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Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe (Thick or Thin): Boba, Cocktails and Desserts!

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2022 · Author: Serena Josrin · Jump to Recipe

Brown sugar syrup is one of the most versatile ingredients to have ever existed. It is the key ingredient to many of our favourite treats. And this includes your favourite bubble tea and Starbucks go-to orders! With that being said, you'll no longer have to stop by the coffee shop or the nearest boba stall. Not once you've found out that their secret ingredient is ridiculously easy to make!

brown sugar syrup poured on shaved ice
Get to use brown sugar syrup on a variety of sweets you love!| Image from nasupi_jpn

You've come to the right place if you need a thick brown sugar syrup recipe for boba tea. But feel free to modify it for any other dish and beverage. You can even make your own DIY brown sugar syrup for cocktails!

Jump to:
  • What is brown sugar syrup made of?
  • What can you use it for?
  • Is brown sugar syrup artificial?
  • Brown sugar syrup calories
  • Brown sugar syrup ingredients
  • Brown sugar syrup without brown sugar
  • Brown sugar syrup with maple syrup
  • How to make thick brown sugar syrup
  • Making it thin
  • How to store
  • Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe (Boba, Cocktails and Desserts)
  • Variations

What is brown sugar syrup made of?

Brown sugar syrup is a simple syrup made of brown sugar and water. It is also relatively simple, with only two ingredients. Brown sugar will caramelise with hot water and turn into a liquid sweetener.

kokutou syrup Japanese sweets
Brown sugar syrup can be made in a few easy peasy steps to follow. | Image from yokobaden

This sweet syrup has a deep flavour with hints of caramel and toffee. It's all thanks to the molasses content in brown sugar itself. The rich flavour makes it a great addition to several sweet concoctions.

What can you use it for?

You can use this two-ingredient sweetener for many dishes and beverages. Some examples include boba drinks, coffee, cocktails and pancakes! The drizzle of sweetness goes well with almost everything from breakfast to desserts!

Here are some treats that are popular with this syrup!

Boba drinks

Boba drink, or bubble tea, typically consists of black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls covered in thin brown sugar syrup. Some boba places also serve the Instagram-worthy tiger milk tea by drizzling the sweetener into the cup. So it is understandable why the world went crazy over this concoction when it was introduced in bubble tea shops. With our homemade DIY brown sugar recipe, you’ll be making homemade boba in no time!

brown sugar boba
Enhance your bubble tea experience by adding brown sugar-infused boba pearls.| Image from imilky.usa

Coffee

Skip the plain white sugar and sweeten your coffee with this gooey sweetener. It gives a richer taste and a caramel undertone to your caffeine fix. Hence, some people prefer this sweetener over regular white sugar in their coffee for the flavour. You can mix it with some milk or cream to make a delicious latte with a hint of caramel flavour.

Cocktails

You can also save the sweet drizzle for your weekend drinks! Interestingly, this sweet stuff is used in many popular cocktails such as Smash, Old Fashioned, Irish Coffee, and Caipirinha.

Of course, it works best in bourbon or whiskey-based drinks. However, you can add it to your favourite cocktails for a little sugary depth. So, this makes some easy scotch drinks for beginners!

Desserts

Thick brown sugar sweetener also tastes fantastic as a topping for desserts. You can eat with ice creams, puddings, and cakes. It also makes a sinfully tasty dipping sauce for snacks like pretzels and churros.

You will also find this sweetener works well for Japanese desserts like raindrop cake and warabi mochi!

Another way to sweeten up your morning is to drizzle the sweetener over your pancakes and waffles. It makes an excellent alternative to maple syrup and honey. Therefore, having no maple syrup or honey shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your favourite breakfast!

waffle and kuromitsu syrup
Waffles made very unique with ice cream, topped with a generous amount of boba, and drizzled with tasty brown sugar syrup. | Image from goldenbubblescanada

Our DIY recipe will show you how to make thick brown sugar syrup or thin, depending on what consistency you want! So, you can use it for all kinds of dishes!

Is brown sugar syrup artificial?

Brown sugar syrup is non-artificial. It does not contain white sugar, but it's not sugar-free. It also contains minerals like calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium. However, this does not make it significantly healthier than other syrups since the minerals are present in minuscule amounts.

ice cream and kuromitsu
Hints of caramel can be tasted in this yummy vanilla ice cream with brown sugar syrup. | Image from so_18_ft_

Moreover, it can be artificial if you make it using refined brown sugar. The refined version is dyed white sugar mixed with cane molasses. On the other hand, you can only obtain the unprocessed form from sugar cane. Therefore, make sure you have raw and unrefined brown sugar to make a non-artificial sweetener.

Brown sugar syrup calories

A serving of this sweetener only contains around 50 calories. So a drizzle or two of it can be considered a decent amount to satisfy your sugary cravings.

Brown sugar syrup ingredients

You will only need two ingredients to create the Starbucks brown sugar syrup, water and brown sugar. It is not hard to find them since they are available in most grocery stores. Plus, we're pretty sure you already have these ingredients on hand!

