Gather those yellow flowers to make this sweet dandelion syrup with cane sugar, raw honey, and lemon. Perfect for pancakes, waffles, and your morning tea!
Are you sick of hearing me talk about dandelions yet? 😉 Well, I promise today’s post is really fun and exciting – we’re making dandelion syrup! You know, like for pancakes and waffles…and tea, and just about anywhere you would use syrup!
I’ve been wanting to make dandelion syrup for a while, and it just kept getting pushed back. But when I was out in the yard this week and saw that many of the dandelions had started to go to seed, I knew I had to act quickly to harvest what was left of the yellow flowers. And I knew exactly what I wanted to use them for!
Once dandelions are in season, my cream of dandelion soup is another way to use them—sweet, creamy, and it puts the whole plant to work (leaves, buds, and petals).
Over 2 days, I gathered about 125 flowers. It sounds way more daunting than it really is; it went by very quickly actually.
I brought them inside and rinsed them under cold water and then laid them out to dry on a towel. I left them like that for a while, to be sure they were completely dry and that any bugs lurking inside the blooms were long gone (I could actually see them crawling away on the towel!).
You can also skip the washing step to preserve the pollen, which is good for the immune system (thanks to our reader, Bonnie, for this tip!)
Then, I removed the petals from the thick, green base. The base is filled with a bitter, white liquid, so you don’t want any of that bitterness to end up in your final product.
You can remove the petals by squeezing the green base and rolling it between your fingers to loosen the petals. Or use a small knife and cut as close to the green base as possible, which is much quicker and easier. You can also just use scissors to snip off the green base.
You may get some small pieces of green leaves, but that’s ok. As long as the thick green base is removed.
If you want to make the syrup at a later time (ie: not right after you cut the petals), you can put them in an air-tight container or freezer bag and pop them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. That’s what I did earlier this week with the first harvest.
How to Make Dandelion Syrup
Alright, prep work is done, let’s get to the sweet stuff! Bear in mind that this is a 2-day process, so if you want to use the syrup for tomorrow’s breakfast, you will have to start making it today!
Dandelion Syrup: Day 1
Put the petals in a pot and cover them with water. Bring them to a rolling boil and let them boil for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then, remove them from the heat, cover, and steep the petals over night. You can either leave the pot in a cool spot in the kitchen, or put it in the fridge. I let the pot cool down a bit on the stove, then I put it in the fridge.
Dandelion Syrup: Day 2
The next morning, you’ll strain the petals from the water over a small bowl. You can use a fine mesh strainer, and press the petals with the back of a spoon to extract as much water as possible. Or line a colander with some cheesecloth and squeezed the water out that way.
Return the strained liquid to the pot along with the sugar, honey, and lemon. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about an hour, or until it has reduced by half.
Check the consistency after about an hour. Dip a spoon into the syrup, let it cool a bit, and test the thickness. If it’s thick enough for your liking, just turn off the heat and let the syrup cool. That’s it – you’ve made dandelion syrup!
Storing Your Dandelion Syrup
After the syrup has cooled down a bit, pour it into a glass jar or container of some sort, and make sure to store it in the fridge after use. I have a small syrup dispenser that I picked up a few years ago; I filled it up and kept the extra in a glass jar.
My husband is coming back from a business trip tonight, so we’ll try this syrup over some whole-wheat banana chunk waffles tomorrow morning. But of course, that hasn’t stopped me from sampling it on its own in all its sweet, syrupy goodness. You know…for research, of course! 🙂
Homemade Dandelion Syrup
Equipment
- 1 Sterilized jar for storage
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dandelion flowers (about 125 flowers)
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups cane sugar or sweetener of choice
- ¼ cup raw honey optional
- ½ lemon, juiced optional, but rounds out the flavour
Instructions
- After harvesting the flowers, lay them out on a towel for about an hour, to allow any bugs to crawl away. You can also wash the flowers, but you risk washing away some of the pollen, which is actually good for you.
- Next, cut off the green base of the flower and discard. You can squeeze and roll them between your fingers, or cut them with a knife, or just snip them off with scissors. Make sure to get the whole base off since it is bitter. A little bit of green flecks is ok, as long as the main base is removed.
- Add petals and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, and let it boil for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then place the pot in a cool place to let it steep overnight. A cool counter or the fridge is ideal.
- The next morning, strain the liquid into a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth over a bowl. Extract as much of the liquid as you can by squeezing or pressing with the back of a spoon.
- Add the strained liquid to a pot, and add the sugar, honey, and lemon, if using. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Check for consistency by dipping a spoon in the syrup, letting it cool for a bit, and checking the thickness. If it's to your liking, remove the syrup from the heat.
