Violet Simple Syrup! Perfect in cocktails or mocktails, or even in sparkling water. Perfect for special gatherings like Mothers Day, Bridal Showers or Weddings. Romantic, floral & feminine. The possibilities are endless!
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. ~ Mark Twain
My little friend Dylan helped me pick violets this morning. Their sweet, grape-scented blossoms are unbelievably fragrant and are sprouting up everywhere this spring. An easy way to capture their lovely essence is to make Violet Simple Syrup from their petals.
The violet simple syrup can then be then added to lemonade or sparkling water for a refreshing spring drink, or turned into my favorite – a Violet infused French 75 – with gin, champagne, and lemon juice. A gorgeous, subtly-colored, feminine cocktail, perfect for Mother’s day, bridal showers or weddings. ‘Tis the season!
Dylan’s mother, and my dear friend, Cheri, made this Violet Simple Syrup the other day and I immediately fell in love with it and knew I had to share it with you. Not only for its beautiful color, taste and fragrance, but for the simple fact that these violets are everywhere, growing wild in our lawns, and how mostly, they go unnoticed, crushed beneath our feet.
Here’s a way to celebrate them and bring them into our kitchens and let them infuse our everyday lives with their extraordinary loveliness.
And husbands, if you made this for your wives, perhaps for mother’s day (just an idea) I promise, this would be the one thing they would never ever forget. The sweetest gesture that would give them years and years of happy memories.
It starts with picking the violets. Be sure the flowers have not been sprayed or fed with any chemicals.
Gather a few cupfuls, removing the stems and calyx if need be.
VIOLETS: There are different kinds of violets. These COMMON BLUE VIOLETS are from Eastern Washington and have a very small calyx (the green part that holds the petals) and sweet grape smell.
If unsure, please try this page for identification.
You are looking for WILD violets with the botanical name of Viola sororia or Viola sororia albiflora. The kind that grow in your lawn in zones 3-8. They typically have a little bit of gold in the center.
Be sure to inhale and really smell them!
For the most vibrant color and grapy flavor -remove as many stems and leaves as you possibly can.
How to Make Violet Simple Syrup:
- Pick any green stems leaves off the violets (see notes)
- Boil FILTERED water in a small pot. Turn the heat off, let water stand 5-10 minutes to cool- then add the violets to the pot, stir, and let sit on the counter for 24 hours.
- Strain the violet-infused water through a fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing any additional liquid from the violets.
- For every cup of liquid yielded, add 2 cups of white sugar. Other sugars will change their color.
- Stir over a bain-marie or in the same pot over very low heat until the sugar dissolves. Be careful not to boil as you will lose the gorgeous color of the violets.
- Stir in a little lemon juice, one drop at a time ( 2-6 drops) to turn the infusion to more of a clear purple color (Alternatively- if you prefer the cool blue color, leave the lemon juice out.)
- Store the syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- This makes about 2 cups of syrup.
For the perfect Mother’s Day, wedding day or bridal shower cocktail, make a Violet-infused French 75.
Fill a shaker with ice, add one-ounce gin, ½ ounce lemon juice and ½ ounce violet simple syrup. Shake well and strain into a chilled flute or cocktail coupe. Top with chilled Champagne or Prosecco and garnish with a lemon twist and a fresh-picked violet.
Swoon.
Cheers!
xoxoxo
Other recipes you may like:
- Wild Rose Elixir
- Wild Rose Petal Jam
- Lilac Water
- Wild Rose Petal Sangria
- 30 Vibrant Healthy Spring Recipes!
