Pineapple Ginger Syrup

This fiery Starbucks pineapple ginger syrup is full of bold flavor. Not only is this the perfect syrup for the classic Starbucks pineapple matcha, but it can be used in many other drinks as well. It’s easy to make in 20 minutes, using  only three ingredients.

This syrup is made to be used in the copycat Starbucks pineapple matcha drink. However, like any simple syrup recipe, it can be used in so many more ways.

It’s the same style of syrup as this strawberry simple syrup, blueberry simple syrup or pear simple syrup, which can all be used to make all kinds of fruity drinks.

Why you need to try this recipe:

• Powerful flavor. Just a tiny drop of this syrup tastes like a bold burst of pineapple and ginger flavor. The sweet pineapple contrasts with the slight bite of ginger in a highly addictive combo.
• No artificial ingredients. You can buy this syrup in stores, but it doesn’t taste as natural as this homemade one. This recipe uses fresh ginger, pineapple nectar, sugar and water, so there are no chemicals or artificial flavors added.
• Easy to make. It takes only 20 minutes to make. Just heat up the ingredients together on a pan, and let them simmer down into a concentrated syrup.

Uses:

• Starbucks copycat drinks: This is the syrup used in the Starbucks pineapple matcha, which is a ridiculously tasty pineapple ginger drink with matcha and coconut milk. If you haven’t tried this drink before, you have to try this recipe.
• Tea: Try adding a spoonful to a ginger based tea to create a pineapple ginger tea. Stir the syrup into your hot tea until it dissolves. Taste before adding any regular sugar to your tea as well — this syrup acts as a sweetener as well as flavoring.
• Cocktails: Experiment creating your own cocktails. Try a pineapple ginger mojito or a pineapple ginger margarita. Just replace the sugar or simple syrup with this ginger pineapple syrup instead. Normally you would need to add about a ½ ounce of syrup per drink, but adjust the amount to your taste.
• Lemonade: For a pineapple ginger lemonade, add about 1-3 teaspoons of syrup per glass of lemonade. The best way to make this is to replace some of the added sugar with this syrup when making your own lemonade from scratch. This way, the drink won’t be overly sugary.

Key Ingredients:

• Pineapple Nectar: Try to find pure pineapple nectar. You can substitute this with pineapple juice if needed, but try to choose a natural one without sugar and artificial flavoring added. To make your own pineapple juice, pass pineapple chunks through a juicer, or blend pineapple chunks in a blender and then pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
• Ginger: Only use fresh ginger for this recipe — powdered ginger will not work the same way. Peel the ginger root and dice the ginger into small chunks. The ginger doesn't have to be finely diced, but you want to make sure you cut it into small pieces. This will expose more surface area, which infuses more ginger flavor as the syrup cooks.

How to make it:

1. Heat the ginger, pineapple nectar, sugar and water up together on a pan over medium to high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
2. Continue to simmer the syrup for 10-15 minutes until it thickens up. Remove it from the heat and strain out the ginger chunks. Let the syrup cool before using it.

FAQ:

Expert Tips:

• Let it simmer. Even once the sugar dissolves, continue to simmer the syrup for the full 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to fully infuse and lets the syrup thicken up.
• Store the syrup in the fridge. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to several weeks. This syrup will go bad quickly if it’s left out at room temperature.

More simple syrup recipes:

More Starbucks copycat recipes:

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