Traditional spruce tip syrup tastes like maple syrup crossed with a pine tree. It's one of the easiest, most versatile spruce tip recipes I know.
Update
Originally I made this the old way by combining tips and sugar. I've never had a problem, but with the difference in ambient temperature in different places, some people had issues with mold.
I adjusted the recipe so that you process the tips with the sugar in a food processor first, and that's taken care of the issue, although it won't be reflected in the images here.
Original Post
I've been writing this website for years, and although I have a spruce tip syrup that tastes like spruce, it's not the most powerful one you can make--it's a hybrid, a shortcut.
That older recipe of mine was back from when I had bartenders breathing down my neck about running out of spruce tip syrup for the bar, and, in 24 hours, it's a pretty good approximation of the real thing, and handy in a pinch. But it's still an approximation.
This is the real deal, the old fashioned, time honored traditional syrup that most people, especially those who have family from Eastern Europe will recognize. There's two ingredients, well three actually: spruce tips, sugar, and time.
Like I mentioned with my shortcut spruce syrup, you can get some good flavor from the tips overnight using my other recipe. But, the slow, steady maceration of the sugar and spruce tips, and the concentration of aromatic compounds that gets trapped in the jar (along with wild yeast--be sure to burp the jars occasionally) is really potent, in a delicious way.
There's icing on the cake too, in that there's zero tannins. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
If you've ever tasted a pine cone, or eaten something like the Georgian preserve varenye, you'll know eating pine cones can be a resinous, mouth drying experience. (More on general cooking with spruce tips here).
Oh, and the shelf life. The infusion with the sugar alone is strong enough that it will even hold at room temperature for months, without that much of a noticeable decrease in aroma.
I prefer to refrigerate it to keep it bright and zippy, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't forgotten about a jar here and there, then opened them up to be pleasantly surprised after a few months.
The recipe itself, if it can even be called that, is easy enough that a child can make it (and it's a great thing for kids to make to teach them about edible parts of conifers, along with supplying a dose of vitamin C to prevent scurvy).
You take equal parts spruce tips and sugar--no weight measurements, no finicky scales, and mix them together, put them in a jar, let them sit in the sun for a couple months, then heat, strain, and voila--syrup that tastes like the soul of a spruce tree.
No white sugar
It might surprise you (as it did me) but the type of sugar is really important here.
Originally I almost wrote this method off as a technique, since I'd put jars and jars up of spruce tips and sugar at the restaurant, only to be left with a syrup that was just ok.
Over the years I've watched more than one chef make the exact same mistake. We assume that white sugar would be better, maybe cleaner somehow, but it isn't. The secret is all about harnessing aromas, specifically giving aromas a place to go. Aromas like spruce are very water soluble.
The magic happens when the natural moisture from the spruce tips seeps into the sugar, making a watery slurry which can absorb aromas better than a thick mat of sugar.
Brown or organic sugar are what you want here for two reasons: 1, the color of the finished syrup is more attractive. 2. Brown sugar contains more moisture than white, and more moisture, means a more aromatic syrup. Makes sense, right?
How I use it
No rocket science here. This is a sweet syrup, perfect in place of maple syrup on pancakes or anywhere you'd use maple.
It’s also good with other things with it's sharp piney aroma. Here's a few examples of how I'd it.
- With cheese. Soft cheese, especially goat cheese, loves the piney kick of spruce syrup, maple on the other hand, might be a little bland.
- Drizzled on crepes filled with berries and cream cheese (an old brunch dish I used to run worth revisiting).
- With thick yogurt. I often eat a bowl of granola and thick greek yogurt for breakfast, and drizzling on some spruce syrup, along with a handful of berries makes for a great meal.
- As a glaze for meats. Think ham, etc. A tablespoon per 1.5 lbs or so meat like fatty ground pork can make a nice breakfast sausage too.
- Lining flan molds. Sometimes I'll add a drizzle of honey to the molds of a panna cotta or flan instead of caramel, and spruce syrup works just as good, it will turn into a natural sauce when the custard is unmolded.
