Starbucks Raspberry Syrup Recipe – Transform Your Drinks

If you have ever tried fruity Starbucks drinks, you might still remember the Starbucks Raspberry Syrup. 

It used to be in so many iced teas, refreshers, and even lattes. 

But the sad thing is, Starbucks discontinued it in most places, and some people still keep asking if there’s gonna be a Starbucks Raspberry Syrup comeback.

I also kept searching for Starbucks Raspberry Syrup where to buy online, but the bottles are either overpriced, fake, or not even available. 

So, I thought, instead of waiting for a Starbucks Raspberry Syrup return date, why not make my own at home?

 

How to Make Starbucks Raspberry Syrup

The Starbucks Raspberry Syrup is a sweet, fruity syrup that Starbucks uses in many of their iced teas, lemonades, refreshers, and even some lattes. 

It gives drinks a bright berry taste that balances. 

Ingredients:

Here’s what you’ll need for this simple syrup.

• 1 cup raspberries: You want to use fresh raspberries that will give the brightest, slightly tart taste. Frozen raspberries also work great, and you can find them easily all year round. Just don’t use canned ones with syrup because they’ll be too sweet.
• 1 cup white sugar: This is the main sweetener, and if you’ve tasted Starbucks drinks, you know they’re usually on the sweeter side. If you don’t want it overly sweet, you can reduce it to ¾ cup, but I personally like using the full amount for that Starbucks-style taste.
• 1 cup water: The base of any syrup keeps it pourable and not too thick.
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice: This will balance the sweetness and also help you preserve the color. Otherwise, raspberry syrup can sometimes go dull.
• Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract: I have made this and other related syrups, so I add it many times because it gives depth. And, it’s like how Starbucks Vanilla Syrup ingredients make drinks taste richer, even if it’s not the main flavor.

Instructions:

Here’s the full process you have to follow to make your own raspberry syrup.

Step 1: Add Ingredients to a Saucepan

You will need to take a saucepan and put that on the stove. And then add your raspberries, sugar, and water together.

Step 2: Heat and Simmer

Turn on the heat, and the heat should be medium and start stirring. 

Once you see sugar is now dissolved, you want to lower the heat a little and let it simmer for 10 minutes. 

By doing so, raspberries will start breaking apart, and the liquid will start becoming deep red.

Step 3: Strain It

After simmering for 10 minutes, take your saucepan off the stove. 

And use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to separate the liquid into a bowl. 

Meanwhile, you’d also want to press the raspberries to get all the juice. 

This is an important step if you want a smooth syrup like Starbucks.

Step 4: Add Lemon Juice (and Vanilla if Using)

However, once strained, you’d want to stir in lemon juice and vanilla in that juice (which you’ve in the bowl)

This will balance and deepen your syrup flavor.

Step 5: Store It

Now, cool down this syrup at room temperature. Once done, you can pour it into a glass jar or bottle. 

However, it’s better to avoid plastic (good for the environment and health)

You can put a jar, or glass jar, or a bottle in the fridge. 

And that’s it — now you have your Starbucks Raspberry Syrup recipe ready.

 

Substitutes You Can Use

Just in case, if you don’t have one of the main ingredients from those I have mentioned above, here are some good substitutes:

• Instead of white sugar: You can use honey, maple syrup, or stevia. If you check Starbucks sugar free syrups nutrition facts, you’ll notice they use sucralose in their sugar-free ones. I personally don’t like artificial sweeteners, but monk fruit or stevia will work fine for sugar-free.
• Instead of raspberries: If raspberries are expensive or not available, you can mix half raspberries and half strawberries. It gives a nice berry blend.
• Instead of lemon juice: Lime juice works too; it will give a sharper tang.
• Flavor twist: A pinch of cinnamon or a drop of rose water will give a fun version that’s not Starbucks-style but unique.

 

Starbucks Raspberry Syrup Ingredients vs Homemade

I did a little comparison, when I checked the Starbucks syrup flavors list, their Raspberry syrup has:

• Water
• Sugar
• Natural flavors
• Citric acid
• Potassium sorbate (preservative)
• Red 40 (artificial coloring)

Now, if we compare that to this homemade raspberry syrup:

We have raspberries, sugar, water, and lemon. 

And there are no artificial colors, no preservatives. Only pure flavor.

However, the Starbucks version is shelf-stable for months, but this homemade syrup is fresher and better for you.