Violet Simple Syrup
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 24 hours 15 mins
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: cocktails, drinks, sauce
- Method: infused
- Cuisine: northwest
Description
Violet Simple Syrup! Perfect in cocktails ( like a Violet infused French 75) or mocktails. Think Mothers Day, Bridal Showers or Weddings. Romantic, floral & feminine. The possibilities are endless! WARNING: Please read through all the comments below the post before you begin- some folks are having a hard time with this recipe turning out and I’m still unclear why- so before you make it, make sure you are picking Common Blue Violets.(They should smell sweet and grape-y) If unsure please try this page for identification. You are looking for WILD violets with the botanical name of Viola sororia or Viola sororia albiflora. The kind that grown in shady parts of your lawn in zones 3-8. They typically have a little bit of gold in the center. Make sure they are untreated with pesticides!!!
Ingredients
- 3–4 cups violets, loosely packed, green leaves, stems and calyx (if large) removed (see notes)
- 1 cup FILTERED water, boiled, cooled for 5–10 minutes
- ——-
- 2 cups granulated white sugar, (other colors will mute the color)
- 1–3 drops (literally) of lemon juice- optional (see notes)
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup of filtered water to a simmer in a small pot. Turn the heat off, let the water stand 5 minutes to cool slightly, then add the violets to the pot, stir, and let cool completely. (Do NOT boil the violets.) Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for at least 24 hours on the kitchen counter.
- Strain the violet-infused water through a fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing any additional liquid from the violets. Return strained Violette water to a bain-marie. Add sugar. For every cup of liquid yielded, add 1 1/2 – 2 cups of sugar.
- Stir sugar into the violet water over a bain-marie or in the same pot over very very low heat, just until the sugar dissolves.
- DO NOT SIMMER or BOIL as you will lose the gorgeous color of the violets. Just warm enough to dissolve the sugar. You should have a beautiful cool blue-hued syrup.
- Optional: To turn the syrup to more of a clear purple color as you see here, stir in one drop of lemon juice, one drop at a time (1-5 drops) or if you prefer the cool blue hue, leave the lemon out! Too much lemon will make the color go away so be careful here.
- Store the syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- Makes about 2 cups of violet simple syrup.
Notes
VIOLETS: There are different kinds of voilets. I live in Eastern Washington and here they have very small calyx (the green part that holds the petals) compared to the petals. I didn’t remove all of them, but if your voilets have a large calyx (compared to the petal size) best to remove! They can turn the lovely blue purple color to brown, and give the syrup a “green” spinachy taste. The flowers alone will give the syrup a lovely grape-y floral taste. So take your time here and be patient, removing all the green! Also read all the comments below the post.
To make a Violet Infused French 75 : In a shaker fill with ice, add one ounce gin, ½ ounce lemon juice and 1/2 ounce violet simple syrup. Shake well and strain into a chilled flute or cocktail coupe. Top with chilled Champagne or Prosecco and garnish with lemon twist and a fresh picked violet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 48
Keywords: violet recipes, recipes using violets, violet simple syrup, simple syrup recipes, best simple syrup recipe, simple syrup,
This was a failure for me, water never turned color. Has a nice smell. Disappointing
I’m sorry to hear that-a little heartbreaking I imagine. My guess is it must have been the type of violet.
I made this syrup today, not too hot of water, and the color is a gorgeous blue! It does smell a bit of “green” and spinachy, but the taste is sweet.
I bottled it blue with a recipe card – one side for lemonade (so the recipient can see the magic color changes) and one side with the Frech 75 recipe.
Ooooooooooh love it, Wendy! Glad this worked for you!
Loved doing this! How long do you think it’s safe to keep in the fridge?
★★★★★
I think it should be fine for a few weeks, or until you see any signs of mold.
A very nice little syrup!
Our local violets have large calyxes, so I just used the petals. It’s very mild and has a faint blueberry taste.
Thank you for taking the time to write the recipe!
★★★★★
glad this worked for you!
While letting it sit for 24 hours— is that in the refrigerator or just… out?
Just on the counter. 🙂
My syrup is a beautiful purple but it smells super weird. While it was steeping it smelled like downright nasty. Tastes just like sugar though, really. Did I do something wrong? It’s more vegetable than floral.