- Beverage sweetener. Think lemonade, drinks, etc.
- Tossed with unsweetened, fresh fruit instead of sugar. Sometimes for dessert I might want just some fresh raspberries tossed with sugar and a dollop of whipped cream. Fresh berries tossed with spruce syrup will eventually give up some of their own juice and make a sort of natural sauce.
Not a 1:1 sugar substitute
Spruce tip syrup is some sweet stuff, and over the years I've seen a couple friends of mine make some very, very sweet desserts (by mistake) using it.
While it might be tempting to say, flavor some ice cream with it, it can be difficult to get it right. Don't use it as a 1:1 substitute for sugar as it's more sweet. Mostly, think drizzle.
Vacuum sealed syrup
A jar with sugar and spruce tips is the old way, and it's a good one, but for those of you who have vacuum sealers, know that you can do the same thing sealed in a bag.
The benefit of this method is that there's no glass and pressure to worry about as the mixture ferments, the drawback being that it can be a little more awkward to pour from, and some people eschew plastic.
The mixture below was a version with a number of different local herbs, including young pine cones, which are pretty popular in some groups. Before you go making your own franken-syrup though, I'd urge you to make the simple spruce syrup outlined in this post.
I've made a lot of variations on conifer syrups, and other things, and the jist is anyone can take a bunch of random things, mix them in a jar and call it forest syrup, but, that doesn't mean the end product will be something you like.
Personally I like to keep the syrups pure, so I can taste the base ingredient. My advice is to keep it simple at first--less is more. There's a reason the experimental syrup below doesn't have a recipe to try that I like, yet.
Using Pine Tips
Yes, you can use the young, tender tips of pine trees too, it works out just fine, but has a slightly different, and often more resinous flavor (I've only used red pine).
You can also use pine cones, but they contain more water in their green stage, which makes the syrup ferment, making it a slightly different product. Pine cone syrup generally tastes much stronger than spruce syrup too. See more about using pine cones specifically in my post on Pine Cone Mugolio Syrup.
Using alternate sweeteners (honey, maple)
After I put up the original recipe here there's been a number of comments inquiring about using different sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. After testing a few batches I can tell you that, absolutely, it works, and it's fantastic.
The ratios are slightly different, and the finished syrup will be a bit looser (especially maple as it contains more water than honey) so you may want to reduce it a bit longer than the traditional syrup.
The flavor of alternate sweeteners is very good though, and it's a good alternative to using conventional sugar if you're trying to not consume too much of it, as many of us are.
Fermented Spruce Tip Syrup
The big difference between Spruce Tip Syrup and Mugolio (pine cone syrup) is that green pine cones contain more water than spruce tips, which allow the mixture to lacto-ferment and develop different flavors.
Fermented spruce syrup is good, but is slightly different than the most traditional version I know of I'm sharing here.
To make your syrup ferment, add ½ cup (4 oz) water to the basic proportions below, or just enough water so that the spruce tips are just barely covered with liquid from the get-go. Anywhere from ⅓ to ½ cup of water will do the trick.
Making Large Batches
I occasionally make very large batches of syrup, 2 or 3 gallons at a time. Here's a few tips on doing that if it's something you're interested in, especially as this is such a fun (also cheap) and interesting thing to give as gifts. The tips below are intended for those people making 1 gallon batches and up at a time.
Dealing with foam
When you cook large quantities of syrup, it will begin to froth and foam at the top and will double in size quickly. Here's how to deal with that.
- After you bring the syrup mixture to a simmer and strain, put it back in the pot and bring it to a simmer again, then turn off the heat.
- Next, let it rest for a minute or two so the syrup can settle and return to it's original volume. If you don't do this, you run the risk of having jars that are half full after settling.
- Next, fill the jars nearly to the brim with piping hot syrup, leaving about ⅛ inch headspace.
- Working quickly, screw on the lids tight and turn the jars upside down, then allow to cool.
