Adds even more flavor to the tart and sweet syrup that will make the BEST drinks and cocktails (like rhubarb margarita!). I love making flavored syrups at home. They’re so versatile because you can flavor many different types of beverages from cocktails to mocktails, and sodas to other types of drinks. This syrup can also be made to flavor other types of dessert too. Since rhubarb season is so fleeting here in Canada, I like to maximize the use of them while I can. These easy rhubarb crumble bars and strawberry rhubarb pie are favorites every summer. The great thing about this rhubarb syrup recipe however is that you can make this with frozen rhubarb too. Which means you can save and savor this delicious syrup throughout the year (not just during rhubarb season)!
Why I love this recipe
It can be made with fresh or frozen rhubarb. Very adaptable recipe. Not sickeningly sweet. Maintains the tart flavor of rhubarb, while adding a lovely sweetness. I even share how to get a pale pink color in your syrup even if you don’t have red rhubarb. Perfect rhubarb simple syrup for cocktails, or to use as a soda syrup to flavor your soda! I show you how to make your rhubarb syrup taste even better by adding other spices and herbs, so you can make more exciting drinks!
How to choose rhubarb
A lot of people opt to use rhubarb that is bright red in color because of the misconception that red rhubarb is better than green rhubarb. But that’s not true. Both the red and green rhubarb have the same tart flavor that is characteristic of rhubarb. The difference is just the color of the stalk. So don’t be afraid to use the green stalks to make this syrup too! The flavor will be just as amazing. If you really do miss the blush pink color that red rhubarb adds to the syrup, I’ll show you how to add it with a nifty cheat’s trick. While the rhubarb stalk is perfectly edible, the leaves are toxic to both humans and our pets if ingested in higher amounts! So make sure to keep those away! You can make this syrup using the entire stalk. Just remember to cut out any severely discolored or extremely bruised parts of the rhubarb. If there is a little discoloration or bruising, that’s OK. You can even make this with rhubarb that is a little dried out as well.
Ingredients to make this syrup
The base rhubarb syrup recipe only requires 3 ingredients.
Rhubarb Water Sugar
However, I like to make spiced rhubarb syrup with the addition of peppercorns. I like to add,
Pink peppercorns Black peppercorns
Pink peppercorns have a wonderful floral spice, while the black peppercorns impart a smoky spice flavor. The combination of these two peppercorns adds a hint of floral and smoky notes to the tart and sweet rhubarb syrup!
Other ingredient options to make spiced rhubarb syrup
Red chili – Red jalapeno peppers will infuse a mild spiciness and flavor to the syrup, while birds eye chili or scotch bonnet chili may add a very strong spice kick. The red color will also add a hint of pink to the syrup. Green chili – As with the red chilis, green jalapeno will add a mild level of spice. Going for birds eye chili or scotch bonnet will make the spiciness much higher. In addition, green chilis have a more earthy flavor than red chilis, and may dull the pink color due to the green pigment.
How to make rhubarb simple syrup
Extracting rhubarb juice
The first step of making this syrup is to extract the juice from the rhubarb. This is surprisingly simple and you do not need a juicer to extract the juice. There are two different methods to do this.
Using a juicer
If you’re lucky enough to own a juicer, this process is easier. Since rhubarb has very long fibers running the length of the stalk, it’s very important to cut the stalk into 1 – 2 inch pieces before putting it through the juicer. This will produce 100% rhubarb juice.
Using a blender
You can use a blender to extract the juice as well. This process is a little longer but still easy. Cut the rhubarb stalks into smaller pieces and place them in the blender. Add about 1/4 cup of water. Blend until the all the rhubarb is blended into pulp, and you have a lumpy rhubarb mixture. Pass this mixture through a nut milk bag or cheese cloth. Squeeze the pulp inside the cloth to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the pulp. Since the rhubarb is very fibrous, it’ll be easy to squeeze out all the juice and to be left with dry rhubarb fiber.
Optional additions to the syrup
A simple rhubarb syrup only requires the juice that you extracted, plus sugar. But if you want to elevate the flavor of your syrup, you can add some spices that complement the flavor of the rhubarb. To add a subtle floral and smoky spice to the syrup, I add a generous amount of pink peppercorns and black peppercorns. For a subtle infusion – Add the spices whole. For a more intense infusion – Crush whole spices before adding them to the syrup. This will extract more of the oils in the peppercorns. You can also add fresh, sliced chili into the syrup.