★★★
On no Izzy! I wonder if it may be the type of violet you used? There are so many kinds out there- mine had a clear scent of sweet “grape” flavor.
Great! I only used 1 c sugar and liked it very much.
★★★★★
Lost all color after stirring in the sugar. Not sure what I did wrong but this is my first time making violet syrup. It’s still nice and sweet just not purple.
★★★★
What? Oh no. There was color before sugar, then it went clear?
I had a similar issue, mine was a blue turqoise color and I put in too much lemon, more than 5 drops, whoops, it quickly went from blue to purple to almost clear, had better luck on my second batch, less lemon juice is better.
★★★★
I noted the recipe Kevin! Thanks!
Botany note: sweet violet (V. odorata) is from Europe, but it does grow in eastern Washington, and I can’t help but think that’s what you have. It looks very much like common blue violet, V. sororia, which is what we have around here. Like other native violets in my area, V. sororia doesn’t have much odor or flavor, although it still makes the beautiful color. I used distilled water, and 1:1 liquid/sugar as in typical simple syrup. It will dissolve without heat. Keep stirring!
This is my second year making this recipe and I love it so much! Last year I made it with violets in my yard and neighbor’s yard. It was a pinkish-purple, with a lovely delicate flavor. This year I found a patch of violets at my grandparents’ property and used those. It was much more blue and the violet fragrance and flavor much more apparent. I believe both are viola odorata, but the difference was neat! Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Thanks Stephanie- good to know!
Only VIOLA ODORATA possesses the lovely, elusive violet scent. The common VIOLA TRICOLOR, which can grow in most yards, has NO scent at all. It does, however, make lovely candied flowers for pastry decorating and is a beautiful edible flower.
The sweet scented ODORATA is extremely picky concerning the climate in which it will grow and flourish. So much so that there are very few micro-climates that can accommodate it. Several years ago there was an actual shortage of this much sought after wild flower, for perfumers and the food industry. All of the problems listed here stem from using violets from the unscented strain. All but the Odorata fall into that category. Thus, it is highly prized.
thanks for the clarification!
I have been reading up on making violet syrup and one of the other websites stated that if your water was hard it could turn the mixture green. She recommended using distilled water. I am going to try that because my water is very hard!
OH! thanks this is a big help and I will modify the recipe!
are you using lesbian violets or sweet violets?
😉 wild violets.
I tried this recipe three times! All failed with what turned out as grey sugar water.
I’m sorry. It must be the type of violet. I have no other explaination?
If you add a few drops of lemon juice and it’ll clear up!
Mine lose its color even though I followed the instructions 😕
I think it might be the type of violet?
Love the recipe but please be sure to correctly identify your flowers before making this as some violets are toxic. 😉 https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-violets/
Yes, I listed the kind needed- up in the post and added this link.
I tried this recipe and followed it as accurately as possible. I did let the petals steep for a about 25 hours instead of 24, but the smell is quite unpleasant. It’s like funky dirty socks and a mud puddle. I’m honestly scared to taste it even though I used all of the sugar, thinking it would improve the odor.
What could have gone wrong?
I think it not the same type of violet I used. I had no idea how many varieties there are, just learning this. Sorry.
I live in St Louis, MO and have a backyard full of wild violets. I picked lots, took off the stems and calalyx and used the petals. I boiled the 1C water, then let it cool for about 10 min then put in a bit over 4 cups of petals and stirred. The petals (which were fresh), absorbed the water and swelled filling the pot. i let them sit (covered) for a little over 24 hrs, then strained (and did my best to push the water out – 2 sieves sandwiched together, pressing with spoon, etc. ended up with 2/3 cup of liquid. No real flavor to it and while their was a slight blue caste to the water, it wasn’t much. Added a little over 1 C fine bakers sugar, and dissolved it in the water. Added a bit of lemon which did change it to a violet caste, but not it has to be in a clear glass to see it. No real taste except for the sugar. Thinking I may have wrong type of violets or my water wasn’t hot enough.