Canned Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Making this easy canned raspberry syrup recipe is a great way to use fresh or frozen berries. Get the simple ingredients and directions for this delicious topping. You can use it with so many things. Read on for the easy steps!

Avoiding Berry Buildup

It’s the time of year when I look at the bags of berries in the big freezer in my garage and say, “Yikes! I need to get busy!” Some of you may be familiar with my yearly quest to make good use of our previous year’s berry supply before the current year’s harvest. I call it “Avoiding Berry Buildup”, and it helps me keep the freezer from becoming a disaster zone. There are many reasons why I am so fond of this recipe for raspberry syrup. It’s delicious, it uses a large quantity of berries, and it goes well with a variety of foods. Also, the ingredients are very simple. This recipe only calls for four of them. Are you suffering from Berry Buildup? Easy canned raspberry syrup to the rescue!

raspberry syrup recipe pinterest image

***Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.*** Already know what youā€™d like to get from Amazon? Hereā€™s a handy way to get to the website, linked to one of my favorite books about berries. Just click on the link, then browse around and do your shopping.

Take Me To Amazon!

The Recipe Backstory

Previously, I’ve shared the recipe for easy canned blueberry syrup with readers.  One of the best things about that recipe is that it does not require the use of cornstarch for thickening. I had tried canned berry syrup recipes that included cornstarch, and the results were not that great. The syrup became too thick, did not store well on a pantry shelf, and the flavor was lacking. How can I thicken syrup or sauce without cornstarch? In the case of the blueberry syrup, using an immersion blender to break up the blueberries helps to thicken the syrup. With raspberries, there would be no need to use the immersion blender. I would need to separate the seeds, though. Would I be able to get the same great results using my no-cornstarch strategy if I used raspberries instead of blueberries? I decided to test it out. How do you make berry syrup from scratch? Find out just how easy it is to make this recipe for raspberry syrup!

Developing the Canned Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Over the years, I’ve made a lot of raspberry preserves. The natural pectin in raspberries, combined with sugar and lemon juice, then cooked in small batches created a delicious fruit spread. The consistency is not as thick as jam, but the mixture does thicken without added pectin, which is easy on the pocketbook. Plus, the flavor of the fresh lemon juice with the raspberries is amazing. I wanted to create a recipe that would be just as simple, but without the seeds. In order to do this, I needed to purchase one important piece of equipment: a fine-mesh sieve. I already had a wire strainer that I used for juicing lemons, but the mesh was not woven closely enough together. I found a great, inexpensive set and got to work.

 

Other Equipment

Of course, you do not have to can this raspberry syrup. If you reduce the quantity, you may just want to store the syrup in the refrigerator. The full recipe makes about six half-pints, so here is the equipment you need to assemble beforehand. You will need:

A large mixing bowl

6 half-pint canning jars, lids and bands 

A large boiling water bath canner

 

A small metal saucepan with lid (for heating the jar lids)

A medium-sized saucepan to collect the syrup when seeds are removed

A large, non-reactive stockpot (for mixing the syrup)

1 set of canning tools (optional, but these sure have made canning easier) 

 

Preparation

Set six canning bands (some call them rings) aside, near where you will be filling the jars. 

Place the six glass jars in the water bath canner. The water should cover the jars by at least an inch. When you are ready to start cooking the syrup (see below), turn the heat to medium-high.

Place six jar lids in the small saucepan with enough water to cover the lids. When you are ready to start cooking the syrup (see below), cover the pan and heat the water on low. Iā€™ve always been told not to let the water come to a boil. Now itā€™s time to make the raspberry syrup!

Ingredients for the Canned Raspberry Syrup Recipe

8 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

6 cups sugar (you can add less sugar, but your syrup will not be as thick and may be tart)

2/3 cups lemon juice (juice from about 3 lemons and fresh is definitely best)

1 cup water (for thicker syrup, add less water)

Directions for the Easy Canned Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Rinse and drain the raspberries. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raspberries, lemon juice, water, and sugar. (Quick tip: To get the most out of your fresh lemons, use a zester to collect the lemon zest before slicing lemons in half for juicing. I freeze the lemon zest in a small container for use in other recipes.)