- You don't have to water bath-process this as it's basically the same sugar concentration as maple syrup, just make sure your jars are very clean. The jars will seal naturally but should be refrigerated after opening.
My syrup has mold
Spruce syrup is more temperamental than pine cone syrup, likely from the difference in ambient temperature people in different locations may have. Spruce tips don't contain as much water as pine cones either, which means the syrup won't ferment, which lowers the pH. Keep in mind a little white mold is harmless, and the finishing step of cooking also kills bacteria. That being said, if you leave white mold and don't remove it, it can harm the flavor.
If you see any mold on the top of your mixture, here's what you can do.
- Pick the mold off and discard, then blot the inside of the jar and the top of the tips with a cloth wet with white vinegar.
- Adding water will make the syrup ferment, lowering the pH and making it inhospitable to bacteria. Refer to my directions for fermented syrup above.
- Vacuum sealing the mixture before aging. Refer to my notes above.
Classic Spruce Tip Syrup
Equipment
- Mason jars
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups (8oz) Spruce tips
- 2 cups (16 oz) Brown or organic sugar
Instructions
- Combine the spruce tips and sugar and pack the mixture into a quart jar.
- Alternately, pulse the spruce tips and sugar in a food processor which will help ward off mold and speed up the fermentation.
- Leave the jar out, putting it in a place where the sun will warm it each day. I've left them outside without issues. The warmth of the sun will help prevent mold.
- You'll notice the volume of ingredients decrease as the spruce tips release their liquid. If you have more spruce tips and sugar, feel free to add mores in the same raitos-this will lower the amount of air in the jar and defend against mold.
- Keep the jar like this for 1 month, or for an old school version, bury it in the ground and dig it up the next spring. Stir the jars occasionally, pressing the tips down to keep them under the syrup with a clean spoon.
To make the syrup
- After the initial maceration (aging with sugar) pour and scrape the spruce-sugar slush into a pot. Add two tablespoons of water for each quart jar of tips and sugar to help prevent crystallization.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer just long enough to dissolve the sugar, strain, then bottle and store. Discard the spent tips, and thank them for their service.
- If for some reason, your syrup is a bit thick after cooling (over-reducing can stiffen or crystalize in the fridge) warm it back up and carefully adjust the consistency by adding a touch of water.
Storing the finished syrup
- Store the finished syrup in the fridge. To preserve it long term (it's totally safe as it's basically all sugar) pour it boiling hot into a jar nearly to the brim, turn upside down and allow to seal, or process in a water bath in mason jars. If held at room temp after opening mold may form on the top, but it can always be re-boiled and refrigerated. This is a very stable product and will last like maple syrup in the fridge-near indefinitely.
Video
Notes
The syrup is shelf stable and safe as-is, but if you want to preserve it in jars at room temperature, boil it, then pour into jars, turn them upside down, and wait for them to seal. You can also just store it in the fridge. If you store it at room temperature, the flavor will slowly diminish over time. Spruce Honey or Maple Syrup If you want to make this with honey or maple syrup, use the below proportions and proceed as directed. The mixture will ferment as there is a higher water content, which is fine.
- 3 oz (90g) 1 generous cup spruce tips
- 1 lb (1.3 cups) honey or maple syrup
Melissa S
I used dark brown sugar and chopped up the tips in a food processor. It’s been a month in the south window but it’s not syrupy. There’s no mold but I was wondering if it’s still ok to make a syrup with or does the lack of moisture make it unsafe?
Alan Bergo
It won't be syrupy like pine cone syrup as spruce tips contain less sugar. Go ahead and cook the syrup and it should work fine.
Eliza
Lovely site!
Is there any point for longer maceration period or is does one month extract all the flavor from the tips?
Alan Bergo
One month seems to be the sweet spot for me. You can do it longer but it's hard to taste the difference, at least I couldn't.
Denise Horton
I am using the green cones from the spruce. I couldn’t get a lot but, can’t wait to try. This was a great read.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Denise, those will work just fine.
