The Ultimate Homemade Blueberry Syrup: Thick & Thin Perfection
Elevate your breakfast, desserts, and drinks with this versatile homemade blueberry syrup! Easy to make, customizable for thickness, and bursting with fresh berry flavor. Perfect for pancakes, coffee, or cocktails.
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 65kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries wild blueberries preferred for intense flavor
- 1 cup granulated sugar or honey/maple syrup for variation
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for thick syrup, optional
- 2 tablespoons cold water for cornstarch slurry, if making thick syrup
Instructions
- Combine & Simmer: In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar evenly.
- Cook Down & Mash: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for 8-10 minutes. During this time, the blueberries will soften and burst. Use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to gently mash the berries against the side of the pan, releasing more juice and color. Simmer until the liquid has slightly reduced and intensified in color.
- Add Lemon Juice: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. This essential step brightens the flavor profile and helps to preserve the vibrant purple-red hue of the blueberry syrup.
- Choose Your Consistency: At this point, you have two options depending on your desired syrup texture. Follow only one method below:
- For a Smooth, Thin Syrup (Ideal for Drinks, Coffee, Matcha): Carefully pour the syrup mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press down on the solids in the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible, ensuring a rich flavor. Discard the leftover pulp, or save it for baking like in muffins or oatmeal.
- For a Thick, Velvety Syrup (Perfect for Pancakes, Waffles, Desserts): In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water until completely smooth to create a slurry. Return the blueberry mixture (without straining) to medium heat. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering blueberry mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes, until the syrup visibly thickens to your desired consistency. For an even smoother thick syrup, you can briefly blend it with an immersion blender before the cornstarch step.
- Cool & Store: Allow the blueberry syrup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or glass jar. As it cools, the syrup will thicken further (especially the cornstarch-thickened version). Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!