makes one and a half cups
Sometimes I just want to be a rebel and not follow the rules. So when they said, “Be sure to only plant mint in pots,” I threw caution to the wind and planted it right in my herb garden. And then of course, it attempted to completely overthrow the rest of the plants in said herb garden. Whoops. Thankfully this easy syrup recipe will help cover a multitude of mint-planting sins.
1 cup sugar, preferably organic whole cane sugar, or ¼ cup honey
1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Add the mint and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the syrup; discard the mint. Pour the syrup into a glass jar with a lid, cool slightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
kitchen notes • To make iced tea, add ½ cup mint syrup, or to taste, to 2 quarts brewed iced tea. Stir well and serve.
I often grow a variety of mint plants, including spearmint, and I add them all to this recipe. It’s good no matter which variety of mint you use.
You can use unrefined cane sugars, coconut sugar, or even just regular white sugar if that’s all you have. Unrefined sugars will result in a darker, stronger-tasting syrup, while honey or white sugar will produce a lighter-colored result.
I usually double, triple, or quadruple this recipe when I make it. Mint is crazy-growing stuff, man.