Gingerbread Syrup is the perfect Christmas syrup for all your pancakes and waffles this holiday season! It’s a homemade syrup complete with dark brown sugar, fresh cinnamon sticks, allspice berries and ginger! 

Don’t limit yourself to just pancakes and waffles for this syrup! You can use it on crepes, ice cream, hot chocolate and more! My favorite recipes to use this gingerbread syrup on are my Buttermilk Waffles Recipe (or go double up on the gingerbread with my Gingerbread Waffles Recipe!) and my Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes!

Gingerbread Syrup in a clear glass pouring cup with a small gingerbread man cookie to the left of the syrup bottle.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Entirely homemade. This homemade gingerbread syrup recipe is made completely from scratch! It doesn’t even contain maple syrup in it. This is all freshly made syrup!
  • Tastes just like gingerbread! You will love this syrup! It’s the ultimate Christmas syrup because it tastes just like gingerbread with all that gingerbread spice.
  • Easy homemade syrup. This gingerbread syrup recipe comes together quickly and tastes amazing too!
  • Use it all holiday long. The syrup keeps in the fridge for up to 1 month — so you can make it and enjoy it day after day after day during the holidays. 

Ingredient Notes

Gingerbread Syrup portioned into glass bowls on a forest green textured background.
  • Water: The water will form the liquid base for the syrup. 
  • Dark Brown Sugar: Using dark brown sugar will give us a darker color to the syrup as well as provide more of that molasses flavor which is iconic to gingerbread.
  • Cinnamon Sticks: I highly recommend using the fresh spices for this recipe so you don’t have powered spices floating in the syrup! 
  • Whole Allspice Berries: The fresh spices infuse the syrup with their flavors, without leaving behind anything to make the syrup grainy. 
  • Fresh Ginger: If you don’t have any of the fresh spices, you are welcome to use ground spices. Just skip the straining step. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • Dissolve the sugar in water. Add 2 cups water and 1 3/4 dark brown sugar to a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often to not burn. Once boiling, reduce to low heat to simmer. 
  • Add the spices. Add 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 T allspice berries, and 1 inch of fresh ginger (peeled). Let simmer for 20-30 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it simmers. Stir often to reduce burning.
  • Strain. Pour the gingerbread syrup through a fine strainer to remove the ginger, cinnamon sticks, and the fresh allspice berries. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir. Enjoy! 
A white saucepan with a Gingerbread Syrup mixture in the pan.
Allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger in a dark Gingerbread Syrup that's in a saucepan on a green background.
A metal strainer with four cinnamon sticks, handful of allspice berries, and small fresh ginger chunk in it.

Recipe Tips

This recipe yields 2 cups of gingerbread syrup — unless you cook it for longer, which will make less as more water evaporates. 

This recipe doesn’t use molasses, but if you enjoy the taste of molasses you can add a tablespoon or two to the syrup when you’re cooking it. This will give it a deeper molasses flavor.

I use the side of a spoon to peel the ginger.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

You can make gingerbread syrup ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container, mason jars, or syrup bottle for up to 1 month! 

This is the perfect Christmas syrup to make during the holidays and use for the entire Christmas season! 

You can freeze syrup if you’d like. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 year. Remove and let thaw in the fridge overnight. 

Recipe FAQs

What is gingerbread syrup?

Gingerbread syrup is a homemade syrup recipe that uses water, brown sugar, and fresh warm spices to create those delicious flavors of gingerbread in syrup form! It takes a homemade simple syrup recipe which is sugar and water and elevates it into a delicious holiday syrup!

Is gingerbread syrup gluten free?

Yes it is! This homemade gingerbread syrup uses just water, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and fresh spices.  

What to do with gingerbread syrup?

Serve this Christmas syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast, crepes, in hot chocolate, over ice cream and more! Gingerbread syrup for coffee is also popular. 

Why is my syrup runny?

You need to let it simmer for longer. The gingerbread syrup will thicken as it simmers. 

Why is my syrup super thick?

You may have let it simmer for too long! The longer it simmers, the thicker and stickier it will be.

Gingerbread Syrup in a clear cup surrounded by baked gingerbread cookies, Christmas greenery, and red berries.

More Gingerbread Recipes

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Gingerbread Syrup surrounded by red berries, Christmas greenery, and baked gingerbread cookies with red candy buttons on them.
Print Save Review
5 from 3 votes

Gingerbread Syrup

This delicious Gingerbread Syrup is a fun and unique syrup to use with your holiday breakfasts!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar - packed
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon allspice berries
  • 1 inch fresh ginger - peeled (I use the side of a spoon to peel the ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Add the water and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, add the cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and fresh ginger. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. 
  • The mixture should thicken slight and have the consistency of syrup. 
  •  Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a glass jar or storage container. Discard the ginger, cinnamon sticks, and berries. Add the vanilla to the syrup and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge, covered, for 1 month.
  • This will make about 2 cups of syrup, but will make less the longer you boil it because more water will evaporate. 

Notes

This recipe doesn’t use molasses, but if you want, you can add a tablespoon or two while you’re cooking it. This will give it a deeper molasses flavor.
 Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Nutrition

Calories: 767kcal (38%)Carbohydrates: 198g (66%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 0.4g (1%)Saturated Fat: 0.1g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 70mg (3%)Potassium: 340mg (10%)Fiber: 5g (20%)Sugar: 187g (208%)Vitamin A: 40IU (1%)Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)Calcium: 261mg (26%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
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