 

Let the bowl sit at room temperature for at least two hours. I sometimes let the berries sit all day. This helps the sugar to dissolve.

recipe for raspberry syrup sugar dissolving

When you are ready to start making the syrup, put the jars in the canner to heat and begin heating the lids in a pan of water on the stove. Scrape the raspberry mixture into a large stockpot or skillet and begin heating over medium-high heat. How do you thicken berry syrup? The secret to the success of this recipe is cooking the raspberry mixture over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for six minutes.

canned raspberry syrup recipe in skillet

Separating the Seeds

How do you extract juice from raspberries? Now that the raspberries have been cooked, most of the seeds have separated from the berries and will be floating on top of the mixture. To separate the seeds from the liquid syrup with no mess, have the fine-mesh sieve placed over a medium saucepan. Pour the hot syrup into the sieve. Press the seeds with a wooden spoon and move them around to make sure the holes in the mesh are not blocked. The liquid will drain into the saucepan. I usually spend 3-5 minutes pushing the raspberry seeds around in the sieve to collect as much liquid as possible in the saucepan.

canned raspberry syrup recipe in sieve

Let the syrup continue dripping into the saucepan while you get the hot jars in place. When the dripping has stopped, set the mushy seed mixture aside. Note: This seed separation works even if you are just trying to extract juice from raspberries for raspberry juice. Can I juice raspberries? Yes. The key is heating the berries to separate the seeds, whether you add sugar or not. 

Filling the Jars

Using tongs, if you have them, lift hot jars out of hot water. I usually place mine in the sink. Next to the sink, I place my trusty wooden breadboard. You can use a cutting board or something similar to protect your counter. Put the saucepan of hot syrup on the board and place it next to the jars. Ladle hot syrup into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Once all jars are filled, wipe jar rims. Place lids on jars and place bands on jars. Adjust until they are fingertip tight.

Processing the Filled Jars

Place jars (using a jar-lifter, if you have one) in the hot water bath in the canner. Water should cover the jars by at least one inch. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. When processing is done, remove the jars (again using a jar-lifter, if you have one) and place them on a towel to absorb the drips and to cool.

Checking the Seal

If all has gone as it should, you should hear the jars seal as they cool. When they are cool, press the center of each lid. They should not flex. Label and store the jars in a cool, dry place. The quality is best if used within 18 months. Refrigerate any jars once opened. Yum!

recipe for raspberry syrup in jars

Canned Raspberry Syrup

Making this easy canned raspberry syrup recipe is a great strategy for using frozen berries. Learn the simple steps to make this recipe for raspberry syrup!
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 6 half-pints

Equipment

  • 6 half-pint canning jars, lids and bands
  • Large boiling water bath canner
  • 1 small and 1 medium saucepan
  • Large stock pot or skillet
  • 1 set of canning tools (optional)

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 6 cups sugar
  • ā…” cup fresh-squeezed lemon jiuce
  • 1 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain the raspberries. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raspberries, lemon juice, water, and sugar.
  • Let the bowl sit at room temperature for at least two hours.
  • Set six canning bands (some call them rings) aside, near where you will be filling the jars.
  • Place the six glass jars in the water bath canner. The water should cover the jars by at least an inch. Turn the heat to medium-high.
  • Place six jar lids in the small saucepan with enough water to cover the lids. Cover the pan and heat the water on low.
  • Scrape the raspberry mixture into a large stockpot or skillet and begin heating over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for six minutes.
  • To separate the seeds from the liquid syrup with no mess, have the fine-mesh sieve placed over a medium saucepan. Pour the hot syrup into the sieve. Press the seeds with a wooden spoon and move them around to make sure the holes in the mesh are not blocked. The liquid will drain into the saucepan.
  • Let the syrup continue dripping into the saucepan while you get the hot jars in place. When the dripping has stopped, set the mushy seed mixture aside.
  • Using tongs, if you have them, lift hot jars out of hot water. Put the saucepan of hot syrup on a cutting board or trivet and place it next to the jars.
  • Ladle hot syrup into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Once all jars are filled, wipe jar rims. Place lids on jars and place bands on jars. Adjust until they are fingertip tight.
  • Place jars (using a jar-lifter, if you have one) in the hot water bath in the canner. Water should cover the jars by at least one inch. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  • When processing is done, remove the jars (again using a jar-lifter, if you have one) and place them on a towel to absorb the drips and to cool.

