Skip the artificial flavors and sweeteners and make this fresh, 5-minute lime simple syrup at home with just 2 ingredients - limes and sugar! This citrusy syrup is perfect for sweetening cocktails, mocktails, and iced tea, and it's just as delicious drizzled over fruit, cakes, and other desserts for a bright pop of lime flavor.
It's amazing what you can do with just sugar and a liquid; sugar and water give you classic simple syrup (endlessly useful), honey and water give you honey syrup (the best for iced coffee!), and sugar and lime juice give you a tangy lime simple syrup (perfect for cocktails!).
Especially in the summer, when you might find yourself craving margaritas, mojitos, or good ol' limeade, having this lime syrup on hand will get you one step closer to a refreshing drink at a moment's notice.
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Recipe Highlights
- 2 simple ingredients: All you need is fresh limes and granulated sugar!
- Minimal effort: This recipe takes all of 5-minutes; it really couldn't be easier.
- Make-ahead friendly: This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks, so it's ready whenever you need it!
- Customizable: Add other flavors like fresh herbs, sliced peppers, or shredded coconut for variety, or throw in some lemon juice for a lemon-lime twist!
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
The most important thing to keep in mind with this recipe is that fresh limes are a must! We'll be using both the juice and the zest to get the most flavor packed into this syrup. Bottled lime juice never has the same brightness and zing, which can be okay for baking but isn't great for fresh drinks.
I buy Costco's organic cane sugar which tends to be slightly coarser than most granulated sugar, but simple syrup is very forgiving so whatever you have should work just fine here.
For ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below!
A Tip for Zesting Limes
My go-to tool for zesting citrus is a microplane zester. It's solidly built to last for years, and you'll get plenty of use out of it!
How to Make Lime Simple Syrup
- Step 1: Combine the granulated sugar and lime zest in a small saucepan or pot, using a spoon to thoroughly mix the zest into the sugar.
- Step 2: Add fresh lime juice. Place on the stove over medium heat and cook, stirring often, just until the sugar dissolves.
- Step 3: Remove pot from the stove and use a fine-mesh strainer to strain syrup into a glass bottle/jar or similar vessel for storage. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Storage and Shelf Life
A glass dispenser with a pourable spout is great for storing homemade syrups, but a mason jar works just fine! Most importantly, simple syrup should be kept in the refrigerator to maintain freshness; stored properly it should last for at least a month.
If your syrup turns cloudy or shows any signs of mold, this is a clear sign that it's gone bad and shouldn't be used.
Uses for Lime Syrup
I like to use this lime syrup for drinks, but there are plenty of other ways to get creative with it too!
Try it in:
- Cocktails and mocktails made with lime, as a replacement for simple syrup - think margaritas, mojitos, gimlets, daiquiris, and moscow mules. Depending on how tart you like your drinks, you may want to add additional lime juice.
- Iced tea, sweetened to taste.
- Limeade. Combine 4 parts water to 1 part syrup, adjusting to taste with more syrup or water as needed.
- Sparkling water, to make an easy homemade lime soda. Start with the same 4:1 ratio of water to syrup and adjust to taste, or just add a touch of syrup for a hint of lime sweetness.
- Yogurt or homemade whipped cream, as part of a snack or dessert. It could also be great in the cheesecake filling for my strawberry cheesecake cups.
- Layer cakes. Brush a small amount over the tops of your homemade cakes before frosting to keep them extra moist and add some zesty lime flavor!
- Fruit salad. Add a drizzle of lime syrup - and maybe a dollop of whipped cream - for a light summer dessert.
Recipe Variations
Simple syrup recipes are easy to customize, and this one is no exception! Here are a few ways to get creative here:
- Use key limes to make a key lime syrup.
- Use equal parts lemons and limes (for both the juice and zest) to make a lemon lime simple syrup.
- Muddle a few slices of fresh jalapeño with the sugar and lime zest before cooking for a spicy jalapeño lime simple syrup, or swap in habanero for an even hotter habanero lime syrup.
- Add ¼ cup of loosely packed mint leaves to the syrup before cooking for a lime mint simple syrup. For the best flavor, cover after cooking and let the mint steep for about half an hour before straining.
- Add some grated ginger to your sugar along with the lime zest in step 1 to make a lime ginger simple syrup.
- Add ½ cup of shredded coconut to the sugar and lime juice prior to cooking for a coconut lime syrup. Cover the mixture and let it steep for a half hour afterward for maximum flavor, just like the mint version.
Quick FAQs
This will vary quite a bit depending on how juicy your limes are. I'd suggest having 6-8 limes on hand, but if your limes are small and firm, stock up on extra to be safe!
You will need both lime juice and lime zest for this recipe, so it's best to stick to fresh limes. The flavor will be much better!
Yes! This is, at its core, a version of simple syrup, so while it does have a bold citrusy flavor, it's still sweet.
Homemade lime syrup should last for 1-2 months when stored in an airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator.
More Fresh Lime Recipes
Got limes? Here are more recipes to make the best of them!
Have you made this recipe?
If so, I'd love to hear your feedback; you can leave a rating and review in the comments section below! It's also so helpful if you help spread the word by sharing this post on your favorite social media channel. If you happen to snap a photo of what you've baked, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@brighteyedbaker) so I can give you a shoutout!
Recipe Card
5-Minute Lime Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest fresh
- ¾ cup lime juice freshly-squeezed
Instructions
- Combine the granulated sugar and lime zest in a small saucepan or pot, using a spoon to thoroughly mix the zest into the sugar.¾ cup granulated sugar |1 tablespoon lime zest
- Add lime juice. Place on the stove over medium heat and cook, stirring often, just until the sugar has dissolved.¾ cup lime juice
- Remove pot from the stove and use a fine-mesh strainer to strain syrup into a lidded glass jar or similar vessel for storage. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate per serving, calculated using standard ingredients. Actual values may vary based on brands used, measurement methods, and more.
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