Melissa
Is it more ideal to use light or dark brown sugar? I’m thinking that dark brown has more moisture content but may drown the flavor out more, or have too much moisture. Any thoughts?
Alan Bergo
The flavor is so strong, you’re not going to drown it out at all. I use whatever I have.
Haley
Does fermenting the sugar create alcohol?
I am making this with families and they were concerned about making alcohol by letting the sugar and spruce tips sit together for longer than a month!
Thanks!
Alan Bergo
Hi. No it doesn’t, there isn’t enough water in it. I did a presentation on it for a Canadian home brew group that used it to make a spruce syrup acerglyn though. Was great.
J
I picked immature pine cones last evening and was doused several times with pine pollen. Conifer produce an ABUNDANCE of pollen - could a mixture of pollen and sugar create a similar concoction? There’s a lot of nutrients in pollen - this mix might be the next cure-all!
Alan Bergo
No there's not enough natural water in pollen for that to work unfortunately.
Janet
Hi - great post and recipe. Just wondering how long the finished syrup can keep refrigerated?
Alan Bergo
Near indefinitely. Treat it like maple syrup.
Heather Thomas-Smith
I made sitka spruce tip syrup last year (collected just as the young green shoots popped out their casings) and left for around 8 months. Fabulous flavour and a really rich dark syrup - nearly all gone now! I strained through a fine sieve before heating and bottling then washed off tips in 40% ABV alcohol to create a spruce liqueur which is fab on its own (or with a slice of orange) over ice or in cocktails (I served up my 'Whisky MacSpruce' cocktail at an Association of Foragers' meet earlier this year). Now making larch tip syrup to see flavour difference.
Will certainly be recommending this method as opposed to using water (I just layered and mixed once in a while with no mould but note your comments above!). Good stuff!!!
Alan Bergo
Hi Heather. Yes, a homebrew group used this recipe to make meads and they sent me some spruce beer and other things. It was really good.
Jesse
Are you supposed to leave the jar in the sun for a month, or in a dark place for a month? It seems like you mention both in your recipe.
Alan Bergo
Hi Jesse, yes this post is old and has been edited ALOT-here and there I miss things. I've done it either way, but, since ambient temperatures vary it's best to have the sun warm it to help prevent mold, especially if it's your first time.
Melissa Richardson
I'm just wondering what can be done with the tips once strained? I've been munching them, seems like a waste to toss them!
Any ideas?
Alan Bergo
So, Sam Thayer has a good analogy here that often comes up in conversation. It's called the Chicken Feathers Man. Basically, if you try to save everything little thing from everything you make, it just becomes a mess. The tips transfer a lot of their aroma and goodness to the syrup. I recommend thanking them for their service, and discarding them. You could probably use them to start a vinegar, but, again, their aroma is lessened and it would be better to use fresh. Hope that makes sense.
Shannon Briggs
You could dehydrate the spruce tips after and eat them- candied spruce tips! I am making a simple spruce syrup right now just so we can candy the tips LOL I'll try making a candy with the syrup but I now also have to try this brown sugar method!
Alan Bergo
The only thing there is you're dehydrating spruce tips who've already given their flavor to the syrup. If you want to candy them I'd simmer fresh tips in spruce syrup, soak overnight, then drain and dehydrate. Personally I wouldn't do that and I don't think they'll taste that good, but if I was going to, that's how I'd do it.
Jared
Any idea why a wet sugar maceration like this produces a product without the tannins whereas when we have done a alcohol maceration you get lots of tannin? Spruce and black walnut molasses tastes great right away and the same is not true of the alcohol version...
Alan Bergo
I don’t know why, I just know it works.
Toni
Okay, I did this with Douglas For Tips last spring and then left it until now. It's been a hair over a year. There is no mold visibly growing. Would I still be okay to boil, strain, then eat this? You said the old fashioned way was to bury it for a year...it certainly got buried in my shelf of other goodies!
