Easy Homemade Lilac Simple Syrup Recipe

4.72 from 7 votes

Turn fragrant lilacs into a simple and delicious lilac syrup (lilac cordial) to sweeten summer drinks and cocktails!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lilac syrup, lilac cordial, lilac simple syrup

Servings: servings

Calories: 99kcal

Author: Kaity Farrell

Add the lilac flowers and lemon slices to a quart-sized jar.
Bring the water and sugar to just a boil in a small saucepan and remove from the heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Pour the hot sugar syrup over the lilac flowers and lemon slices to cover them. Muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon.
Cover the jar and cool slightly then refrigerate it overnight. As the lilac syrup steeps and cools it will take a pale blush pink-colored hue.
The following day, strain the syrup into a bottle or jar with a funnel lined with a small strainer. Press the solids with a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids.
Store the lilac syrup in the refrigerator and use it within 4 weeks.

Note of Caution: Please be sure to use only true lilacs of the species Syringa which are part of the olive family, Oleaceae. Do not use the species Melia azedarach, commonly known as the chinaberry tree, pride of India, bead-tree, Cape lilac, syringa berrytree, Persian lilac, Indian lilac, or white cedar which is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, and is toxic and not safe to consume. All varieties of Syringa are safe and edible. Always be sure to identify any edible flowers and plants correctly before ingesting them.

Make sure to know the source of your lilacs and that they are unsprayed. Avoid using lilacs growing directly on roadsides where they drink up polluted runoff water. Also, be mindful to not over-overharvest the plant. You are pruning the plant so only take a few stems from each plant.
White granulated or caster sugar is best for flower syrups to retain the color of the flowers. Organic sugar or raw sugar will turn the syrup more of a brown color.