Keto Simple Syrup

A quick and easy way to sweeten drinks and other recipes is a necessity! This keto simple syrup combines a few simple ingredients for all your sweetening needs.

WHAT IS SIMPLE SYRUP?

A traditional simple syrup is a very simplistic mixture of equal parts of sugar and water. The mixture is boiled until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid thickens slightly.

The resulting syrups is most often used in cocktails. However, it can be used to sweeten other sweets and baked goods.

The bad news is, of course, traditional simple syrup is basically pure sugar and full of carbs.

This recipe cuts the carbs and substitutes erythritol for the sugar. If you prefer the thicker syrup-like texture, you can even add a teeny tiny amount of xanthan gum to thicken it.

KETO SIMPLE SYRUP INGREDIENTS

Before you try and make this simple syrup recipe, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand first.

• 1 cup water (distilled preferred)
• 1/2 cup granulated erythritol
• Lakanto Liquid Monfruit Sweetener, to taste
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• *optional* extremely tiny pinch (1/20th tsp) of xanthan gum

After you have all of this, you’re set and ready to go!

HOW TO MAKE KETO SIMPLE SYRUP

1. Add water and erythritol granules to a saucepan or pot over medium-high heat
2. Slowly whisk the mixture until erythritol begins to dissolve and mixture comes to a rolling boil
3. If you decide to use xanthan gum, add it and continue whisking until well incorporated
4. Boil until erythritol is dissolved and remove from heat
5. Taste test the mixture for sweetness; if you’d like it sweeter, add liquid sweetener a few drops at a time until the desired sweetness is reached
6. Pour the syrup into a jar or other pourable storage container and let cool
7. Store either in a cool, dark place or in the fridge
8. When needed, pour and enjoy!

DOES ERYTHRITOL TASTE LIKE SUGAR?

Sorta. Erythritol is only 70% as sweet as sugar and has a small fraction of the calories.

It does have a sugar-like appearance since it’s granulated, but it does not taste like sugar in the traditional sense.

This is why we also add a liquid sweetener to help make the sweetness closer to what you are used to.

DOES ERYTHRITOL IMPACT BLOOD SUGAR?

Due to its chemical makeup, erythritol has a glycemic index of 0. This means that it has zero impact on blood sugar levels when ingested.

For reference, pure sugar has a glycemic index of 100.

Don’t be fooled, however. Just because erythritol is a sugar alcohol, that doesn’t mean that all sugar alcohols are created equal.

In fact, most sugar alcohols register on the glycemic index.

Here are some of the most common sugar alcohols used in products and/or ketogenic and low-carb cooking and their glycemic index scores.

• Erythritol = 0
• Sorbitol = 4
• Xylitol = 12
• Maltitol = 35

Just in case these numbers are somewhat confusing, keep this in mind. The higher the glycemic index of a sweetener, the more likely it is to spike your blood sugar levels.

If you are pursuing a carbohydrate-limited way of eating, such as ketogenic or low-carb, spikes in blood sugar levels are not what you are looking for.

Actually, spikes and raised blood sugar levels are the nasty secrets behind the process of gaining weight.

Therefore, the goal is to minimize sugar spikes as much as possible and any sweetener with a high glycemic index should certainly be avoided.

HOW LONG WILL THIS SIMPLE SYRUP LAST?

As long as you keep this syrup stored in an air-tight container, it should last as long as you need it to.

However, should you notice a discoloration in the liquid, it would be best to discard it regardless of how old it is.

WHAT TO USE THIS SYRUP IN

This simple syrup can be used in all kinds of different recipes. Here are a few ideas of things you might want to use this syrup in instead of a powdered or granulated sweetener.

• Keto Butter Coffee
• Keto Peppermint Hot Chocolate
• Keto Boiled Custard
• Keto-Friendly Gimlet
• Keto-Friendly Margarita

For more ideas, you can check out our recipe index or check out all of our drinks recipes.

TOOLS NEEDED TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP

Click on the links to see the items used in making this recipe. You can also find these products linked in the recipe below.

• Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan – Saucepans with heavy bottoms are thicker than regular saucepans. Because of this, they absorb and redistribute heat more evenly than their thinner counterparts. They are a great utensil to have in your kitchen and are especially useful any time you are making something that can be more easily damaged by uneven heat!

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