Cooking the rhubarb syrup
Place the rhubarb juice and sugar in a small saucepan. If you’re adding the peppercorns (like I do), crush them and add to the same mixture. Heat this mixture over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, and the syrup comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the mixture for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the syrup to cool down to room temperature WITH the peppercorns in the syrup (if using). After it has cooled down, taste the rhubarb syrup and see if the peppercorn flavor in the syrup is to your taste. I like for this flavor to be a little strong because it’ll get diluted in drinks, so I let the syrup infuse in the fridge overnight. Once the peppercorns have infused into the rhubarb syrup, strain the mixture and store the syrup in a glass bottle or jar, with an air-tight lid. Refrigerate it until you need it for up to two weeks. If you did not add any spices, then you can pour the rhubarb syrup into a glass or plastic container or jar (with an air-tight lid) and store it in the fridge until needed.
Other flavor additions and infusions you can try with rhubarb simple syrup
Rhubarb is such a wonderful fruit that pairs so well with many ingredients. So you can get very creative with your flavor combinations. While my favorite is to make a spiced pink and black peppercorn rhubarb simple syrup, I know that it might not be everyone’s favorite. Here are some of my other favorite flavor pairings for rhubarb.
Rhubarb and vanilla syrup – Add vanilla to the syrup to get a hint of the wonderful vanilla sweetness in your syrup. Rhubarb ginger syrup – Add sliced ginger to the syrup to infuse the spicy flavor of ginger. Mint and rhubarb – Mint leaves added to the syrup will infuse a subtle minty freshness to the tart syrup. Strawberry rhubarb – A classic combination! You can add some strawberries to the rhubarb in the blender, so that you get a mixture of strawberry and rhubarb juice. Measure out the final amount of juice and adjust the sugar accordingly to get a lovely syrup with both fruit flavors. Lime or lemon – Both lime and lemon will liven up the flavor and tartness of rhubarb. But be careful to only add a little because you don’t want the tartness of the citrus to overpower the rhubarb. Rhubarb and herb – Rhubarb pairs very well with thyme and rosemary! So you can add either one of these herbs to the syrup to get a herby rhubarb rosemary syrup or a rhubarb thyme syrup.
Can you think of other flavors you can add to the rhubarb syrup to make it taste even better?
How to store rhubarb syrup
Due to the presence of fruit, this syrup will not last as long as simple syrup. However, you can extend the shelf life of rhubarb syrup by storing it in the fridge. Make sure the jar or container you use is very clean and dry before pouring in the peppercorn and rhubarb syrup. If possible, you can also sanitize the jar. Store the syrup with an air-tight lid to prevent any air from the immediate environment making contact with the syrup. Once you start using the syrup, it will naturally come into contact with air, but try to minimize it in-between uses. Prevent any changes in the temperature of the syrup. If you take it out of the fridge, put it back right away after using the syrup. Letting it come to room temperature and then chilling it again, over and over, will decrease its shelf life. The longevity of the spiced rhubarb syrup will depend on,
How fresh the ingredients used to make the syrup were. How often you use it. Cleanliness of the container and how air-tight it is.
So make sure to check on the syrup when you use it. If there is a change in texture, smell, color, or clarity of the syrup, do not use it. If there is anything growing in and on top of the syrup, then obviously discard it. As a rule of thumb, I only keep fruit flavored syrups in the fridge for 2 weeks at most. I prefer to store my rhubarb syrup or any flavored syrup in the freezer. I can store the syrup in the freezer for up to 1 whole year! I freeze the syrup in smaller portions, and then thaw out only what I need.
How to use rhubarb syrup
You can use this syrup as a topping for different desserts!
Rhubarb syrup for vanilla ice cream. A syrup topping for pancakes or waffles. It’s delicious when drizzled over whipped cream and crepes. Drizzle this spiced rhubarb syrup over fresh cut fruits, for a tart and spicy flavor boost.
Drinks you can make with rhubarb syrup
This syrup is perfect for cocktails. My favorite is a margarita!
Spiced rhubarb margarita – Add this syrup instead of simple syrup in a classic margarita to make rhubarb margarita. Rhubarb soda – Use this as a rhubarb soda syrup to flavor club soda. Rhubarb and ginger soda – Flavor ginger beer with this rhubarb soda syrup. Gin and tonic with spiced rhubarb – Add a splash of this syrup to flavor your gin and tonic! Rhubarb lemonade – Instead of adding sugar, add this syrup to your lemonade!
As the saying goes, the only limit is your imagination! 🙂
Questions and tips for this recipe
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