Notes

There are about 40 calories in a tablespoon serving of this recipe for raspberry syrup.
Keyword berries, canning, easy recipes

Is it Raspberry Syrup or Sauce?

This recipe is more of a raspberry syrup than a sauce, because of the sugar content and thickness. If you would like to make a raspberry sauce, you could reduce the amount of sugar and skip the canning process. How do you thicken a berry sauce? Go through the same heating process in this easy canned raspberry syrup recipe. You could even reduce the recipe and make it in a small batch to refrigerate. How long does homemade fruit syrup or sauce last in the refrigerator? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, high-acid foods such as fruit juice can be stored in the refrigerator for five to seven days. 

What Can You Do with the Leftover Raspberry Seed Mixture?

When you complete the seed-separation process, you will be left with a thick, mushy, yet pleasantly fragrant, seed mixture. I was going to toss this to our chickens, but someone in my family wanted to save it and put it on toast. According to this person (who is my favorite taste-tester), the concoction was pretty good. If you don’t mind a lot of seeds, you could try this as well. It might also make a good topping for ice cream.

Reducing the Raspberry Syrup Recipe

If you need to make just a small quantity of raspberry syrup for a dessert and don’t want to process the syrup in a canner, here’s what to do. Just reduce every ingredient by half or even by three-quarters. You could decide if you wanted to add the water or not. So you could use 4 cups of berries to 3 cups of sugar and 1/3 cup of lemon juice. You could even just use 2 cups of berries, 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, and 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Just follow the directions and let the raspberry syrup cool a bit before serving.

How Would You Use This Recipe for Raspberry Syrup?

This recipe for raspberry syrup would be delicious on top of pancakes, waffles, and other baked goods. You could use this canned raspberry syrup mixed into coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Have you ever baked pears? This raspberry syrup would be delicious on a baked pear. Love the combination of raspberry and chocolate? Try this canned raspberry syrup on top of the best chocolate dessert ever, Death by Chocolate. The possibilities are numerous.

Other Canning Ideas

Homemade canned goods make excellent gifts for the holidays or for gift baskets any time of the year. If you are a fan of home canning, you might want to try making canned blackberry syrup. If you like canned jam, you could make some orange rhubarb, pineapple rhubarb, seedless raspberry, or raspberry blueberry jam. Looking for a way to use an abundant apple harvest? Make some delicious canned applesauce. There are many possibilities!

Are You Now Craving Homemade Raspberry Syrup?

Homemade raspberry syrup is delicious on so many things. If you decide to try this recipe, Iā€™d love to know your favorite way to use raspberry syrup. If you like what youā€™ve read today, please consider subscribing and becoming part of the Fluxing Well community. You will receive fresh ideas every week, plus access to a library of free printable resources, including a free cookbook filled with the best easy recipes from the Fluxing Well website.

Easy White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Fluxing Well Cookbook

Have a fabulous day, and have fun making this easy canned recipe for raspberry syrup!

First Name Signature Conclusion

30 thoughts on “Canned Raspberry Syrup Recipe”

  1. Your instructions are well written, but I didnā€™t care for the large amount and flavor of lemon juice in this recipe. I guess to each his own. lol!

    Reply
    • Totally get it! The lemon juice helps prevent bacteria from forming and is used as a safety measure. Freshly squeezed tastes better than bottled, but you could also substitute lime juice in this canned raspberry syrup recipe and you would still be safe.

      Reply
  2. I LOVE your recipe. I’ve spent the day making syrup–Peach/Raspberry, Boysenberry, Blueberry, Golden Raspberry. Not too happy with the blueberry due to the tiny seeds that got thru my strainer.. I want to do strawberry too-but fear those have tiny seeds too..Will maybe use a jelly bag? When I read the label on Ms.Butterworth the last time I got a bottle,I decided to be making fruit syrups instead of getting all the High Fructose Corn Syrup…Got another go round on Boysenberry to do, Thanks SO Much for taking the time to develop this.

