Spice Up Your Holidays With Ginger Snap Syrup

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Dec 16, 2013 4:30PM

Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist

One of the easiest recipes a home cook has in their arsenal is simple syrup. It's an even ratio—one cup of sugar or sweetener for every cup of water—and from there you can add flavors and experiment with spices and the thickness of the syrup. Simple syrups have become popular with owners of forced carbonation systems like Sodastreams and, in the winter months, for people looking for a little kick in their coffees and teas.

I'm a Sodastream nut and regularly have 2-4 homemade soda syrups at hand when plain carbonated water isn't enough. This recipe for ginger snap syrup was originally intended with soda making in mind but it fits better as a sweetener for coffee, especially lattes. Making it fills your house with the scents of the holidays.

Ginger Snap Syrup

Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist

Ingredients

4 cups water
3 cups tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup molasses
4 cups fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked white pepper
1 teaspoon natural almond extract

Mix water, brown sugar and molasses in a medium-sized stockpot and bring to a simmer. Add spices, ginger and almond extract and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool. Strain through a cheesecloth into clean bottles or mason jars.

Yield: seven cups