Skinny syrups have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to add flavor to drinks and foods without a lot of added sugar or calories. But what exactly are skinny syrups, and what are some ways you can use them? Here’s a closer look at these sweet syrups and how they can be used creatively in everything from coffee drinks to desserts.
What are Skinny Syrups?
Skinny syrups are liquid syrups that are flavored with different natural and artificial flavors. They are called “skinny” because they generally have zero sugar or calories. The main ingredients in skinny syrups are water, natural and artificial flavors, coloring if added, and non-nutritive sweeteners like sucralose or stevia.
Some popular skinny syrup brands include Torani Sugar Free Syrups, Skinny Syrups, Jordan’s Skinny Syrups, and Walden Farms. They come in a huge variety of flavors from basic ones like vanilla and caramel to more unique options like coconut, pumpkin spice, and salted caramel.
The biggest draw of skinny syrups is that they allow you to add flavor and sweetness without extra calories or sugar. Just a small amount can make drinks, baked goods, yogurt, oatmeal and more taste indulgent. For people watching their sugar intake or calories, they are a smart way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Adding Flavor to Beverages
One of the most popular uses for skinny syrups is to flavor beverages like coffee, tea, lattes, hot chocolate and more. Just a splash can make an ordinary drink taste like a special treat.
For hot coffee or tea, simply add around 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite skinny syrup flavor. Vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut are classic choices. For iced coffee, you may want to use a bit more, around 1-3 tablespoons depending on taste.
Skinny syrups can also be used to flavor milk-based espresso drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Try flavors like caramel, mocha, or peppermint. When making a latte, add the syrup to the espresso shots first before adding milk.
For a fun twist, use skinny syrups to customize all kinds of hot chocolate flavors. Try white chocolate, mint, coconut, s’mores and more. Add 1-3 tablespoons of syrup along with cocoa powder when making hot chocolate.
Homemade Skinny Sweetened Beverages
You can also use skinny syrups to lightly sweeten and flavor plain water, seltzer, iced tea, lemonade and other homemade drinks.
To make skinny sweetened water, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite syrup flavor to a glass of plain or sparkling water. For a fruity flavor, try raspberry, peach, or mango syrup.
For sugar-free lemonade, mix equal parts lemon juice and water and sweeten with 2-3 tablespoons of syrup like coconut, strawberry or vanilla. For iced tea, mix brewed tea with syrup instead of simple syrup or sugar.
Get creative and combine syrup flavors for your own custom drink concoctions. A peach raspberry sparkling water or strawberry banana iced tea can be refreshing homemade options.
Baking with Skinny Syrups
In baking, skinny syrups can be substituted for some or all of the sugar or other sweeteners in a recipe. They add flavor while keeping calories and carbs low.
Some ways to bake with skinny syrups include:
- Substitute syrup for 1/4 to 1/2 of the sugar in recipes for cakes, cookies and breads
- Use in place of simple syrup or other sweet sauces on pancakes, waffles, crepes, and French toast
- Mix into frosting, glazes and whipped cream for added flavor
- Sweeten yogurt, oatmeal cookies, protein bars and other snacks
- Blend into milkshakes or smoothies instead of honey, sugar or agave
Start by substituting just a small amount of the sugar in a recipe with syrup at first. Add around 1-3 tablespoons per 1 cup of sugar called for. Adding too much may impact texture and consistency, so start small and adjust to taste.
Fruit flavors like raspberry, strawberry and peach work nicely to flavor muffins, cakes, quick breads and more. Vanilla, caramel and mocha are nice choices for cookies. Get creative mixing flavors together like orange and almond.
Skinny Syrup Baking Substitution Ratios
As a general guideline for baking, try these skinny syrup substitution ratios:
| Sugar Replaced | Skinny Syrup Amount |
|---|---|
| 1⁄4 cup | 1-2 tbsp |
| 1⁄3 cup | 2-3 tbsp |
| 1⁄2 cup | 3-4 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 6-8 tbsp |
Making Healthy Desserts
Skinny syrups can transform lower calorie desserts into flavorful treats. They work well to sweeten and add taste to:
- Yogurt – Stir in 2-3 tablespoons per one cup of plain Greek yogurt for sweet parfaits
- Cottage cheese – Blend with cottage cheese and top with fruit
- Oatmeal – Drizzle over cooked oatmeal and top with fruit
- Protein shakes – Mix in for a flavor boost
- Overnight oats – Sweeten your overnight oats recipe
- Chia pudding – Blend into chia seeds before refrigerating
- Fruit salads – Drizzle over mixed fruit for a sweet dressing
- Applesauce – Add flavor and sweetness to plain applesauce
You can also use skinny syrups when making “skinny” versions of dessert recipes by replacing sugar or sweetened condensed milk with the syrups.
