This Apple Brown Sugar Syrup is a rich, sweet condiment made from cooked apples and light brown sugar. It boasts a thick, smooth texture and a warm, caramel-like flavor, perfect for drizzling over pancakes, desserts, or adding to beverages.
This semi-rich Apple Brown Sugar Syrup is a versatile and easy-to-make addition that imparts autumnal flavor to various dishes. Simmering fresh apples with light brown sugar creates a delightful balance of sweetness and richness reminiscent of caramel. It’s a wonderful way to elevate simple breakfasts, like pancakes or waffles, and it can also enhance the depth of flavor in your favorite beverages, from hot teas to cozy fall lattes. With its smooth, pourable texture, this syrup brings warmth and a comforting taste, making it a seasonal favorite you’ll want to enjoy year-round.
If you’re in the mood to explore more flavors, try out these other simple syrup recipes: Brown Sugar Simple Syrup, Rich Demerara Syrup, Peach Simple Syrup, Raspberry Simple Syrup, Blackberry Simple Syrup, Cranberry Simple Syrup, Blueberry Simple Syrup, Blood Orange Simple Syrup, and Strawberry Simple Syrup. Each one adds a unique twist to your drinks and desserts!
This apple syrup will go great with this iced almond milk latte, apple cider mocktail, apple cider vodka martini, apple cider mule, or iced oat milk latte.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor: The combination of apples and brown sugar creates a naturally sweet, rich, slightly caramelized, universally appealing flavor.
- Versatility: This syrup is versatile and can be used in various dishes. It’s perfect for breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles and desserts like ice cream and pies. You can add it to beverages, making it versatile in any kitchen.
- Homemade Goodness: Making your syrup at home enables you to enjoy a natural, preservative-free sweetener that can be customized to your taste. Cooking down apples with sugar fills the kitchen with a delightful aroma.
- Seasonal Appeal: During the fall and winter, apple brown sugar syrup is a must-have. It perfectly complements the season’s flavors and makes holiday breakfasts and desserts a favorite.
Ingredients
- Apples: I used SweeTango and Honeycrisp apples for this recipe. You can experiment with different apples. For more details, please review the How to Pick the Best Apples section below.
- Sugar: I used brown sugar for this recipe, but you can also use demerara sugar or turbinado sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Apples: For a unique flavor profile, use different types of apples. Tart varieties like Granny Smith will add a tangy note, while sweeter types like Honeycrisp or Fuji will bring more sweetness to your dish.
- Sugar: Replace brown sugar with coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor and a lower glycemic index. Alternatively, opt for natural sweetness by using maple syrup or honey.
- Spices: Experiment with warm spices such as allspice, cardamom, or ginger in addition to cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Adjusting sweetness: There are several ways to achieve this. To make it less sweet, use less sugar, tart apples, or add more liquid. If more liquid is added, you may need to simmer the syrup longer to achieve the desired thickness.
- Spiced Apple Syrup: To kick up the spiciness, boost the spices or mix in cloves, star anise, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Citrus Twist: To enhance the flavor and add a subtle citrus undertone, include a splash of lemon or orange juice and zest.
- Vanilla Apple Syrup: For a fragrant vanilla note, stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract or scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean.
- Boozy Apple Syrup: For a more complex flavor in the adult version, add a tablespoon of bourbon, rum, or brandy to enrich the taste.
- Buttery Apple Syrup: For a richer, silkier texture and a hint of buttery flavor, incorporate a tablespoon of butter during the cooking process.
- Caramel Apple Syrup: You can add caramel sauce to the mix to make an even more indulgent, dessert-like syrup.
How to Pick the Best Apples
To pick the best apples for apple brown sugar syrup, consider these tips:
- Opt for Sweet-Tart Varieties: Apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, SweeTango, or Pink Lady provide a balanced sweetness and acidity that enhances the syrup’s flavor.
- Choose Firm and Fresh Apples: Fresh, firm apples hold up better during cooking, allowing their flavor to fully infuse into the syrup.
- Look for Aromatic Apples: Varieties with a strong, pleasant aroma will contribute more depth to the syrup, making it even more flavorful and fragrant.
These apple choices will ensure a richly flavored and well-balanced syrup!
How to Make Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
Step 1: Add sliced apples, brown sugar, and water to a medium-sized pot.
Step 2: Heat on medium-high until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts simmering. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Mix occasionally.
Step 3: Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Strain the syrup into a measuring bowl. Press slightly with a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible.
Step 5: Let the syrup cool completely before using.
