Ever tried your hand at homemade cocktails and wished for that perfect blend that makes every sip a memorable one? Enter this homemade sweet and sour mix, a secret weapon in your DIY cocktail arsenal. With just three simple ingredients, this lemon-lime syrup turns your average drink into a fresh and delicious experience.
I developed this for making a margarita, but once you have it you'll find plenty of uses. Perfect for making an Amaretto sour, or any other lemon-lime cocktail. And the best part? It's just so simple to make!
What is Sweet and Sour Mix?
Sweet and sour mix is a key ingredient in many cocktails, known for its balance of tangy and sweet flavors. It's essentially a combination of:
- Sweet: Simple syrup (a mixture of sugar dissolved in water)
- Sour: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and/or lime juice
You can buy this mix pre-made but if you make it yourself? Oh my goodness, what a difference! Homemade sweet and sour mix is so fresh and full of flavor, plus you can customize it to your own preferences. A little more sweet or sour is easy to adjust, so you can have your cocktail, your way!
Drinks made with Sweet and Sour Mix
You can use this mix in place of lemon-lime soda, so start by thinking of what drinks you enjoy that use a soda topper. Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:
- Margaritas
- Whiskey sour
- Amaretto sour
- Daiquiris
- Long Island iced tea
True confession: I’ve been known to sip on it on a hot summer day, just like you would with lemonade. So you could use it in place of lemonade for a cocktail as well! Electric Lemonade, anyone?
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy and fresh. Those words sum it up. This mix takes minutes to put together and you can just store it in the fridge. It'll be ready to use in your next drink.
Using this mix makes a whole different cocktail experience. The freshness of the citrus juices is balanced with just enough sweetness, without it being all "corn syrupy". And since you make it yourself, you can so easily adjust the sweetness to suit your own preferences. Your drink, your way. Win win!
Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix Ingredients
How to Make Sweet and Sour Mix
- This mix needs only 3 ingredients, plus water. And all you really have to do is mix them together!
- I start by microwaving a cup of water for a minute, just to warm it up. Then add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
This happens very quickly when the water is a little warm. 😁
- Set this aside while you squeeze the citrus, both lemon and lime. For a cup of water I use ¼ cup of lime juice, and I usually need at least one whole lime to get this amount. I always have another lime on hand in case I need to juice a little more, plus I'll use it to garnish my margarita anyway right? LOL
For 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, usually half a lemon is enough.
- Add the juices to the sugar water and stir. You'll notice I'm doing all this in the same glass measuring cup. Fewer dirty dishes!
- Now, just pour the sweet and sour mix into a jar for storage. I use pint canning jars which work great!
- Cover and refrigerate until it's time to mix up a bevvie!
Does sweet and sour mix need to be refrigerated?
Keep your homemade sweet and sour mix in the fridge, it will be good for about a week. If you need to keep it longer, place it in the freezer. But the reason I kept the batch size fairly small is that I'd rather make a new batch as needed. Why not? It's so fast and easy!
📖 Recipe
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Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix Recipe (for Cocktails)
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
- (Optional) Place one cup of water into a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave for one minute to warm slightly.1 cup water
- Add sugar to the water and stir to dissolve.½ cup sugar
- Squeeze juice from one or more limes and half a lemon to get the amount of juice needed.¼ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Add juices to the sugar water and stir to incorporate.
- Transfer to a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy in margaritas or any beverage calling for a sweet and sour mix.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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