21 simple syrup recipes

Crispy dried pear chips made by slicing pears paper-thin, dipping in simple syrup, and slow-baking until dehydrated. A two-ingredient snack and elegant garnish for desserts, salads, and cheese boards.

Homemade blueberry liqueur infuses crushed berries in vodka with lemon peel and clove for a deep ruby-purple cordial. A long, slow steep delivers a gift-worthy fruit liqueur.

Chocolate tofu cake that bakes up silky like cheesecake but lighter, blending firm tofu with ricotta, cream cheese and cocoa, spiked with Irish cream and coffee liqueur. A water bath keeps it custardy smooth.

Kiwi sorbet made with puréed fresh kiwis, a vanilla bean simple syrup, and a squeeze of lemon. Optional Cointreau for grown-up flavor, plus a Champagne variation.

Orange sorbet blends fresh orange juice with peel-infused simple syrup and Grand Marnier for a bright, citrusy frozen dessert. Pipe into hollowed orange shells for an elegant presentation.

Whole wheat buttermilk waffles with wheat germ for extra nuttiness. Six simple ingredients, crisp outside and tender inside, perfect for fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Fresh peach sorbet with Marsala wine and lemon juice in a simple sugar syrup. A dairy-free frozen dessert with just five ingredients, served over fresh berries.

Farrah Fawcett's pecan pie is the classic: a rich corn syrup and vanilla custard packed with pecan halves in a flaky crust. The actress's simple, foolproof holiday pie bakes up with a glossy, crackly top.

Banana Cream Cake with Strawberry Cream Filling recipe

Tahitian baked mangoes in red wine with vanilla pods and superfine sugar. A simple, elegant tropical dessert served chilled with wine-poached fruit in a ruby syrup.

Milk chocolate pralines with pecans, made from a simple sugar syrup with corn syrup and vinegar. These no-bake candies set up fast with a glossy chocolate shell and crunchy nuts.

Iowa brownies made with chocolate syrup instead of cocoa or melted chocolate, producing fudgy, dense squares with minimal rise. A simple Midwest pantry recipe with just six basic ingredients.

Cool, refreshing big-batch fruit salad with watermelon, cantaloupe, plums, nectarines, and grapes tossed in chilled mint-lime simple syrup. A summer party showstopper.

Babe's Pecan Pie is a classic Southern pecan pie with dark corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and coarsely chopped pecans in a flaky crust. Simple, sticky-sweet, and utterly irresistible at the holiday table.

Baked bananas in a buttery caramel syrup scattered with raisins and pecans. A simple, old-fashioned dessert ready in 45 minutes, served warm with whipped cream.

Red pear sorbet grates ripe red pears with their skins on for a delicately pink, naturally textured frozen dessert. Simple syrup and lemon juice amplify the pear flavor. No peeling required.