Step 6: Transfer the syrup to a jar or dispenser using a small funnel. Keep it in the fridge airtight for 2-3 weeks.
Pro Tip
You will get approximately 1 ¾ cups of syrup with this amount of ingredients.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Choosing Ingredients: Apples and brown sugar are the star ingredients in this recipe. To achieve a more complex flavor profile, combine different apple varieties. For example, combine sweet apples like Honeycrisp with tart ones like Granny Smith. Opt for dark brown sugar for a richer, more intense molasses flavor.
- Preparation: Wash and core the apples thoroughly to avoid any bitterness or unwanted texture in the syrup. Cut the apples into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Cooking Process: Slow simmering the syrup and stirring regularly are essential to achieving the best flavor and syrup thickness. If the syrup is too thin, let it simmer longer to reduce and thicken. If it’s too thick, add a small amount of water to adjust the consistency.
- Enhancing Flavor: To improve the flavor, you can add spices, vanilla, or citrus zest. If you are adding cinnamon, it’s vital to add it at the end after you remove the syrup from the stove. Vanilla will add a deeper, richer flavor. Citrus zest will brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness.
- Texture: I prefer to strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer, but you can mash the apples and leave some of the pieces in the syrup if you prefer.
- Versatility: This syrup has many flavor variations and different uses. So, experiment and find your perfect homemade apple syrup flavor.
- Storage and Use: This syrup is stored well in the fridge in an airtight jar or syrup dispenser. Additionally, you can freeze the syrup using an ice cube tray.Thaw as needed, or add the syrup cubes to your ice drinks without diluting them.
How to Use Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
- Pancakes and Waffles: Drizzled over breakfast for a sweet, apple-flavored topping.
- Desserts: Used as a topping for ice cream, cakes, or pies.
- Beverages: Stirred into hot drinks like tea or cider or used in mocktails for a sweet twist.
- Cocktails: Added to cocktails, like mules, martinis, and many other adult beverage variations.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any type of apple for the best flavor, but combining different varieties (sweet and tart) creates a more balanced and complex taste.
To thicken the syrup, let it simmer longer to reduce the liquid. Alternatively, you can mix a small amount of cornstarch with water and add it to the simmering syrup, stirring until it thickens.
Cooked apples that are leftover offer amazing versatility! Consider using them as toppings for oatmeal, pancakes, or yogurt, or blend them into smoothies to boost flavor and fiber. They shine in baked treats like muffins, quick breads, or scones, and can be mashed to create either a chunky apple compote or a smooth applesauce. For savory dishes, serve them warm as a side with pork chops or roasted chicken. They’re also delightful when diced into salads, made into apple butter, or enjoyed simply as a quick, nutritious snack.
Store the syrup in an airtight container or sterilized jar in the refrigerator. It must be used within 2-3 weeks.
Absolutely, you can freeze the syrup. Pour it into ice cube trays for easy portioning. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Thaw as needed.
Feel free to experiment with adding other fruits, such as pears, cranberries, or berries, for a unique twist; adjust the cooking time as needed for different fruits.
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Recipe
Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
Equipment
- Apple corer and slicer
- Medium-sized pot
- spatula
- fine mesh strainer
- Jar or syrup dispenser
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 2 apples (core removed, diced)
Instructions
- Wash and prepare the apples. Core them and slice into equal pieces.
- Add the apple slices, brown sugar, and water to a medium-sized pot.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a small funnel and a fine-mesh strainer, pressing lightly with a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible.
- Transfer the syrup to a jar or dispenser. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- Choosing Ingredients: Apples and brown sugar are the star ingredients in this recipe. To achieve a more complex flavor profile, combine different apple varieties. For example, sweet apples like Honeycrisp can be combined with tart apples like Granny Smith. Opt for dark brown sugar for a richer, more intense molasses flavor.
- Cooking Process: Slow simmering the syrup and stirring regularly are essential to achieving the best flavor and syrup thickness. If the syrup is too thin, let it simmer longer to reduce and thicken. If it’s too thick, add a small amount of water to adjust the consistency.
- Enhancing Flavor: To improve the flavor, add spices, vanilla, or citrus zest. If you are adding cinnamon, it’s vital to add it at the end after you remove the syrup from the stove. Vanilla will add a deeper, richer flavor. Citrus zest will brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness.
- Adjusting sweetness: There are several ways to achieve this. To make it less sweet, use less sugar or tart apples or add more liquid. If more liquid is added, you may need to simmer the syrup longer to achieve the desired thickness.
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