This easy homemade pandan syrup recipe is made using only 2 natural ingredients. It's super fragrant, naturally green and perfect for desserts, cocktails and drinks! (I also show you how to get an almost colorless version if you don't want to dye your food.)
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What is Pandan?
Also known as screwpine or pandanus amaryllifolius, pandan is a tropical plant with a unique aroma. Its aromatic, long, pointy leaves are used in many Thai and Southeast Asian dishes, from rice to desserts, cakes and drinks.
Some examples are Singaporean kueh dadar, steamed bread, pandan chiffon cake and these sweet and savory pandan recipes. Recently, pandan has been seen in many cocktails too. It's so ubiquitous that it's no wonder it's called the "vanilla of the East!"
Flavoring & Natural Coloring
Pandan is primarily used for flavoring and coloring foods naturally in Sri Lanka, Singapore and many other countries in Asia.
For flavoring: the long, dark green leaves are bruised, knotted then added to the foods directly. They're very fibrous so they're discarded after cooking. (The foods will have the pandan fragrance but won't turn green, as with this Singapore Chicken Porridge recipe.)
For coloring: the pandan leaves are blended for a few minutes to make pandan juice then sieved to remove the fibrous pulp. This juice is then added to foods to make it aromatic and green-colored. Click here for more details on how to make pandan juice and extract.
Tip: Pandan is perfect for coloring Christmas desserts such as trees and wreaths!
Taste
Personally, I don't think it tastes anything like vanilla as it's not floral but almost grassy and earthy.
It has a warm, slightly nutty undertaste and goes very well with other Asian ingredients such as lemongrass, coconut and gula melaka sugar.
Homemade pandan flavor syrup will not have the same fluorescent bright green color (or red color) as artificial pandan. Instead, it will have a much more pleasing and natural green color, as shown below, and is perfect for flavoring drinks such as pandan milk.
Ingredients
You will only need 2-3 simple ingredients to DIY pandan syrup:
- pandan extract: This is made from pandan leaves and water. These leaves can be found in Asian supermarkets and should be cut into small pieces. Fresh is preferred but frozen can also be used. Alternatively, you can use pandan juice (for a lighter syrup) or artificial pandan paste/ extract/ essence (if you don't mind eating neon-colored foods! See photo above, under "Taste.")
- sugar: I use white granulated sugar to allow the pandan aroma to shine, but you can also use brown sugar or gula melaka (as I did in this lemongrass simple syrup.) Use an equal amount of sugar and liquid to make a simple syrup or double the amount of sugar to make a rich syrup.
Tip: if you live somewhere warm, like Florida, it is easy to grow your own pandan plant! For more Asian edible plants, click here.
Variations
- Coconut Pandan Simple Syrup: Substitute the water with coconut water and keep everything else the same.
- Vanilla Pandan Simple Syrup: add some vanilla extract to the pandan syrup. The amount will depend on whether you want the vanilla or the pandan to be the dominant flavor.
- Vegan Pandan Simple Syrup: Use a bone-char free sugar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
There are several ways to make Pandan Leaf Syrup:
Method 1: for green-colored pandan syrup
- Heat pandan extract and sugar on medium. Once the sugar is dissolved, switch off the fire.
- The syrup will separate. You will need to shake or stir before using to get a uniform green color.
Note: Pandan extract is the thicker "sediment" that forms at the bottom of pandan juice when it settles. You can also use pandan juice, the syrup will still be dark green but the flavor will not be strong.
Method 2: for a very light colored pandan syrup
- Bring bruised pandan leaves, sugar and water to the boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes then switch off the fire and allow to steep till cool.
- Strain and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Optional for best taste: Once cool, wring with your hands to extract all the flavor. (You can also blitz in but your syrup will be greener.)
(Method 3) Using artificial pandan paste, essence or extract: make a simple syrup with the sugar and water, then stir in the pandan extract etc after the sugar has dissolved.
How to Store
Store the syrup in the fridge in an airtight container, preferably sterilised. It should keep for at least a week. (If you use more sugar to water, as in a Pandan Rich Syrup, it will last longer.)
Do not leave it at room temperature or it will go bad. If it turns moldy, it's time for it to go!
How to Use
You can use it like any regular simple syrup:
- in Pandan Latte
- as Buko Pandan syrup (a Filipino dessert)
- In Es Campur or Ice Kacang (an Indonesian/ Singaporean shaved ice dessert)
Alcohol Pairings for Cocktails
Pandan goes well with mellower types of alcohol that are usually mixed with fruits and spices, as well as rum (thanks to the coconut notes), Gin and Tequila.
Tip: you can also infuse the pandan leaves in alcohol.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: If you blitz the pandan leaves, a lot of juice will be trapped in the pulp. Use a coffee filter, strainer or, ideally, a cheesecloth to filter out the pulp and squeeze to ensure you get every drop of juice!
Tip #2: If you heat a bit of tapioca flour or glutinous rice flour with your pandan syrup, you can create a nice and thick syrup to coat the walls of your glass, like with Brown Sugar Milk Tea. (See above.) Alternatively, use artificial pandan paste, which is pretty thick!
Recipe FAQs
Pandan is often used with lemongrass, turmeric, coconut, brown sugar and gula melaka sugar. To be honest, it's added to almost everything in South East Asia, even Vietnamese coffee!
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Pandan Syrup
Equipment
- Pot
- sieve If using Method 2 to make an almost colorless syrup
Ingredients
For Green-colored Pandan Syrup
- 1 Cup pandan extract Click here for the pandan extract recipe. Substitute: 1 Cup pandan juice but the result will be a less intensely flavored yet still green syrup (see Notes)
- 1 Cup White Sugar Substitute: brown sugar, gula melaka etc
For Almost Colorless but still aromatic Pandan Syrup
- 1 Cup pandan leaves bruised and cut into 1" pieces (or smaller). Approximate weight is 1oz/ 28g.
- 1 Cup White Sugar Substitute: brown sugar, gula melaka etc
- 1 Cup Water Substitute: coconut water if you want to make pandan coconut syrup.
Instructions
For Green-colored Pandan Syrup
- Pour the thick, dark green pandan extract and sugar into a pot. Heat on medium till the sugar has all dissolved.
- Allow to cool then store in the fridge in a sterilised, airtight container.
For Almost Colorless but still aromatic Pandan Syrup
- Bring bruised pandan leaves, sugar and water to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes then switch off the fire and allow to steep till cool.
- Strain and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Optional for best taste: Once cool, wring with your hands to extract all the flavor. (You can also blitz in but your syrup will be greener.)
Notes
Nutrition
Let me know what you used this Pandan Syrup for in the comments!
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