Fresh Peppermint Sweetener (Printable Version)

Vibrant, homemade syrup capturing fresh peppermint’s cool essence, perfect for beverages and sweets.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 cup fresh peppermint leaves, loosely packed (25 g)

02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

03 - 1 cup water (240 ml)

01 - Rinse fresh peppermint leaves thoroughly and pat dry.

02 - Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches a gentle boil.

03 - Remove saucepan from heat. Add peppermint leaves to hot syrup, pressing down to submerge fully.

04 - Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes to develop flavor.

05 - Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or bottle, discarding peppermint leaves.

06 - Let syrup cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate. Consume within two weeks.

01 -

It takes less than half an hour and uses only three ingredients you probably already have.
The flavor is so much brighter and more natural than anything bottled, with none of that artificial aftertaste.
You can stir it into drinks, drizzle it over desserts, or even mix it into yogurt for a minty surprise.

02 -

Don't let the syrup boil after adding the mint or you'll cook off those delicate oils and end up with a muddy, bitter flavor instead of something bright.
Pressing the leaves down into the hot liquid makes a huge difference in how much flavor you extract, so don't skip that step even if it seems fussy.

03 -

For a more intense mint punch, let the leaves steep for up to 30 minutes instead of 15, but taste as you go so it doesn't turn bitter.
Use this syrup as a base for homemade peppermint soda by mixing it with cold sparkling water and a squeeze of lime.