Xylitol Simple Syrup

Xylitol simple syrup couldn’t be easier to make- it’s 2 ingredients and about 10 minutes of your time! If you are on a keto or sugar-free diet having a simple syrup readily available in your refrigerator will really help make life and meals easier- as well as keep cravings in check!

I originally started making this to use in my morning coffee but I now use it in SO many ways while I’m cooking. It can be used for everything from breakfast coffees & oatmeals to making a sweet chili sauce for dinner and sweetening up your dessert!

Let’s get started!

It’s an easy keto simple syrup

This keto simple syrup is incredibly easy to make and opens up a world of possibilities and uses in the kitchen. You only need 2 ingredients to make keto simple syrup: xylitol and water!

Traditional simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water at a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. We’re going to follow these same steps but by dissolving xylitol in water instead of sugar.

Based on the sweetness of xylitol I have found a 1 part water to 1.5 part xylitol ratio have an appropriate sweet level. If you think the syrup is too sweet you can use a 1:1 xylitol to water ratio- or to make it sweeter use a 2:1 xylitol to water ratio.

1.5 cups of xylitol dissolved into 1 cup of water is our preferred keto syrup! This is easy to do on the stovetop and lasts 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Prevent xylitol liquid sweetener from crystallizing

As I was researching this recipe and xylitol, in general, I saw a lot of comments saying ”Oh no! My xylitol syrup crystallized- what happened?!” I make this on a weekly basis and 70% of the time I don’t run into any issues.

The other 30%- well, this is caused by the xylitol liquid sweetener coming in contact with regular ol’ granulated xylitol. What?

Yes, if you make a picture-perfect batch of this simple syrup and sprinkle a teency, eency amount of granulated xylitol on the syrup, the syrup will gradually begin to turn into crystals. (See photo below)

Question: What gives?! Of course, we aren’t going to intentionally put granulated xylitol back in the syrup, so how can this happen?

Answer: Usually the sides of the pot, the utensil you used to stir (don’t stir!!), or the container you are storing it in has granulated xylitol on it that will seed the syrup to crystallize.

The method to prepare this syrup is similar to making caramel. If a perfect caramel sauce comes into contact with sugar granules, the entire batch can become grainy.

Here’s how to keep your syrup crystal-free:

1. Place the xylitol and water in the pot gently. When pouring water into the pot it’s really easy to splash a few xylitol granules onto the sides/edges of the pot. They won’t properly dissolve and may come into contact with the syrup as your pour it out of the pan and into a storage container!
2. Make sure you are using a clean container to store the syrup– with no traces of granulated or powdered xylitol!
3. Don’t stir the xylitol as it’s dissolving! This is a hands-off and watch operation, no touchy touchy! Just like with making caramel, stirring can cause some crystals to stick on the sides of the pot and not dissolve properly.
4. Place a lid on the pot and simmer covered. Once the xylitol has dissolved, cover and simmer for 1 minute. By covering the pot steam and condensation are created. The condensation will help pull any hiding xylitol crystals on the edges of the pot back into the syrup and ensure they are fully dissolved!

In the photo below you can see an example of xylitol syrup that is recrystallizing compared to pure, liquid syrup on the right.

Sugar-free simple syrup uses

Alright! You’re well on your way to having an easy, inexpensive sugar-free simple syrup- now what? What are common and easy uses for this syrup?This is something we pretty much always have on hand in the fridge; here’s how we use it around our house!

We use this to sweeten our morning brew:

It’s a xylitol coffee syrup! Whether you are drinking hot coffee or iced coffee, xylitol syrup will dissolve right into your cuppa. You can use this to sweeten hot or iced teas as well.

This is great for sugar-free or keto cocktails:

Many cocktail recipes call for simple syrup or a sweetener of some kind. In margaritas it’s triple sec, in mojitos/ flavored martinis it’s simple syrup, in old fashioneds it may be a sugar cube muddled with other ingredients. Regardless of the cocktail you need to sweeten, you can use xylitol simple syrup to do so!

Use this sugar-free syrup to sweeten other beverages:

Homemade lemonade, fruit juices, smoothies, and mocktails all require a touch of sweetness to balance flavors and you can use this syrup to accomplish that.

Use for keto or sugar-free sauces:

Many curry recipes, glazes, and Asian-inspired sauces have a complex and amazing flavor due to sweet and heat in perfect harmony. Things like wings, orange chicken, sweet chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, Thai curries, and hoisin sauces all have sweet-salty-tangy flavors mingling together. Simply because you are following a sugar-free or keto diet doesn’t mean you need to miss out on the fun. This liquid sweetener has savory applications as well!

Xylitol from birch or corn?

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol most commonly produced from birch trees or from corn/corn cobs. I have tested this recipe with both birch xylitol and corn xylitol and it works with either variety.

We usually opt for and purchase a USA grown birch tree xylitol- it’s easy to find online or in your local health foods store.

NOTE: Xylitol is not safe for dogs and should not be consumed by dogs!

We use xylitol with caution as we have doggos in the house and don’t want anything bad to happen to them! Xylitol interferes with the normal functions of the pancreas in dogs and can cause an immediate insulin spike and blood sugar drop, potentially leading to liver failure and other ailments. Read more from the source here.

Please ensure you store xylitol away from the reach of your pets and ensure you don’t share any human food with them that may contain xylitol!

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