One of the easiest ways to up your cocktail game isn’t dropping mad money on a new liqueur spirit. If you’re looking to get some different flavor profiles for your home cocktails, do NOT overlook the power of specialty syrups, which are an absolute breeze to make. This Clove Syrup Recipe is super simple and can really round out any number of cocktail recipes with that soft clove spice.
What Can I Use Clove Syrup For?
You’d actually be surprised at just how versatile most spice syrups are. From our Cinnamon Syrup to literally any other spice syrup, you can use them in anything from an old-fashioned to a sour. And it makes sense. We tend to associate fall spices like allspice or clove or cinnamon with just desserts like apple pie, but there is a ton of cinnamon and clove in savory stuff like Indian curries, and cinnamon has LONG been a staple in tiki drinks.
How To Make Clove Syrup
Clove syrup is a pretty niche ingredient in cocktails, and as such it may be hard to find commercially. I’m sure it’s out there somewhere. But why drop easily double the amount of money for something that takes literally 5 minutes of hands on time? This stuff is shit-easy to make and tastes DELICIOUS. All you need is some white sugar, a tablespoon of whole cloves, and water. The key is in toasting it in your pot before adding water/sugar. After that it’s as simple as tossing the other stuff in, stirring it every once in a while until the sugar dissolves, then letting it cool. Easy!
Clove Syrup Recipe
- 1 Tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- vodka (optional)
Add cloves to a pot and toast for about 5 minutes on low heat (you’ll start smelling it when they’re ready). Add sugar and water and stir. Mess with it a bit every once in a while until the sugar dissolves, but don’t let it boil. Once it’s relatively clear, turn off the heat and let it cool. I’ll stir it every once in a while during this part too. Next, you can optionally add .5oz of vodka to help extend the life of your syrup if you don’t drink often. Then just throw it in an air-tight container and store in the fridge.