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Homemade grapefruit simple syrup is easy to make at home and adds a delicious one-two combo of sweet and tart. Impress your friends by dropping this easy to make ingredient into your cocktails. Once you try this, you will never buy simple syrups from the store again! Made with Florida grapefruits and organic Florida cane sugar, this grapefruit simple syrup recipe supports local!
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE GRAPEFRUIT SIMPLE SYRUP?
Making your own simple syrups, as the name suggests, is incredibly simple. This easy grapefruit simple syrup recipe requires just 3 ingredients- sugar, grapefruit and water. It is essential that you use quality ingredients, and as luck would have it, Florida grows an abundance of grapefruit and is home to one of the best sugar cane producers in the world.
The Sugar: Sugarcane grows best in tropical climates, requiring extended seasons of hot weather and plenty of rainfall. It’s no surprise then that Florida accounts for over half of the production of sugarcane in the United States. Florida is also home to the only organic raw cane sugar producer in the country, Florida Crystals.
Why Organic Is Best: Organic sugar cane produced by Florida Crystals is Non-GMO Project verified, vegan, kosher, minimally processed and unlike other sugarcane producers doesn’t use harmful pesticides and herbicides. While this doesn’t make it a super-food “per se”, it does mean it retains more of its nutrients, and contains less of the nasty stuff, than standard white sugar.
Not only is it the smarter choice for your body, but it’s also the smarter choice for the planet. Florida Crystals boasts some of the most eco-friendly farms in the nation leveraging technology, natural pest control (barn owls) and crop rotation to ensure that the sugar they produce is sustainable and has minimal impact on the environment
Recommended Sugar: If you plan on making simple syrup regularly, or are a keen baker then the 3 pack of the 3 Pound jug is the best value:
But if your pantry is short on space then they do a more manageable 2 Pound pack:
The Grapefruit: The USA grows about a third of the world’s grapefruits. That is a lot of grapefruits, and about half of them are grown right here in Florida. Florida’s subtropical climate with its sandy soil and its plentiful rainfall and sunshine provides the perfect conditions for growing the juiciest grapefruits. Any kind of grapefruit will work in this simple syrup recipe, although we typically use white/yellow as they are the most bitter. This will provide the best contrast to the sweetness of the sugar. Pink, ruby and red will all also work great- you may just may have to use a little less sugar if you want the bitterness to come through.
The Water: If you are using water in cocktails or simple syrups, use filtered water. No shade to tap water, but if you want your cocktails to excel then you are going to want to get rid of the trace levels of chlorine and heavy metals that come out of your tap. If you don’t already own one, then we’d recommend getting yourself a Brita pitcher.
Recommended Pitcher: BRITA Everyday Water Pitcher (10 cup)
WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD I USE TO MAKE GRAPEFRUIT SIMPLE SYRUP?
Saucepan: A saucepan with a pouring spout and straining lid can be particularly useful. Especially if you are making flavored simple syrups with citrus peel. Heavy bottomed nonstick pans are the way to go as they absorb and distribute heat more evenly to prevent sticking and burning.
Recommended Pan: FABERWARE Nonstick Saucepan with Straining Lid (1 Quart)
Citrus Juicer: Fresh Florida grapefruit will be easy to find, as the state produces around 50% of the country’s output of grapefruit. For this recipe you absolutely need to use freshly squeezed juice, store bought will be sweetened which you don’t want. You can squeeze it with your hands but this won’t yield as much. Not to mention it’s incredibly messy. If you don’t want to make a mess, then we’d recommend buying a juicer. We use a simple hand juicer that is affordable and gets the job done. It works well for oranges and all other kinds of citrus too.
Recommended Orange Juicer: DRIZOM Juicer
Zester: We’ve all used those zesters on the back of a cheese grater that are so blunt that they yield about a tsp of zest for every 10 lemons. If you use citrus zest regularly in cooking then we recommend buying a citrus grater that is made for purpose. It makes a world of difference and you’ll instantly regret all the time you spent toiling away with a blunt zester. We use one made by Joseph Joseph that comes with a handy blade wiper that effortlessly scrapes all the zest off the blade for you.
Recommended Strainer: JOSEPH JOSEPH Zester with Blade Wiper
Strainer: As this recipe calls for grapefruit zest you will need a fine mesh strainer to make sure no zest ends up in your simple syrup. A mini cocktail strainer works best and there are plenty of options on Amazon to cover all your straining needs.
Recommended Strainer: MAKERSTEP Stainless Steel Mesh Strainers (Set of 3)
Storage: You can store your simple syrup in any jars or bottles that you already have at home. If you make cocktails regularly however it is worth getting yourself some storage bottles specifically for your simple syrups. Anything made for pouring liquid will work, so things like olive oil dispensers work great. We’ve received plenty of compliments on our cork topped jug, and everyone is always surprised when they learn it was only around $10 from Amazon!
Recommended Storage Bottle: BORMIOLI ROCCO Cork Topped Oil Bottle, (8 oz)
Funnel: If you’re going to be transferring your simple syrup to a bottle then we’d recommend getting a funnel. It will save you making a mess of your kitchen worktops. There are plenty of cheap options on amazon and most of them are collapsible to save on space.
Recommended Funnel: RIENAR Silicone Collapsible Funnel (2 Pack)
We hope you enjoy the Grapefruit Simple Syrup recipe below. Cheers!
This post contains affiliate links and we may earn a small commission when purchases of recommended products are made. This is at no additional cost to you, and every penny we make goes back into buying and trying more tasty Floridian treats.
Grapefruit Simple Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Cane Sugar
- 1/2 Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- 1 Tbsp Grapefruit Zest
Instructions
- Step 1: Add the grapefruit juice and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally
- Step 2: Remove from heat as soon as it comes to a boil
- Step 3: Add the grapefruit zest and steep for 20 minutes
- Step 4: Strain simple syrup into an airtight container
Notes
Storage: Simple syrup can be stored safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Steep: If you don't have a fine mesh strainer, you can skip step 3, however adding the zest really helps concentrate the grapefruit flavor
Other Homemade Simple Syrup Recipes To Try:
Organic Cane Sugar Simple Syrup
Orange Blossom Honey Simple Syrup
