Gingerbread Syrup

In the mood for a sweet & spicy treat? Fix a batch of gingerbread syrup on the stovetop in about 40 minutes with simple ingredients like water, sugar, fresh ginger, molasses, and whole spices. Drizzle the syrup on pancakes or waffles, use it to make a gingerbread latte, or stir it into fall & winter cocktails for a warming & fragrant kick. (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free & vegan)

The winter solstice, Christmas, and my birthday are all quickly approaching, and I'd like nothing better than to wrap myself in something warm & soft, curl up by my new space heater (best Costco impulse purchase ever), and relax with a good book (probably Outlander) + plenty of festive food and drink for the rest of the year. 

I'm thinking white chicken chili, one-pot spaghetti, peanut butter balls, chocolate dipped shortbread cookies, cranberry sangria, charcuterie boards & rosemary spiced nuts will do.  

If someone happens to stop by to clean my house or wash all my dishes, I wouldn't complain. Can you relate?

In the meantime, I'll make do with this lovely gingerbread syrup so I can give myself all the Christmas vibes while I finish working on my homemade food gifts & peppermint lip balm.

I have a half batch sitting in my fridge, which I plan to use for maple gingerbread lattes or maybe even hot chocolate over the next several days (I'm currently loving cashew milk for the base). Once that's gone I'll fix another batch to keep in my fridge for homemade gingerbread pancakes & waffles.

Ingredients For Making Gingerbread Syrup

• water
• coconut sugar or brown sugar (I use coconut since it's less sweet, but both have a light molasses flavor which works well in this recipe)
• unsulphured molasses - like this (not blackstrap, we want this to be sweeter)
• fresh ginger (for maximum ginger flavor we're going to finely grate the ginger root using a cheese grater rather than slice or chop it)
• cinnamon sticks (I use Ceylon cinnamon, which has a softer flavor)
• whole cloves
• whole allspice berries
• whole peppercorns
• ground nutmeg (for the strongest flavor, use freshly grated nutmeg)

Feel free to play around with the spice ratio here, as there are so many different combos you can use to achieve a gingerbread flavor. 

Some folks prefer more cloves & black pepper, others mostly ginger and cinnamon with a bit of allspice & nutmeg. Add more ginger if you like it spicier, and less if you want a sweeter syrup with a hint of spice.

How to Make Gingerbread Syrup

The ingredients list is short & the process is simple, so it makes an easy food project (or gift) for just about anyone. 

1. COMBINE: Add the water, sugar, and molasses to a small saucepan set to medium heat. Stir to mix the molasses into the water, then add the fresh grated ginger and spices. Stir again to incorporate the nutmeg powder into the water so it's not floating on top.
2. DISSOLVE: As the mixture heats up (this will take a few minutes), give it a few stirs to help dissolve the sugar. 
3. SIMMER: Once the mixture barely reaches a boil (not a rapid one), reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 30 minutes to infuse all the spices in the simple syrup.
4. STRAIN: Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve (to catch all the solids), into a clean glass jar.  
5. COOL: Let the gingerbread syrup sit on the counter until completely cool (this will take an hour or more), then cover tightly with a lid and store in the refrigerator. 

A Few Tips & Tricks For Using Fresh Ginger

• Make sure your ginger is fresh before buying it. It should be firm with a vivid yellow flesh. If it's pale yellow or white underneath the peel, go somewhere else for a different batch.
• To peel ginger root faster & easier, use a teaspoon instead of a vegetable peeler. 
• If you have any leftover root after making this syrup, wrap it in plastic and store it in the freezer for later. You can grate or slice ginger straight from the freezer to use in many recipes. 

Ideas For Using Gingerbread Syrup

Here are a few ideas to get you started (let me know if I missed any good ones):

• make a gingerbread latte (pictured above)
• stir 2-3 tablespoons into a hot or iced chai latte
• add a few tablespoons to a White Russian or Moscow Mule for a spicy kick
• drizzle it over gingerbread pancakes, waffles, French toast, apple crisp, baked apples, pumpkin pie, bread pudding, or a Dutch baby
• mix it into cream cheese frosting for gingerbread muffins, cupcakes, or bread
• make a gingerbread sundae by drizzling it over vanilla bean ice cream topped with whipped cream, crushed gingersnap cookies & chopped crystallized ginger

Adapted from Billy's Favorite Gingerbread Spiced Coffee Syrup

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