You’ve seen the bright sticky red syrup used behind every bar to sweeten cocktails and add gorgeous color. But it’s actually incredibly simple to make! In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to make grenadine from scratch right at home. You can even do it ahead of a party or gathering because it stores so well. We promise it will take less than 5 minutes.

Making Grenadine Cocktail Syrup From Scratch

Are you ready? We’re about to blow your mind: grenadine is just pomegranate simple syrup. Boom. If you have already checked out our post on How to Make Simple Syrup at Home, this recipe is going to look very familiar. Instead of using water and sugar, we’re going to use pomegranate juice and sugar. Anyone can make grenadine at home with just a few ingredients and your microwave. Here’s how you do it:

Step 1:

Pour 1 cup of pomegranate juice (we like to use POM Juice) into a glass measuring cup, mason jar, or ceramic mug.

Step 2:

Microwave the juice for about 2 minutes, or until just starting to boil.

Step 3:

Measure 1 cup of white granulated sugar and pour into the hot juice. This will achieve a 1:1 ratio of sugar to juice.

Step 4:

Stir to combine, then allow to cool for a few minutes.

Step 5:

To help preserve the simple syrup, measure 1 tablespoon of vodka and stir into the sugary mixture.

Step 6:

Pour into a glass jar for east storage and use. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

Step 7 (Optional):

Add a dropper worth of Orange Blossom Water.

How Long Does Homemade Grenadine Last?

Stored in the refrigerator, 1:1 homemade grenadine syrup made hot, like we shared above, should last about 1 month. Adding vodka will allow it to last closer to three months. For us, that’s just about enough time to go through it before we need to make it again.