    Reply
    • Wonderful fruit combinations and flavors! Thank you so much for sharing your syrup inspiration. I am glad that the canned raspberry syrup was a successful part of your syrup-making endeavors.

      Reply
  3. Iā€™ve just planted 26 raspberry plants but have several hundred wild black raspberries growing around the edge of our fields. They are very tasty but the seeds are many! This will be a great way to use them until my new plants are producing.

    Reply
    • Nice! I would love to know how your raspberry syrup turns out.

      Reply
  4. Can you double or even triple the recipe???

    Reply
    • Yes, you should be able to. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  5. 5 stars
    Made it last week with some amazing early season raspberries. I used my food mill then a strainer to get rid of all the seeds. It is delicious! This was far from my first time canning or even making syrup but it was my first time making raspberry syrup. I will of course hoard my many jars and think about giving some to friends and family before my kids eat it all. The jars probably won’t leave the house though! Family will just have to come here for ricotta pancakes or ice cream sundaes.

    Reply
    • Wow, you are so lucky to get raspberries this early! I love the idea of using the food mill. Thanks so much for sharing your successful experience canning raspberry syrup.

      Reply
  6. I have raspberry juice and blueberry juice. Now I want to make syrup out of this juice. How much sugar and do I use sure jell to thicken a little. I don’t want watery syrup. Any suggestions??

    Reply
    • Okay, I found a conversion that told me that 20 cups of raspberries equals 12 cups of juice. Using that ratio, I figured out that this recipe yields about 5 cups of raspberry juice. I would not use SureJell. Here’s what I would do. I would use 5 cups of raspberry juice, 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, and the 6 cups of sugar this recipe for canned raspberry syrup calls for. I would not add any water. Bring the raspberry juice/sugar/lemon juice mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove the hot syrup from the heat and can according to the directions above. I’d be very interested in learning how it goes!

      Reply
  7. This recipe sounds great! I am wondering if you think this could work as a syrup for preserving peaches as opposed to the usual plain heavy sugar syrup? Canā€™t wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Oh, that’s a great idea! If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out.

      Reply
      • I will: why not give it a try? Iā€™m excited now!

        Reply
    • This raspberry syrup is truly decadent. My garden is being generous with the raspberries this year. My plan was to make the syrup for holiday gifts. However… it is so good that my husband and I keep justifying opening one more jar to drizzle on ice cream, or to stir into a vodka spritzier, or soda water or waffles, or pound cake. such a bright, sunny flavor will make this winter’s rotten weather, easier to tolerate.

      Reply
      • I love those ideas, and Iā€™m so glad you are enjoying the canned raspberry syrup recipe.

        Reply
  8. Raspberries are my absolute favorite! I will have to try this next year since I didn’t get to go berry picking last year due to COVID. šŸ™ Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • You are most welcome! I’m always happy to share another way to use frozen or fresh berries!

      Reply
  9. 5 stars
    This sounds SO good! I’m jealous of the fact that you even have to worry about having a berry buildup problem. I would love that problem! Sounds like you’ve found a great solution, that sounds delicious. Looking forward to trying this!

    Reply
    • If I could, I would give you some berries! Thank you for your kind words. That is high praise coming from a fellow foodie.

      Reply
  10. This homemade raspberry syrup looks like a great way to use up excess raspberries. We have a row of raspberry bushes in our backyard and some years they produce more than we can eat. I’ll have to make some of this once the berries start coming in later this summer. Would be a great topped for our Saturday pancake breakfast.

    Reply
    • Yes, pancakes would be great topped with this raspberry syrup. I hope you have a bumper crop of raspberries so you can try it out!

      Reply
  11. 5 stars
    Thanks so much for your canned raspberry syrup recipe, Lisa! I love this step-by-step guide and the accompanying photos. There is always something new to learn on your site! šŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m happy you learn things on my site.

      Reply
  12. I should make this for my farmers market. Just planted raspberries this year so it might be awhile until I have enough to make anything.

    Reply
    • Oooooh, yes, I think homemade raspberry syrup would be a hot seller. Great idea!

      Reply
  13. 5 stars
    This looks delicious! I do have some frozen raspberries I need to use. Thanks for sharing the idea!

    Reply
    • You are most welcome! I’m always happy to share my favorite recipes!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Lisa Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to content