Mint coffee syrup is one of those little recipes that can make a regular cup of iced coffee feel special.
It is sweet, fresh, and lightly minty without covering up the coffee flavor.
The syrup takes just a few basic ingredients, and once it is in the fridge, your next mint iced coffee takes about a minute to make.
Makes: About 1 1/2 cups syrup, enough for about 12–24 drinks
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: About 5 minutes
Steep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: About 30 minutes, plus cooling
Why I Love This Recipe
I love recipes that make an ordinary morning feel a little more interesting without creating a lot of extra work. This mint coffee syrup does exactly that.
The first time you add mint syrup to iced coffee, the flavor can be a little surprising. Coffee is deep and roasted, while mint is bright and fresh. Somehow, those two flavors balance each other really well. Add a little cream, and the drink becomes smooth, cool, and almost dessert-like.
The best part is that the work happens ahead of time. Make one jar of syrup, put it in the fridge, and you can make café-style mint coffee whenever you want.
- It uses simple ingredients. Sugar, water, and fresh mint are all you need for the syrup.
- It is easy to customize. Use 1 tablespoon for light sweetness or 2 tablespoons for a sweeter drink.
- It works with hot or iced coffee. I especially like it cold because the mint tastes extra refreshing.
- It is inexpensive. One batch makes many drinks.
- It is useful beyond coffee. Try the extra syrup in iced tea, lemonade, sparkling water, or cocktails.
What You’ll Need
For the mint coffee syrup:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 10 fresh mint sprigs
For one mint iced coffee:
- 1 cup prepared iced coffee
- Ice, enough to fill the glass
- 1–2 tablespoons mint coffee syrup
- 2 tablespoons cream
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional
Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)
Simple syrup works because heating water makes it easier for sugar crystals to dissolve. Using equal amounts of sugar and water gives you a syrup that is sweet enough to flavor coffee but still thin enough to pour easily.
Tearing the mint is important, too. Mint leaves contain aromatic oils. Tearing them breaks some of the plant cells and helps those oils move into the warm syrup.
You do not want to aggressively boil the mint. Long, hard cooking can dull its fresh flavor and may pull out more bitter, grassy notes. Steeping the mint in hot syrup gives you a cleaner flavor.
Finally, sugar does more than make coffee sweet. Sweetness can soften some of coffee’s natural bitterness, which is one reason mint syrup and strong iced coffee work so well together.
Pro Tips
- Tear the mint gently instead of chopping it into tiny pieces. You want to release the oils without crushing the leaves into the syrup.
- Keep the syrup at a gentle heat. You only need enough heat to dissolve the sugar.
- Start with 1 tablespoon of syrup in your coffee and taste it before adding the second.
- Let the syrup chill before using it in iced coffee so it does not immediately melt your ice.
- For a stronger mint flavor, make the syrup ahead and refrigerate it overnight.
Tools You’ll Need
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon or heat-safe spoon
- Measuring cups
- Tablespoon measure
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Glass jar or airtight container
- Clear drinking glass
- Spoon or reusable straw for stirring
Mint Coffee Syrup Recipe and Instructions
Step 1: Combine the Sugar and Water
Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Stir them together briefly so all of the sugar is wet.
Step 2: Dissolve the Sugar
Place the saucepan with the 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water mixture over medium-low heat. Gently heat for about 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
You do not need a hard boil. Once the liquid looks clear and you can no longer see sugar crystals, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 3: Add the Fresh Mint
Take 10 fresh mint sprigs and gently tear each sprig at least once with your fingers. This helps release the mint’s fragrant oils.
Add all 10 torn fresh mint sprigs to the hot syrup made from 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Gently press the mint into the liquid with a spoon so it is mostly covered.
Step 4: Steep the Mint
Let the 10 torn mint sprigs sit in the syrup made from 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water for 20 minutes.
There is no need to keep cooking it. The warm syrup will pull flavor from the mint as it rests.
Step 5: Strain and Cool
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a glass jar. Pour the syrup through it and remove all 10 steeped mint sprigs.
Let the strained mint syrup cool. Cover the jar and refrigerate it. For an even stronger mint flavor, chill it overnight before making your coffee.
Step 6: Make the Mint Iced Coffee
Fill a clear glass with ice. Pour in 1 cup prepared iced coffee.
Add 1–2 tablespoons cooled mint coffee syrup, depending on how sweet and minty you like your coffee. Finish with 2 tablespoons cream and stir.
Taste it before adding more syrup. You can always make it sweeter, but you cannot take syrup back out.
Substitutions and Variations
Different sugar: Regular granulated sugar gives you the cleanest flavor. Cane sugar also works. Brown sugar can be used, but it will add a deeper caramel flavor and change the color of the syrup.