For example, make a lower calorie banana pudding with sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, bananas, low-fat milk, and vanilla syrup. Or to skinny up pecan pie, use syrup instead of corn syrup in the filling.
Get creative skinny-fying all kinds of desserts with the syrups from cakes to cookies and pies. Use them to add sweetness and flavor while cutting back on sugar.
Making Savory Sauces and Condiments
While they are commonly used in sweet applications, skinny syrups can also add flavor to savory sauces, marinades, salad dressings, and condiments.
Try using flavored skinny syrups like:
- Coconut – For Thai peanut sauce or coconut rice
- Raspberry – To flavor vinaigrettes and chicken marinades
- Caramel – To add sweetness to barbecue sauce
- Hazelnut – For nutty flavor in gravy or dressings
- Cinnamon – To add warmth to oatmeal or quinoa
- Peppermint – For a unique flavor in fruit salsa
Start by substituting just 1-2 tablespoons of flavored skinny syrup per 1 cup of sauce or dressing. Taste and add more as desired.
You can also use unflavored syrup if you just want to lightly sweeten a savory recipe without altering the flavor profile.
Topping Off Drinks and Desserts
One of the easiest ways to use skinny syrups is as a topping drizzled over drinks and desserts.
Some topping ideas include:
- Coffee drinks – Drizzle caramel, mocha, or other flavors
- Ice cream and frozen yogurt
- Pancakes and waffles
- Oatmeal and porridge
- Fruit – Bananas, strawberries, mixed berries
- Cheesecake
- Milkshakes and smoothies
Skinny syrups add the finishing touch of flavor and sweetness without adding calories. They allow you to turn a plain coffee into a caramel drizzle latte or basic oatmeal into a sweet cinnamon dessert.
You can get creative with syrup drizzle designs on fancy drinks and desserts. Drizzle different flavors together over cheesecake for a fun presentation.
Mixing Custom Flavor Combinations
One of the fun things about skinny syrups is that you can mix flavors together to create custom combinations.
Some tasty skinny syrup blend ideas include:
- Caramel + Hazelnut
- Raspberry + Coconut
- Pumpkin Spice + Vanilla
- Cinnamon + Orange
- Mint + Chocolate
- Strawberry + Banana
- Peach + Blueberry
Start with equal parts of two flavors, like 1 tablespoon each. Taste and adjust the amounts if you want one flavor to stand out more.
Mixing flavors can be especially fun when making coffee drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, yogurt bowls and other applications where you can really taste the blend.
You aren’t just limited to two flavors either. You can create three or more flavor medleys. A toasted marshmallow mocha skinny latte made with marshmallow, coffee and chocolate syrups sounds divine!
Adding to Cocktails
Skinny syrups aren’t just for food. You can also use them to add new flavors to cocktails and mixed drinks.
Try using a splash of flavored skinny syrups:
- In place of simple syrup for flavor and sweetness
- As a rim on cocktails like margaritas and daiquiris
- To flavor martinis and cosmos
- In champagne cocktails
- In place of grenadine in tequila sunrises
- In tropical drinks like pina coladas
Raspberry, coconut, pineapple, peach and other fruit flavors pair particularly well in cocktails. Start with 1-2 tablespoons of syrup and adjust to taste preference.
For a unique idea, rim half the glass with one syrup flavor and the other half with a different flavor. Or layer flavors by pouring one syrup in first, then gently pouring a second flavor over the back of a spoon.
Potential Downsides to Consider
While skinny syrups can be used to creatively flavor foods and drinks, there are a few potential downsides to consider:
- Artificial sweeteners – Most contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose or stevia extracts rather than real sugar. Some people prefer to avoid these.
- Highly processed – As a manmade product, they lack the nutrition of real fruit and foods.
- Liquid calories – Though low calorie, liquid sugars may not satisfy hunger as well as foods.
- Dental health – Artificial sweeteners are still acidic and could harm tooth enamel with frequent use.
- GI issues – Some sweeteners like sugar alcohols can cause bloating or diarrhea in sensitive people.
As with anything, moderation is key. Used sparingly to flavor foods, skinny syrups can be a safe choice for many people watching calories and carbs. But overdoing may be too much artificial sweetener for some.
Conclusion
Skinny syrups open up a whole new world of possibilities to add flavor and sweetness without extra calories or sugar. They can transform boring basics into indulgent tasting treats.
Use them to enhance beverages, baked goods, desserts, snacks, cocktails and more. Mix flavors for custom combinations. Drizzle over finished foods and drinks for flavorful finishing touches.
Just keep in mind that most do contain artificial sweeteners, so enjoy in moderation. Used creatively, skinny syrups make it easy to skinny-fy foods and drinks without sacrificing on taste.