  • Water
  • Brown sugar: You can opt for either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. However, note that the light version will give a light caramel flavour. On the other hand, the caramel flavour from dark brown sugar is more robust. You can also create a stronger caramel flavour by adding two tablespoons of molasses to your preferred sugar.
natural brown granules
These brown granules make the sweet and delectable syrup. | Image from GabiSanda

Brown sugar syrup without brown sugar

An easy way to make homemade syrup without brown sugar is to use white sugar and molasses. As mentioned earlier, you can create brown sugar artificially with these two ingredients. Just add two tablespoons of molasses to 1 cup of white sugar and mix it with a cup of water.

Brown sugar syrup with maple syrup

You can also make brown sugar syrup with maple syrup if you don't have molasses. Just combine a cup of granulated white sugar with a tablespoon of maple syrup to imitate brown sugar. Then, mix it with a cup of water. No worries, it will taste the same as the actual thing!

How to make thick brown sugar syrup

If you're wondering how to make thick brown sugar syrup, simmer it for a little longer! You don't even have to think about running to the grocery store for an additional ingredient. It gets thicker as you heat it over time, but don't cook it for too long. Otherwise, you will have to deal with a hard and sticky mess in your pan.

store bought brown sugar sweetener i a bottle
Have the brown sugar syrup in a bottle that you can ready for drizzling. | Image from serasakopi.pku

The thick and gooey syrup is commonly used for drizzling. However, you can prepare the liquid sweetener with this consistency if you're planning on indulging in some waffles or pancakes. 

Making it thin

This sweetener can also be made thin and runny for drinks. If it is thicker than you wanted, add some water into the hot syrup before it fully cools. Be sure to add one teaspoon of water at a time and mix it into the syrup until the preferred consistency is achieved. You may also need to heat it on low as you do this to loosen up the consistency.

How to store

It is best to store your homemade sweetener in a glass jar or bottle to maintain the flavour. This method of storage will also make it last longer. Other than that, we recommend using a funnel for easy pouring.

brown sugar sweetener in jar
Proper storage of the syrup in the jar will help extend its shelf life. | Image from sweetcraftdolceria

You can also store the sweetener in the refrigerator, making it last for a month. However, it may further thicken up in the fridge, especially if you've prepared a thick syrup. Therefore, you may need to let it sit at room temperature or reheat it on low heat before serving.

shaved ice brown sugar syrup

Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe (Boba, Cocktails and Desserts)

Brown sugar syrup is the key ingredient in bubble tea and Starbucks drinks. It is super easy to make and highly versatile. Use it to add a comforting hint of sweetness to your favourite treats!
Author: Serena Josrin
4.75 from 24 votes
Print Pin
Course: Dessert, Drinks
Keyword: brown sugar
Servings: 16 tablespoons
Calories: 52kcal
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix brown sugar with water in a pan and heat the mixture on low to medium heat. Stir the mixture occasionally while heating it.
    Mix brown sugar and water in a pan
  • For a thin and runny syrup, heat the brown sugar only until it has fully dissolved in the water. Then, add a teaspoon of water at a time if the syrup is a little thicker than desired.
    Allow sugar to dissolve in water to make a thin syrup
  • For a thick and gooey syrup, slightly increase the temperature to reach a gentle simmer once the sugar has dissolved. Maintain the simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes.
    Allow to the syrup to thicken for a richer and sweeter syrup
  • Remove the pan from the stovetop once the syrup reaches the desired consistency. Then, let it cool to room temperature. Finally, serve it or store it in a glass jar.
    Store in a glass jar

Notes

  • Do not heat the syrup for too long to prevent it from being too sticky.
  • Instead of boiling the syrup, aim for a gentle simmer to avoid quick evaporation.

Nutrition

Calories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 13gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 18mgSugar: 13gCalcium: 12mg

Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.

Tried this recipe?Follow us @honestfoodtalks for more delicious recipes!

Country Kitchen SweetArt on Youtube has a simple video recipe showing how to make the syrup above with a twist of cinnamon! We recommend checking out their video if you’re looking to infuse your sweetener with other flavours.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Flavored Simple Syrup

Variations

If you enjoy this homemade syrup, here are other simple syrups to try at home!

Apple brown sugar syrup

This syrup has a hint of apple flavour but doesn't contain any apple! Instead, it combines brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. You'll enjoy it if you're a fan of Starbucks' Apple Crisp Macchiato!

Brown cinnamon

This syrup gives a comforting nuance of flavour with a hint of cinnamon. You can easily make it by mixing a teaspoon of cinnamon with brown sugar and water.

Brown butter

As the name suggests, this variation contains butter. Therefore, it gives a sweet and buttery flavour. Try it with some fresh pancakes or waffles. It'll take your breath away. 

Vanilla

This liquid sweetener typically consists of granulated sugar, water, and vanilla extract. It pairs well with coffee and tea.

Did you try this recipe? Share it with us by tagging @honestfoodtalks on Instagram, and be sure to follow us for more tasty recipes!

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