Dairy-free: Replace the cream with oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or your favorite dairy-free coffee creamer.
Hot mint coffee: Skip the ice and stir 1–2 tablespoons of mint syrup into a mug of hot coffee. Add cream as desired.
Mint mocha: Add chocolate syrup to the finished coffee for a chocolate-mint flavor.
Stronger mint: Let the mint steep a little longer or refrigerate the finished syrup overnight before using it.
Less sweet: Start with 1 tablespoon of syrup per cup of coffee.
Make Ahead Tips
Mint coffee syrup is perfect for making ahead. Prepare and strain the syrup, let it cool, and refrigerate it in a sealed jar.
Making it the night before is especially useful because the syrup will be completely cold when you are ready to make iced coffee.
You can also prepare a batch of iced coffee or cold brew ahead of time. With both waiting in the refrigerator, your drink takes only a minute or two to put together.
Common Mistakes
Boiling the syrup too hard: You are making simple syrup, not caramel. Gentle heat is enough to dissolve the sugar.
Cooking the mint: Add the mint after taking the syrup off the heat. Steeping gives you a fresher flavor.
Not tearing the mint: Whole, untouched sprigs will still add flavor, but tearing them helps release more of their aromatic oils.
Adding too much syrup immediately: Mint syrup is both a sweetener and a flavoring. Start small and add more after tasting.
Adding warm syrup to iced coffee: Warm syrup melts the ice faster and can water down your drink. Cool it first.
Leaving mint leaves in the stored syrup: Strain them out after steeping. Leaving the plant material in the syrup can eventually give it an overly strong or grassy taste.
What to Serve With Mint Coffee
Mint iced coffee is especially good with simple breakfast and brunch foods. Try it with buttery croissants, banana bread, blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, waffles, or a warm breakfast sandwich.
For an afternoon drink, serve it with chocolate chip cookies, brownies, biscotti, or a slice of chocolate cake. Chocolate and mint are a natural match, while the coffee keeps the combination from tasting overly sweet.
Macros Information
Approximate nutrition for 1 tablespoon of mint syrup:
- Calories: 32
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
Approximate nutrition for one iced coffee made with 1 cup plain iced coffee, 2 tablespoons mint syrup, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream:
- Calories: 165
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Protein: 1 g
Nutrition will change depending on how much syrup you use and what type of cream or milk you choose.
Leftovers and Storage
Transfer cooled mint coffee syrup to a clean airtight jar and keep it refrigerated.
For best quality, use it within about 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon when taking syrup from the jar. If you notice mold, cloudiness that was not there before, bubbling, or an unusual smell, discard it.
For longer storage, pour the syrup into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once frozen, move the cubes to a freezer-safe container. They can be stored for about 2–3 months.
Thaw the amount you need in the refrigerator.
Do not store a fully assembled iced coffee for later. The ice will melt and dilute it. Keep the coffee, syrup, and cream separate until serving.
FAQ
Can I put mint syrup in hot coffee?
Yes. Stir 1 tablespoon into your hot coffee, taste it, and add more if you want a sweeter or stronger mint flavor.
How much mint syrup should I put in coffee?
For 1 cup of coffee, start with 1 tablespoon. Use up to 2 tablespoons for a sweeter drink with a more noticeable mint flavor.
Does mint actually taste good with coffee?
Yes. Mint gives dark, roasted coffee a cool, fresh flavor. Cream makes the combination softer and smoother.
Do I have to use fresh mint?
Fresh mint is the best choice for this particular syrup because it gives the clean, fresh flavor the recipe is built around.
Why do I need to tear the mint?
Tearing the leaves helps release their aromatic oils into the warm syrup.
Can I leave the mint in the syrup overnight?
It is better to strain the leaves after the 20-minute steep and then refrigerate the strained syrup overnight. This gives the syrup time to chill without leaving plant material sitting in it for hours.
Can I use cold brew?
Absolutely. Cold brew is a great match because its smooth coffee flavor works well with sweet mint syrup and cream.
Can I make the coffee without cream?
Yes. The syrup works with black iced coffee, too. The drink will taste stronger and less creamy.
Final Thoughts
This mint coffee syrup is such an easy way to change up your everyday coffee. You only need sugar, water, and fresh mint to make a batch, and the finished syrup stays ready in the fridge whenever a coffee craving hits.
Pour a little into strong iced coffee, add a splash of cream, and you have a cool, refreshing drink without a trip to the coffee shop.
Give it a try, adjust the sweetness until it tastes just right to you, and leave a comment about how your mint coffee turned out. I would love to hear how you served it and any questions you have.