 

Drinks You Can Make with Raspberry Syrup (Starbucks Style)

That’s the most fun part. Starbucks used raspberry syrup in a lot of popular recipes, and you can recreate those at home.

Raspberry Iced Tea

Brew some black tea or green tea, chill it, then add a tablespoon of raspberry syrup and ice. Super refreshing.

Raspberry Latte

Brew espresso, steam milk, then stir in 2–3 tablespoons of syrup. 

The raspberry adds a fruity twist that’s sweet but not overwhelming.

Raspberry Mocha

This is one of my favorites. Mix hot cocoa, a shot of espresso, and raspberry syrup. 

It tastes like a chocolate truffle with raspberry filling. 

You can also check this Starbucks Dark Chocolate Mocha Recipe for mocha inspiration.

Raspberry Lemonade Refresher

Mix lemonade with soda water and 2 tablespoons of raspberry syrup. 

It’s like a fruity refresher.

Raspberry Cream Cold Brew

Make cold brew coffee, add ice, stir in syrup, and top with cold foam. It’s like Starbucks’ summer menu drink. 

For foam ideas, check Iced White Chocolate Mocha with Strawberry Cold Foam.

 

Variations You Can Try

Just like Starbucks has different syrup flavors (like Starbucks Brown Sugar Syrup or Vanilla), you can also play with raspberry syrup.

• Sugar-Free Raspberry Syrup: You will have to use stevia or monk fruit instead of sugar. This is a healthier version if you care about calories.
• Raspberry-Lime Syrup: You will have to add lime juice for a tangy twist (If you don’t have that, lemon will work too)
• Berry Blend Syrup: You want to mix raspberries with blueberries and strawberries.
• Spicy Raspberry Syrup: You will have to add a pinch of chili flakes while cooking. I know it sounds odd, but it will give a bold twist that works in mocktails.
• Raspberry Vanilla Syrup: Double up on vanilla for a softer, creamy berry flavor.

 

What to Serve with Raspberry Drinks

If you’re making Starbucks-style drinks at home, you can also serve them with something on the side.

• Cookies or biscuits: You can try it with the Crumbl Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.
• Muffins – fruity drinks go well with baked snacks, so check these Bakery Style Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins.
• Chocolate treats: When raspberry meets the chocolate, it becomes the classic combo. You can also pair with these Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods.
• Summer fruit platter: Strawberries, mangoes, or pineapple chunks will also go great with raspberry iced tea or lemonade.

 

Storage Instructions

This homemade Starbucks syrup doesn’t have preservatives like Starbucks, so you’ve to store it carefully.

• Fridge: You can keep it in a glass jar. And your syrup will last up to 2 weeks.
• Freezer: You can pour this syrup into ice cube trays, freeze, then pop out cubes when you need them. They’ll last 2–3 months this way.

However, I don’t recommend keeping it outside, because sugar + fruit can spoil faster without cooling.

 

Conclusion

This is my easy Starbucks Raspberry Syrup recipe that you can make right at home. 

You don’t have to wait for a Starbucks Raspberry Syrup return date or spend money on overpriced bottles online. 

You will just need raspberries, sugar, and water; you’ll have the same fruity-sweet syrup that you can use in iced teas, lattes, mochas, or even lemonades.

Plus, the best thing is, you’re in control. You can keep your syrup sugar-free or mix it with other berries.

Besides this, you can simmer more and make it thick like a sauce; it will be perfect to pour on dessert recipes.

 

FAQs About the Starbucks Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Here are some important questions and answers about this syrup recipe:

What are the ingredients in Starbucks raspberry syrup?

The Starbucks Raspberry Syrup that we used, but from the store, used to have water, sugar, natural flavors, citric acid, preservatives, and Red 40 coloring. 

However, this homemade version is more natural; you will only need raspberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice to make it.

What are the ingredients in Starbucks syrups?

I did check the Starbucks syrup flavors list; most of them have water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavor, and preservatives. 

If you buy their sugar-free syrups, Starbucks also has sucralose.

How do you make raspberry syrup for lattes?

It’s very simple. You will just have to cook raspberries with sugar and water, simmer for 10 minutes, then strain and add lemon juice.

Once cooled, you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons to your latte for that fruity twist.

How to make raspberry sugar syrup?

The process is the same as a simple syrup. You have to mix equal parts sugar and water with raspberries, simmer until the sugar dissolves and the raspberries break down, then strain. 

By doing so, you’ll get a smooth raspberry sugar syrup that you can use in coffee, tea, or a mocktail.