This recipe for Earl Grey Syrup is a beautifully floral, citrusy syrup infused with bergamot-scented Earl Grey tea. It's perfect for elevating your lattes, cocktails, or even baked goods.
What is earl grey?
Earl Grey refers to a flavored black tea that is infused with the oil of bergamot, which is a citrusy fruit with a distinctive aroma and taste.
What's the difference between earl grey extract and earl grey syrup?
Earl grey extract is an infusion of earl grey tea with alcohol, similar to making vanilla extract.
Earl grey syrup consists of water and tea simmered with sugar to make it sweet, based on simple syrup.
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Why you'll love this recipe
It's infused with loose-leaf or bagged Earl Grey tea, sweetened with sugar, and simmered gently to create a syrup.
You can add it into tea (Earl Grey tea latte/London Fog), bubble tea, cocktails, lemonades, or even brush over cakes for added flavor.
Simple to make: it's a tea-infused simple syrup with just a few pantry ingredients and no artificial flavors or additives.
Fragrant & floral: this tea syrup captures the bright bergamot notes of Earl Grey.
Versatile: use the earl grey tea syrup in a variety of drinks, desserts, or even to glaze baked goods.
Ingredients you'll need
- Earl Grey tea: tea bags or looseleaf; use one that you enjoy drinking
- water
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness to the syrup
- earl grey extract: optional; enhances the flavor of earl grey (or use vanilla extract and turn it into a London Fog syrup)
- bergamot oil: optional; use a culinary bergamot oil; enhances the citrusy floral note of earl grey tea
Where to find?
You can find these ingredients at regular grocery stores.
Find culinary bergamot oil in specialty baking stores or online, and easily make your own earl grey extract.
How to make earl grey tea syrup
In a small saucepan, bring water to a gentle boil.
Remove from heat and add in the Earl Grey tea.
Let it steep for 5-7 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
Remove the tea bags or strain out the looseleaf tea.
Add in the sugar, and return to the saucepan to medium heat, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved.
Cook the syrup for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly thickened, then remove from heat.
Add in the earl grey extract and bergamot oil, if using, and let cool.
Transfer the cooled syrup to a clean, sterilized jar or bottle.
How to store
Store Earl Grey simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
How to use earl grey syrup
You can stir the earl grey syrup into tea lattes, or coffee to enhance the earl grey flavor.
Add into lemonade or sparkling tea for a floral citrus iced tea.
Drizzle over pancakes or waffles.
Brush onto chiffon cakes for added moisture and a hint of earl grey flavor.
Blend into cocktails for a sophisticated tea note.
Expert tips
For a more stronger flavored syrup, steep with 3 tea bags for more tea flavor.
Double or triple the recipe for larger volume.
Add a splash of vanilla extract for a London Fog-inspired syrup.
Keep refrigerated, and give it a stir before using.
Other earl grey recipes you may like
Other simple syrup recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these syrup variations!
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- I love seeing your creations! Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer and be sure to leave me a comment/rating below!
Earl Grey Syrup
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- ½ C water
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags or 2 tablespoon looseleaf tea
- ½ C granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon earl grey extract or vanilla extract (for a London Fog syrup)
- ⅛ teaspoon culinary bergamot oil
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring water to a gentle boil.
- Remove from heat and add in the Earl Grey tea.
- Let it steep for 5-7 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
- Remove the tea bags or strain out the looseleaf tea.
- Add in the sugar, and return to the saucepan to medium heat, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Cook the syrup for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly thickened, then remove from heat.
- Add in the earl grey extract and bergamot oil, if using, and let cool.
- Transfer the cooled syrup to a clean, sterilized jar or bottle.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Yeah, I love Earl Grey and often make infused syrup. Looking forward to seeing your creations with this one, I bet they'll be exciting!
Michelle
Thanks Ben -- it's one of my favorite flavors to play with! 🙂
2pots2cook
This syrup would be great to use when making London Fog Cookies!!!!!! Great to have for so much more........
Michelle
Indeed, you can make the syrup thicker to add into your London Fog cookies! Great suggestion, Davorka 🙂
David @ Spiced
This sounds super fun! We often make our own vanilla, and this process is pretty similar. Now I'm thinking that we could use Earl Grey syrup in place of vanilla extract for a lot of recipes. How fun would that be!?
Michelle
Yes! The earl grey syrup would work in lots of recipes in place of vanilla 🙂 Great thinking, David!
Hiroshi
Awesome idea. I made with allulose/monkfruit to make it keto. It tastes super yummy. I am thinking of making other tea syrups like Thai tea, matcha, houjicha, etc. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Michelle
Happy to hear it, Hiroshi! Thai tea syrup sounds delicious~~ Thanks for trying the recipe!