- Pour into glass jars, let the syrup cool down to room temperature, and then you can store it in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for a few months.
I made the dandelion syrup today. It’s delicious. I’m wondering if it will thicken up more as it cools
Enjoy! I’ve found that it stays around the same consistency as pure maple syrup.
Can you use regular sugar? I do not have access to cane sugar:(
Yep!
Great recipe
Hi! This looks fabulous and I can’t wait to give it a shot!
I was wondering if you have any idea about nutritional content? I’m specifically looking at carb count. My 8 year old has an autoimmune disorder that means that she needs to limit her carb intake. I can calculate the sugar/honey/etc, but what about the dandelions themselves?
Thanks so much in advance!
Hmm, I couldn’t find any info on the flowers, only the greens (5g carbs in 1 cup of greens).
Can the syrup be canned for longer storage?
I’m just getting started with this recipe, but found it super-efficient to snip off the blossoms at the base of the flower, right into a wide container/colander. I could visually inspect for bugs and skip the steps of rinsing, drying and cutting off the bitter stem base. It took about ten minutes to collect 130+ blossoms!
Oh that makes a lot of sense!
That’s what I’ve done in the past. Sure, you get some green, but it all gets filtered out in the cheesecloth anyway. <3
So what do you do with the honey?
Woops! Updated the post. 🙂
Hello great post! I want to make dandelion syrup but when I came home from fogering all the flowers were closed. How do you stop this?
That’s fine, since you’ll be cooking them anyways.
Thank you for sharing. I can not wait to try this as soon as the snow goes away and the dandelions pop up.
Yet honey is a preservative for longer shelf life and is an anupanan in Ayurvedic medicine which takes the dandelion deeper into the tissues
HI- am I able to substitute the cane sugar for coconut sugar? Would it taste funny?! Thanks, excited to make it either way.
I really don’t know, but it’s totally worth a shot!
It’s also good as a sweetener and flavor in carbonated water. Dandelion soda. It’s a traditional Romanian drink.
That sounds absolutely delicious, Scott! Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Yes. Excellent. But the most popular in Romania it is dandelin syrup👌.
How many hours does it have to sit for I would like two start in morning
For the steeping? I would say at least 8 hrs or so.
I love your recipe for dandelion syrup and made it last year. I’m making it again but sending 1/2 pint to a friend who lives a day away. Can it be left un refrigerated for a couple of days? thanks
Aww, what a sweet friend you are! I haven’t tried leaving it out, but if it were me, I wouldn’t worry about it and go ahead and do it. I don’t think a day or 2 is enough time for much to happen to it. But of course, do a quick smell test when you get there just to be sure. If you’re driving there, you could also bring a small cooler with some ice in it and keep the syrup in there. Best of luck!
Seal it in a boiling pot of water in a mason jar.
sounds delightful!
It is! Hope you get to try it. 🙂
I just made the dandelion syrup. I used over 200 flowers because all 3 of my boys wanted to contribute. It is thin because I don’t like a lot of sugar in anything but the taste is amazing. Thank you so much. What a fun and delicious summer we’ll have !! Kim
Awesome, enjoy!!
How long does this stay good for, and does it need to be refrigerated if sealed? Is it lots of work for the product? sorry for the questions, im curious
Hi April,
I’m not sure about shelf life, but I’ve kept it in the fridge for up to 2 months without a problem. I’ve also read that canning it (and other floral syrups) may not be such a great idea. One blogger in particular, shares her experience with this here:
http://lifesalasagna.blogspot.ca/2012/03/floral-syrups-things-you-should-know.html
Wow who wouldve thought! Cool project, what does it taste like?
i’m stuck just drained my petals to have a bowl full of water with a few bugs in seems some stuck on, what do i do as a vegan i cant see them and eat them, do i remove them (seems like a cheat) or throw away and fingerscrossed for next time?
I make this syrup every year, however I don’t wash the flowers before cooking… When you wash them most of the pollen (one of the parts that is so important to our immune system) comes off in the washing. I cook the flowers (the entire flower) and in the process any bacteria is killed and in the straining bugs are strained out… I also cook lemon and oranges (peel and all) with the flowers so that you get vitamin C and it makes the syrup very flavorful.
Love the lemon and oranges idea! Thanks for sharing, Bonnie 🙂
I made the syrup over the weekend (while getting strange looks from my husband!) and it tastes wonderful but it got reaaallllly thick! I don’t know if I just simmered it too long? I used 2 cups sugar and some honey and the lemon juice. I questioned the amount of water – was I supposed to add an additional 3 cups of water to the already steeped dandelion water? After it cooled I did add some extra water to make it pourable. I’m loving it as the sweetener for tea and my oatmeal…delicious:) Thanks for sharing!
