If you love the almond flavor that Orgeat adds to your classic cocktails and tiki drinks – like liquid marzipan – then you need a killer Orgeat syrup recipe so that you can make your own at home. Making a batch of orgeat syrup at home means that you will never have to hunt down a bottle in your local store or wait for your delivery to arrive.
Knocking out a batch of homemade orgeat syrup is relatively straightforward and takes very little time. Add in the fact that you can store your homemade syrup in the fridge for up to two months, and the question becomes, ‘
Why have you not already been making your own orgeat syrup?
With just a handful of ingredients and minimal cooking time, you can be bottling up your homemade sweetened almond syrup in no time and have it waiting in the fridge for your next tiki drinks cocktail party.
How To Make Orgeat Syrup At Home
While it may sound like an exotic syrup, orgeat syrup is relatively quick and easy to make at home. It’s a staple ingredient in mai tais, and you will just need a few basic items of kitchenware – food processor and strainers – and a handful of basic ingredients.
Once you have assembled all the necessary bits and pieces together, cooking up a batch of homemade orgeat syrup is as easy as pie – and you don’t need to settle for an orgeat filled with high fructose corn syrup.
- Equipment Needed
- Blender or food processor (optional)
- Layers of cheesecloth/coffee filters to create a nut milk bag
- Strainer
- Medium-sized pot
- Storage bottles
Basic Ingredients
- Whole, raw almonds
- Distilled water
- Sugar
- Teaspoon orange flower water or rosewater (or more to taste, depending on the recipe)
- Citric acid
With the above list of basic items, you can already prepare your own orgeat syrup at home. Below we will list a few variations on the orgeat syrup recipe, and a few of them may call for an extra ingredient or two not on the above list. Also, pay attention to the requirement for preparing the almonds; some recipes call for roasted almonds, while others call for blanched almonds.
If you struggle to find rosewater or orange flower water, you could try Middle Eastern grocery stores if you have them nearby. If not, you can order online.
The Best Orgeat Syrup Recipes To Try At Home
Classic Homemade Orgeat Syrup
For a more traditional-tasting orgeat syrup, this recipe by Spruce Eats is both perfect and simple. The recipe calls for the basic ingredients, with a couple of optional extras too.
In addition to the basics, you can also add brandy or vodka to your orgeat syrup, which gives the flavor an extra kick and allows you to store your syrup in the fridge for longer.
The preserving effects of the alcohol allow for this, and adding the optional citric acid to your almond mixture will mean you can store your Orgeat for up to two months.
Check out their cooking tips for some slight variations on the standard recipe, including options for leaving the almond skins on, for extra color, and options for discarding them.
Quick & Easy Orgeat
If you have made a last-minute discovery that you are all out of orgeat syrup but have your own almond milk already and need a quick fix, this recipe by Blossom To Stem could save the day. Instead of starting by steeping the raw almonds in water for 30 minutes or more, this quick and easy orgeat recipe starts with store-bought almond milk.
You start by heating the almond milk and sugar and stirring until the sugar dissolves. Next, add almond extract and orange flower water. The recipe also calls for a splash of cognac, which is optional, although it does help preserve the syrup for longer.
Vanilla Orgeat
By Feast + West
For a fresh twist on standard Orgeat, Feast + West has some good variation options. The option of adding vanilla flavors to your orgeat syrup is a great way of adding new flavors to your tropical drinks.
With a vanilla layer on top of your cocktail’s regular flavors, you can give your drinks a more festive feel, and vanilla orgeat works particularly well in a Christmas mai tai. Simply switch the almond extract for vanilla extra.
Orgeat Syrup with Grapefruit
Another great recipe that takes a slight detour from the traditional is this grapefruit-infused orgeat recipe by Sidewalk Shoes. The addition of grapefruit zest into the mix brightens the syrup and adds a delicious tropical flavor to the almonds, which will work perfectly in your tiki cocktails.
The recipe also calls for demerara sugar instead of standard white sugar for a rich flavor, and in addition to the grapefruit zest, you will also need some plain unsweetened almond milk.
Macadamia Orgeat
For a slightly different flavor, you can also incorporate macadamia nuts into your homemade orgeat recipe. This recipe by Australian Macadamias is a nice variation on the orgeat theme, and by switching the almonds for macadamias, you get a slightly different flavor profile.
In addition to the roughly-chopped macadamia nuts, you will also need orange flower water and caster sugar. The recipe comes together nice and quickly, and then you need to let the syrup stand overnight before straining.
Pecan Orgeat
You can bring yet another nutty flavor to the mix by opting for pecans over macadamias or almonds. This recipe by The Canned Peaches Project does just that, and the result works well in tiki and classic cocktails.
The pecan orgeat works well in a classic Mai Tai, but if you prefer the traditional taste of almonds, you can adapt this recipe by simply switching out the pecans for blanched almonds.
FAQs
What is orgeat syrup made of?
Raw almonds, 2 cups of distilled water, a cup of sugar, and half a teaspoon of orange flower water, are the basic ingredients for making homemade orgeat syrup and are the staple ingredients for store-bought versions too.
There are variations to this list, with some brands using rosewater instead of orange flower water and some using different nuts to almonds for a different taste.
What’s a good substitute for Orgeat?
Almond syrup, almond extract, amaretto, Crème de Noyaux, orzata syrup, almond milk, and falernum syrup are all possible alternatives to using Orgeat for adding an almond flavor to your tropical cocktails.
What kind of liquor is Orgeat?
Orgeat is a sweet almond syrup made from a base of real almonds with sugar and mixed with flavoring like citrus or floral essences like rose water and orange blossom water. It is a cocktail mixer used to add flavor to tiki drinks and can also be used to flavor coffees.
It is not a liquor, more of a sweet almond liquid, although spirits can be used in the recipe, which improves its shelf life and allows you to store Orgeat for longer.
Do you need orange flower water for Orgeat?
Orange flower water, also sometimes called orange blossom water, is often listed as an ingredient for making Orgeat at home. While you can add orange flower water, it’s not an essential ingredient, as you could also switch it out for rosewater instead.
Is simple syrup different from Orgeat?
Yes, it is made from sugar and water sugar alone and does not include almonds. You can add ground almonds to the hot liquid over medium heat or medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
Then remove it from heat, and let it stand for a few hours at room temperature. Use a fine mesh strainer to remove large pieces of almonds, and store them in the fridge in a capped bottle.
Key Takeaways
- Making Orgeat at home is quick and easy.
- Gather your equipment: food processor, bowls, strainers (even coffee filters can work).
- Choose a recipe and ensure you have all the ingredients.
- Prepare your almonds as per your chosen recipe.
- Most grocery stores will stock most items, but you can shop online for anything you cannot find locally.
- If you don’t want to add almonds, try different recipes with other nuts for a different, richer flavor.
- Use Orgeat at your next tropical drinks party, and wait for the compliments to start rolling in!
