What kind of lavender should I use?
Use culinary lavender (often labeled as English lavender or Lavandula angustifolia). Avoid craft lavender or anything treated with non food safe sprays.
Why does lavender syrup taste bitter or soapy?
Usually it is over-steeping or simply using more lavender than you need. Lavender strength varies by brand and freshness, so treat the times here like a starting point. Keep the steep short, start with 1 tablespoon dried buds per cup of water, and taste at 5 minutes. You can always steep longer, but you cannot un-steep.
Can I use fresh lavender?
Yes. Use about 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh flowers for this batch (roughly triple the volume of dried). Give it a quick rinse and pat dry. Flavor can vary a lot with fresh, so start checking at 3 to 5 minutes of steeping.
Do I need food coloring?
Nope. The syrup is usually pale gold or lightly greenish depending on the lavender. If you want a purple drink, let the lavender be the aroma and use something like a tiny splash of blueberry juice or butterfly pea tea in the beverage, not the syrup.
How do I use lavender syrup in coffee?
Start with 1 to 2 teaspoons in an iced latte or hot latte, then adjust. Lavender can dominate quickly, especially in smaller drinks.
Can I can this syrup for pantry storage?
I do not recommend water bath canning for this recipe as written. For safe shelf stable canning you need a tested recipe with verified sugar concentration and processing times. This one is meant for the refrigerator or freezer.