Alan Bergo
You're fine. Proceed.
Jessica
Could coconut sugar be used in this recipe?
Alan Bergo
I don't know. The water content is important. For example, white sugar won't release enough water and can get moldy. But, the good thing is that if you use a sugar that appears too dry, you can add a couple tablespoons of water after a few days and mix, which will loosen the contents and cause fermentation. Slightly different flavor but still good, and safe.
Amire
Hi Alan, really love this syrup. Have a lot of blue spruce tips and was thinking of making multiple batches. Wanted to ask, in your experience does macerating for longer than 30 days make a difference in intensifying/enhancing the flavour of the finished syrup?
Alan Bergo
30 days is fine.
Mallory
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. It’s my first time trying it and I can’t wait. I just opened my jar to stir it up, and a lot of pressure was released. Does that mean it’s fermenting?
Alan Bergo
Yes. This doesn't typically ferment for me, but it's not a problem at all. Carry on and let me know how it works for you.
Mallory
I rinsed the tips first, do you think that had something to do with it?
Cindi
Help my syrup is way too thick! Can I add a bit of purified water?
Alan Bergo
Yes if you cooked it a little too far just warm it with a splash of water. It’s easy.
Kathy
Hi Alan,
One question which I hope you haven't answered a bunch of times already: the instructions say to blend the spruce tips and sugar in a food processor until evenly ground. However, all the photos show the spruce tips whole when they are mixed with the sugar in jars. So, which do you prefer? It would obviously be easier to remove the spruce tips if they are whole rather than ground; and it seems likely that the finished syrup will be clearer.
Alan Bergo
Kathy, you can do it either way. I actually just changed it back as I can over think things. Just stir it once in a while and you'll be fine. I've never had a problem with this molding, but some people have, so I've neen working on alternate methods people can use to ensure they don't get mold. A little bit of mold isn't a problem as it's cooked, but some people forget about it. Honestly it's just as easy as it sounds. Mix the tips with sugar and put them in a jar.
Clover
I’m in the first few days of this process and finding that after a day and a half there was quite a bit of pressure buildup in the jars. I’m new to this process of jarring and canning, is this normal and will it cause the jars to explode if not burped periodically?
Alan Bergo
You’re fine. Burp them once in a while. I’ve never had a problem with natural yeast, commercial yeast, like when people add it to sodas, etc can definitely explode and be potentially dangerous if not used correctly.
Clover
Awesome thanks a bunch!
Maura
I just picked a quart of tips from a bird nest spruce, and I’m wondering If you pack the spruce tips down when measuring. I’m also in cool and rainy southeast Alaska, but I’m going to try it in a vacuum bag and put it in my greenhouse. So intriguing!
Alan Bergo
Hi Maura. I go over that in the first couple lines of the recipe, you'll need to pack them in.
Carolina
Hello - I am not sure whether this post is still active - but trying anyway. I am adept at using foraged greens and making lilac syrup now, but I have little experience with conserving items for long periods (in the sun!) and I really want to try this recipe - we have two beautiful spruces with gorgeous tips waiting to be harvested, From what I glean - I need to sterilize the jar in which I place the tips and sugar, but it is not clear whether I have to seal it in order to avoid issues such as botulism. Or, is the fact this is sugar based and will eventually be boiled render the sealing unnecessary?
Alan Bergo
You’re instincts are right. The reason it’s safe is that sugar is a preservative and boiling is a kill step. I used to make this in multiple gallon batches for my restaurant. And yes, you should always use a clean jar for ferments and projects like this.
Amanda
Hello, thanks for a great post. I just started my first batch of spruce syrup. Could this method also be used with lavender buds?
Alan Bergo
HI Amanda, this could be done with fresh lavender only.
Jeremy
I have been so excited to do this! I have some spruce tips I’m collecting today. Do I need to sanitize or boil the mason jars?
Alan Bergo
Hey Jeremy! Sorry if that wasn’t clear. You should always use a clean jar.
Jeremy
Awesome thanks!