Wow, really? Mine was really on the thin side. Only explanation is that you might have simmered too long, so I guess watch it closely and check on it earlier next time. But glad to hear that it’s still delicious! 🙂
My husband has been making us dandelion syrup for a few years now and I absolutely LOVE it! I much prefer this to any other maple or un-naturally flavored syrup now… it really is golden, sweet sunshine in a bottle!
Hi, Just read this post. I made dandelion jelly last year and it was fantastic. Only difference is adding the pectin for making it jell, and lavender sugar. This was made by using same amount of sugar but mincing in a few lavender leaves into the sugar so that it flavored the sugar. all green flecks were strained out later. I like bit of vanilla bean too if you have it. I always cut the lavender from my neighbors bush and she never minds since i give her a jar. I have made it with lemon but do not find it enhancing as much as the lavender. This year I made syrup, calling it golden syrup. These are trad syrups and jellies in eastern Europe where folks have not forgotten how to forage.
I don’t remove the green bits off the flower heads & use less sugar for a lighter syrup & the gentle bitterness left is a beautiful mix of sweet/bitter & goes wonderfully with most everything you use it on. I also use the flower heads in making pancakes. Absolutely love it!
Great recipe! I can’t wait to try it. I’m curious about the quantities though. How many dandelions should I use, and how much water?
Thank you for this recipe! My dandelions are drying right now. I accidentally picked 500… so I was thinking about quadrulapling the recipe. I hope it turns out okay. I’m curious how much one recipe makes. Do you have an idea? a pint maybe?
Hi Heather,
One recipe made enough to fill up those 2 containers in the pictures, so I’d say about 4-5 cups worth? I’m sure you could quadruple the recipe, but not too sure how long it will keep in the fridge though. You could always freeze some of the dandelions and use them later!
Thanks!! Life (a sick kiddo) got in the way, so they all dried up. I’ll have to pick some more.
Inviting you to the Carnival of Home Preserving #13 – Come Link Up! Hope to see you there! http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com
Terrific recipe! I’ve had dandelion tea, before and am excited to try making the syrup. Visiting you from Earning My Cape. I’m happy to be now following your delightful blog! 🙂
Hi Sharla! Welcome and thanks for following! The syrup is just lovely – I love it on my weekend waffles. Sooo much better than the store-bought stuff!
Hi! Thanks for this! Wondering how the syrup is for shelf life? Can you can it? I’d like to make a bunch, but wondering if it goes bad? Thinking of using just honey for sweetener, as we don’t care for white sugar much. Any thoughts? What is your experience? I’m cutting or twisting the yellow flowers off tonight while I watch an old black & white movie! Please email a reply if possible? jolenethiessen at gmail dot com
Hi Jolene!
Thanks for your comments and questions! My only experiences with this is that I’ve only made a batch at a time, and kept it in the fridge in glass jars for up to a couple months. However, in doing my research for this post, I did come across a lot of information! Some info that may help you:
– I’ve seen all kinds of sweeteners being used! From white sugar and organic cane sugar, to agave nectar, sucanat, and yes, even honey! 🙂
– I’ve also read that canning it (and other floral syrups) may not be such a great idea. One blogger in particular, shares her experience with this here:
http://lifesalasagna.blogspot.ca/2012/03/floral-syrups-things-you-should-know.html
Hope that helps!
I told you about the old Italians I knew growing up who drank dandelion wine and swore it kept them healthy. Have you checked into this at all? I consider you the only dandelion expert I know.
Haha, I guess I should add “dandelion expert” to my resume. 😉 Yes, I remember you telling me about the Italians, and I thought I’d responded, but it may have slipped my mind! But, yes I can’t tell you how many dandelion wine recipes I came across when doing my research for these posts. But since we don’t drink in our house, I’ve of course not ventured into this area. However, with all of the health benefits of this amazing healing herb, it’s no wonder those Italians drank it so much – I really do believe it probably kept them healthy! The blossoms specifically are very good for the heart, they promote blood circulation, and the pollen has antibacterial properties. The Italians were definitely on to something there! 🙂
I’ve never cooked with dandlions. I am really going to have to try it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this at my Super Link Party! 🙂
~Susie~
http://earning-my-cape.blogspot.com/2012/05/super-link-party-1.html
You really should try it, it’s wonderful!
Your dandelion recipes are so fascinating! Who would have thought, dandelion syrup? So cool.
Umm…Umm…. DROOOL. Im so bummed because all the dandelions in our field are now to seed. 🙁 But you better believe this is going to happen next year. How awesome! Great job and thanks for sharing!