Cardamom Simple Syrup is absolutely delicious in coffee, cocktails, lemonades and baked goods!
It’s easy to make, and can be customized to be as flavorful as you’d like.
So grab cardamom pods and granulated sugar of your choice and let’s get to it!
This recipe is extremely versatile! Cardamom syrup can be used in various drinks and cocktails, not to mention coffee and tea. Dropping a few pods into drinks is standard in some Middle Eastern countries, and looked at as a traditional way of using cardamom in the Middle east.
Between that, and adding a couple pods to most meat dishes.
Adding cardamom spice provides a great warm and peppery flavor to any meal or drink. I’ve used it in various recipes throughout the years, and my opinion is that it’s not as popular as it should be. What a powerhouse spice!
So, our favorite ways to use it is in lemonade and of course, coffee!
Coffee is delicious as it is, but for years, we have infused our coffee with cardamom to get a little Mediterranean kick! And boy, do we love our cardamom coffee! The two flavors go really well together and create an interesting element to our cup of joe.
And, making this homemade Cardamom Simple Syrup recipe is easily adjustable to your taste buds. You can infuse the flavor to be as rich as you’d like through allowing the pods to steep longer. That’s the fun part. We’ll save “the best part” phrase for when you’re enjoying this syrup!
CARDAMOM SIMPLE SYRUP INGREDIENTS
- Green Cardamom Pods. Use your own or the ones I have linked. Using the entire pod, with seeds and skin allows the flavor to develop much faster and creates for a well rounded flavor of cardamom. When I cook with cardamom the entire pod is typically what I go for, unless I’m baking, of course.
Substitution option: Substitute cardamom pods for 1.5 tablespoons of ground cardamom for this cardamom syrup recipe. The grounds don’t completely dissolve, but won’t be of issue in most recipes. If you prefer the syrup without any grain, strain it through a clean cheesecloth or paper towel always does the trick with no cleanup.
- Sugar. Use cane sugar or granulated white sugar. If you prefer a sugar free / keto simple syrup, my favorite to use is Erythritol. Out of all the sugar-free options I’ve tried, such as monk fruit, stevia, etc. Erythritol had the least amount of after taste, and tasted the most like sugar. That’s extremely important when making a simple 1 flavor recipe.
- Salt. A little sprinkle of salt is the icing on the cake. It’s a great way to bring out all the flavor and cut a bit of the sweetness.
EQUIPMENT & SPECIAL INGREDIENTS
Green Cardamom Pods.
Measuring cups and spoons
Mason Jars
WAYS TO USE CARDAMOM SIMPLE SYRUP
Eat:
Glaze this Cardamom Simple Syrup recipe over this Tahini Banana Bread. Or enjoy brushed onto your favorite fruit or plain pastry. It would be divine on a vanilla scone!
Drink:
Coffee – Pour 2-3 tablespoons (or per your taste) of cardamom syrup into your morning coffee. Add milk of choice if you prefer, but that little sweetness and a kick of warm and slightly peppery flavor that the cardamom provides creates such a neat element to your regular cup of coffee.
So If you’ve never had cardamom coffee, you need to try it! It’s one of the very few things I’ve enjoyed in my black coffee over the years.
Tea – Add to your favorite cup of tea. A couple of tablespoons would go a long way to sweeten and add warm spice to your cut of tea.
Cocktail – Add to your lemon drops or apple martinis. Yum!
Hard liquor – Add a tablespoon to your favorite shot of hard alcohol to create a smoother more flavorful drink.
Try these recipes alongside Cardamom Simple Syrup!
FAQ
It’s a warm sweet syrup with a hint of a peppery kick being that cardamom is slightly peppery. It works great with coffee, tea and other related drinks. Try this cardamom syrup recipe, and all the great ways we like to use it!
Absolutely! Cardamom pairs really well with coffee and makes for a great interesting addition to an otherwise underwhelming cup of coffee. By making Cardamom simply syrup using this recipe, you can re-create a popular Mediterranean way of enjoying a cup of joe!
There are many ways to enjoy it in coffee. Add 2 tablespoons to a cup of black coffee, make a latte, or a cappuccino, or simply add cardamom syrup and half-and-half or heavy cream.
Cardamom is used both in savory and sweet dishes as a very strong and fragrant spice. Commonly used is Mediterranean cuisine. Certainly using it interchangeably in a variety of dishes, pastries as well as drinks makes it such an appealing and interesting spice to get your hands on!
There are several flavors and dishes that go well with this spice. Being a powerhouse flavor, it goes well with most meat dishes, such as chicken, turkey and pork. I toss a couple pods in a pot when cooking most Mediterranean style meat dishes.
On a sweet dish, I use this spice when using cinnamon. The two flavors goes well together and balance each other.
It’s also great with coffee, tea and fruit flavored drinks and pastries, such as apricot, apple, pear, and peaches. Make this cardamom syrup recipe and try it in a latte or apple martini!
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TOP TIPS FOR MAKING CARDAMOM SYRUP
- Use the entire Cardamom pod, with a cut down half of it to create a well rounded flavor coming from the shell as well as the seeds. If you prefer to use ground cardamom, please see my notes below on substitutions (under ingredients).
- Don’t boil for too long, since too much water will evaporate and reduce the amount of liquid. The mixture will end up crystalizing, which is not what we’re going for. To keep it smooth, keep the right consistency and stay close to the stove when preparing.
- If you prefer a stronger flavor, leave up to 5 pods in the syrup for several days. This will allow the flavor to steep longer and create a richer syrup. It’s also great if you prefer not to consume too much sugar. However, this syrup turns out to be juts as flavorful as coffee syrups purchased. For those, you’ll need about 2-3 pumps for adequate flavor, and this syrup has an amazing flavor with just 2 servings.
HOW TO STORE SIMPLE SYRUP
Fridge:
Store in an airtight container or mason jar with a couple pods in the syrup for the flavor to continue to seep through for a few days.
Make sure to keep it in the fridge to get the longest shelf life.
Freezer:
Store in the freezer to keep fresh longer. This is my go-to when I make a big batch and want to keep some around for when inspiration strikes and I can immediately thaw the syrup and get going on my recipe!
Homemade Syrup Makes a Great Gift!
Look no further for a thoughtful homemade gift for family, neighbors and friends. This syrup is the perfect little gift this holiday season to add to your cookie baskets, gift baskets or as a simple gift to hand out to friends and neighbors. It’s a budget-friendly gift that will be be cherished as the gift that keeps on giving!
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Cardamom Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar cane or white
- 15 green cardamom pods
- A little pinch of salt
Instructions
- First, cut the cardamom pods open halfway and add them to a small pot with water.
- Bring water to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add sugar and salt and whisk to dissolve, while allowing to simmer for another 5 minutes. While warm, strain the cardamom pods and seeds, and store the syrup in a mason jar in the fridge for up to a month.
Notes
- Coffee – Pour 2-3 tablespoons (or per your taste) of the syrup into your morning coffee.
- Tea – Add to your favorite cup of tea. A couple of tablespoons would go a long way to sweeten and add warm spice to your cut of tea.
- Cocktail – Add to your lemon drops or apple martinis. Yum!
- Hard liquor – Add a tablespoon to your favorite shot of hard alcohol to create a smoother more flavorful drink.
- Store in an airtight container to stay fresh longer. Or opt for a mason jar.
- They should stay in the fridge for up to a month.
Nutrition
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