Homemade Lychee Syrup

This lychee syrup is made from fresh lychee fruit, sugar, and water, brightened with a touch of lemon juice. It’s a fragrant syrup that adds tropical sweetness to cocktails, mocktails, boba teas and sparkling drinks.

If you are into other highly fragrant fruit syrups, you’ll also love this exotic fig syrup or strawberry simple syrup.

Lychee syrup formula

This lychee simple syrup uses a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to liquid (lychee juice plus water). For a richer, more concentrated syrup, you can use a 2 to 1 sugar-to-liquid ratio, which creates a thicker texture and longer shelf life.

Ingredients

• Lychees – use fresh, canned, or frozen
• Granulated white sugar
• Water (if not using enough lychee juice from canned fruit)
• Lemon juice (optional)

Substitutes:

• Swap white sugar for coconut sugar (deeper flavor)
• Use honey for a softer floral sweetness
• Try monk fruit sweetener for a lower-sugar option

How to make lychee syrup

If using fresh lychees, peel and pit them, reserving as much juice as possible. Add the lychee flesh and any collected juice to a saucepan with sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.

Lightly mash the fruit to release more flavor, then let it simmer briefly until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow it to steep for 15 – 20 minutes to deepen the lychee flavor. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently on the solids. Stir in a small squeeze of lemon juice if using. Let cool completely before transferring to a clean bottle or jar.

For canned lychees

Drain the canned lychees, reserving the juice. Add the lychee fruit and enough of the reserved juice to make 1 cup of liquid (or supplement with water if needed) to a small saucepan along with the sugar.

Heat gently over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Since the fruit is already soft, you can lightly mash it to release extra flavor or leave some pieces whole for texture. Let the syrup simmer for 3–5 minutes until fragrant, then remove from heat and let it steep for 10–15 minutes to deepen the flavor.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently on the solids. Stir in lemon juice if using, let cool completely, and transfer to a clean jar or bottle for storage.

Flavor notes

• Sweetness: medium to high (adjustable by ratio)
• Primary note: floral tropical lychee
• Secondary note: light honeyed pear and grape tones
• Overall profile: delicate, aromatic, and refreshing with soft fruit complexity

Lychee syrup uses

• Lychee martini – adds fragrant sweetness to vodka-based cocktails for a tropical twist.
• Lychee lemonade – blends beautifully with fresh lemon juice for a floral citrus refresher.
• Iced green tea or jasmine tea – complements floral teas without overpowering them.
• Sparkling water spritzers – turns plain soda water into a bright, aromatic mocktail.
• Dessert drizzle – spoon over vanilla ice cream, panna cotta, or sponge cake.
• Boba tea sweetener – a unique alternative to traditional brown sugar syrup in milk teas.

Storage & shelf life

Store the lychee syrup in a sterilized, airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (1 to 1ratio). A richer 2 to 1 syrup may last up to 3–4 weeks when properly stored.

For longer storage, freeze in small portions (ice cube trays work well) for up to 3 months.

Look out for signs of spoilage which includes cloudiness, fermentation smell, bubbling, mold growth, or sour taste. Discard if you notice any of these.

Variations

• Rose lychee syrup – add a small splash of rose water after cooking.
• Lychee ginger syrup – simmer with fresh sliced ginger for warmth and spice.
• Lychee mint – steep fresh mint leaves during the cooling phase.
• Spiced lychee syrup – add a cinnamon stick or cardamom pod while simmering.

FAQ