of golden syrup. This will add a buttery caramel taste to your favorite drinks.

Here are a few of our favorite drink recipes that taste delicious with golden syrup added to the mix.

Honey Lemon Barley Water- Make a golden syrup barley water for a new, richer drink
Mango Lassi- Golden syrup gives this mango lassi recipe a very complex, sweet flavor
Non Alcoholic Hot Toddy- Mix your homemade golden syrup into a non alcoholic hot toddy for a delicious cold-curing drink.
Gingerbread Mocktail Martini- Replace the brown sugar with golden syrup for a more buttery flavored gingerbread mocktail

There are so many ways to use golden syrup. It is such a versatile ingredient that adds a lot of flavor easily into drinks, baked goods and almost any recipe you can think of. Give our homemade golden syrup a try. It is easy to make and a great ingredient to have on hand. People may ask what your secret mocktail ingredient is and you can tell them it is homemade golden syrup!