This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Once you learn how to make my sugar free simple syrup recipe, you’ll make it all the time! Made with 3 ingredients and nearly zero calories! 1 gram of net carbs.
Need more homemade keto syrup recipes? Try my keto maple syrup, keto honey, and sugar-free caramel syrup next.
Cringe moment: When I first reached the legal drinking age in Australia, I was obsessed with margaritas. The sweeter, the better. Unfortunately, my waistline did not agree with me.
As I got older, I started being more mindful about my sugar intake–but I still have a raging sweet tooth. As a compromise, I started making my own sugar-free simple syrups, and now I’m rightly obsessed!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It tastes like regular simple syrup. So long as you choose the best sweetener, you won’t be able to tell the difference.
- Endless ways to use it. Add it to cocktails, coffee, and even overnight oatmeal. There’s no end to what you can do with it!
- And it’s customizable. Spice it up with all sorts of mix-ins and swear off store-bought sugar-free syrups for good.
- Ready in minutes. Simmer until the sweetener dissolves, then let it cool in the fridge. That’s all there is to it.
Ingredients needed
- Sugar-free sweetener. I highly recommend allulose, as it dissolves exactly as sugar does. However, if you don’t have any on hand, splenda or monk fruit can also be used. Read my tips below on how to select the best sweetener.
- Water. Room temperature water.
- Xanthan gum. Optional, but a dash will thicken the syrup beautifully.
What is the best sugar substitute for simple syrup?
Not all keto sweeteners are created equal. Here’s my rule of thumb for picking the best one for the task:
- Monk fruit sweetener. My preferred all-natural sweetener. You’ll usually find this mixed with granulated erythritol (I like the Lakanto brand). If you use pure monkfruit, only add half of the recommended amount, as it is much sweeter than other sugar substitutes.
- Allulose. My preferred sweetener for being dissolved as it doesn’t leave a gritty texture or bad aftertaste.
- Stevia. This works in a pinch, though I suggest using powdered stevia over liquid stevia as the liquid sweetener tends to have a bitter aftertaste.
How to make sugar free simple syrup
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Simmer. Add the water and sweetener to a small saucepan and simmer. Whisk until the sweetener dissolves, then whisk in the xanthan gum. Remove it from the heat.
Step 2- Cool and chill. Let the syrup cool completely, then pour it into a glass jar and refrigerate.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make as much or as little as you want. So long as you use equal parts water to sweetener, you can make as much simple syrup as you want.
- Taste it as it cools and adjust the sweetness as needed.
- It’ll thicken over time. As the xanthan gum has time to settle, you should notice it thickening, and even more so once it’s been refrigerated.
- Simmer low and slow. If the sweetener overheats it’ll burn and you’ll have to start over.
Variations
- Ginger. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ginger extract.
- Rose. Whisk through 1/2 teaspoon rosewater extract once the simple syrup has cooled.
- Mint. Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and fresh mint leaves once the syrup has cooled.
- Lavender. Fold through 1/2 teaspoon lavender extract halfway through the simmering stage.
- Vanilla. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or a vanilla bean pod.
- Spiced. Add 1 cinnamon stick, a few cloves, and anise pods halfway through the simmering stage.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the simple syrup in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months or in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
To freeze: Place the container in the freezer and freeze for 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Starbucks has low carb, sugar free versions of most of their syrups. Read my list of the best low calorie Starbucks drinks, and how to order them!
Recipes for using sugar-free simple syrup
Sugar Free Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup allulose
- 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the water and allulose and place over low heat. Regularly whisk the mixture until the sweetener dissolves. Once the syrup begins to simmer, whisk through the xanthan gum, before removing from the heat.
- Allow the syrup to cool completely, before transferring to a glass jar or bottle.
Its great. works in all my recipes calling for syrup. Cooking and baking. Give us more low carb sugar free recipes please.
I would also like to add for everyone:
Definitely mix the xanthan gum with your allulose before putting it in a pan on the stove with the water. Doing this will avoid the “clumping” that can occur when adding the xanthan gum to the allulose and water thats been simmering.
I also let the syrup completely cool before I added any flavor extracts to combat the issue of alcohol evaporation (if using alcohol-based extracts).
Hope this helps!!
Thank you so much for this, and all of your other recipes! I’ve eaten mainly low carb/keto for the past few years and I love seeing new ways to make this lifestyle better.
My little boy was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at Christmas, so finding low carb/sugar free recipes has taken up so much of time..especially since he’s also Autistic and is very picky with food.
I’ve made a few of your dessert recipes for him and he does like them, but I can tell he obviously knows the taste difference between, say, the traditional homemade banana bread I make and a low carb one. So far, I’m just happy he’s willing to try these new foods even though I end up finishing them myself. But, hey, it’s still a win-win! 🙏🏻❤️
Great recipe, cheaper than buying Allulose syrup. I mixed the gum in with the Allulose than added water this time around and it seemed to clump less for me.
FYI Any sweetener with erythritol is going to crystallize when it cools. It’s best to use allulose. It will not crystallize.
This comment is meant to help anyone considering this recipe using Lakanto erythritol monk fruit blend. It does not work. The simple syrup started to crystallize as soon as it began to cool. Within several hours it was a chunky solid mass with a think layer of liquid on top. It didn’t stop me from using an ounce of it for my tart cherry vodka cocktail though!! 😉. Looking forward to retrying with another product.
Any sweetener with erythritol is going to crystallize when it cools. It’s best to use allulose. It will not crystallize.
So… There are three ingredients to the two ingredient recipe?
We don’t count water, so enjoy this 2 ingredient recipe.
Can guar gum be substituted for the xanthan gum?
Can I add other flavors like nutmeg
Hi! Allulose seems fine for simple syrup. But my experience with Erythritol-containing sweeteners has been different. If I heat an Erythritol-containing syrup mixture, let it cool, & then refrigerate it, I end up with a mass of crystals & some liquid that really isn’t useable. Maybe it would work ok if the mixture was only lightly warmed & then stored at room temperature — that’s not something I’ve tried. Anyway, the noting Erythritol & potential crystalization in the recipe might save folks some disappointment.
You can get a lovely, thick syrup that is as thick as honey if you use allulose. I simmer until I get the thickness I’m looking for, and I then I add a couple of squirts of liquid sucralose or a little stevia extract. Allulose isn’t sweet enough for me usually, so I up the sweetness with other sweeteners. Do NOT use erythritol. It ends up completely crystallized. Even if I mix it with allulose, the erythritol crystallizes. Once you have a simple syrup, add honey extract or maple syrup extract and you have keto honey and maple syrup. It’s just about perfect.
Hi! This is my first attempt making a simple syrup of any kind. I used to buy it, but since have gone Keto and now, although not following Keto anymore, I have decided to remain sugar free. This is an amazing recipe to use in homemade lemonades and margaritas. When I made it, it was perfect, however upon cooling it became cloudy when I poured it into the jar. Do you think you can tell me why? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I used granulated Erythritol.