The best substitutes for grenadine

Who doesn’t like a good cocktail? It’s bursting with flavor, refreshing on a hot summer day, and there’s practically one for every type of person!

We have recently rediscovered grenadine cocktails, which are all cocktails that contain that popular pomegranate syrup. However, in trying to get some, we’ve found that it’s more difficult than you might expect.

So what are the best substitutes for grenadine?

The best substitute for grenadine is a homemade version with pomegranate juice or fresh pomegranates. You can also use pomegranate molasses, raspberry syrup, blueberry concentrate, maraschino cherry syrup, unsweetened pomegranate juice, strawberry daiquiri syrup, and crème de cassis.

Some of these substitutes have totally different flavors but similar consistencies, so what you choose will totally depend on what you want more of: the right flavor or the right consistency.

In today’s information-packed article, we’ll take a look at all things grenadine and the best substitutes for it. We’ll discuss how you can make your own, which ingredients to choose, and their benefits, but we’ll also take a look at some ready-made substitutes.

We’ve also included a comparison chart so you can easily see what you’re working with, the similarities and differences, and which recipes will work best with the substitution.

What is grenadine?

Grenadine is a well-known and popular non-alcoholic cocktail syrup made from fresh pomegranate fruits.

It has a very attractive deep red color and an almost bittersweet flavor. This syrup is mostly used in cocktails or mixed drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), but it also has some culinary uses.

This refreshing syrup originates from France and was originally made with pomegranate juice, sugar and water.

However, today it is mostly made commercially with a mixture of mainly blackcurrant juice, combined with artificial colors and flavorings.

This is why it is very important to choose your grenadine from a reputable supplier that produces grenadine syrup using pomegranate reductions. These pure syrups are the easiest to find in grocery stores in the Middle East, if you have one nearby.

Grenadine Syrup Uses

As we have mentioned above, grenadine is a popular syrup for mocktails.

The best-known cocktails that are prepared with grenadine syrup are the Tequila Sunrise (or a Caribbean Sunrise), the Singapore Sling, the Granada Margarita, the Marilyn Monroe cocktail or a Gin Daisy.

In North America, you’ll also find a Queen Mary, which is a mixed drink made with beer and grenadine.

There are also quite a few non-alcoholic drinks (or mocktails) made with grenadine syrup. The Shirley Temple is arguably the most popular, followed by the Roy Rogers.

When using this syrup, be aware of its extreme sweetness . You will only need about an ounce per cocktail to create a well-balanced flavor.

Grenadine syrup can also be used in various desserts as a flavoring ingredient. We love the pomegranate ice cream, grenadine cheesecakes, grenadine madeleines, and some pomegranate soufflés. These are just some ideas of delicious desserts that you can make with this syrup.

Saltier uses include syrups for basting, marinating, or poaching, but it is also popular in many sauces for pork or lamb .

Best Substitute: DIY Grenadine Syrup

When it comes to substituting syrups or concentrates, we always prefer to make our own if we can’t afford it. This is the closest substitute you’ll be able to find, and arguably even better than the original commercial syrup you’re substituting.

The downside to making your own, especially syrups, is that it takes a bit of time. However, if you have the time, you can make a large batch in less than a day that will last you a few months.

The advantage of making your own grenadine syrup is that it is a homemade syrup with no artificial colors or flavors, an inexpensive substitute (compared to others), and a precise flavor that you can tweak to your liking.

Ingredients for your homemade grenadine syrup

Granulated sugar and high-quality pomegranate juice are all you really need to make your syrup, but there are a few options.

Before making the grenadine syrup you have a couple of decisions to make. First of all, you have to decide if you want to use fresh pomegranate seeds or unsweetened pomegranate juice .

Pomegranate kernels (or fresh whole pomegranates) can be hard to find in some places and can also be very expensive, especially for the amounts you’ll need.

2 medium (or 1 large) pomegranates barely makes one cup of grenadine syrup , and that’s if you top it off with simple syrup. However, using fresh pomegranates will give you the best flavor, hands down.

If you like the authentic taste of grenadine, skip the juice!

If you can only get juice, definitely use a sugar-free version . You have to add granulated sugar to help create a syrup. If you use sweet juice with extra sugar, you will get an extremely sweet concentrate.

Once you have decided on the type of pomegranate you are going to use, you can now decide how sweet you want your syrup to be. This is an easy item to adjust as you can simply add or remove some granulated sugar.

We recommend up to 1 cup of granulated sugar for every cup of pomegranate juice, store-bought or freshly strained. Of course, you can start with much less, or with nothing.

You can also add other ingredients, such as a teaspoon of lemon juice, fresh mint, orange extract, etc., to give it more flavor.

How to make your own grenadine syrup

Making this syrup at home is very simple. Here’s how to do it:

1. If you use fresh pomegranate seeds, be sure to mash them to release their juice. To do this, you can use the bottom of a cocktail shaker or a masher. Once crushed, strain the juice to remove the seeds.
2. Combine the pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan. Cook the mixture over low heat until it has a nice thick consistency.
3. Once thick, remove the syrup from the heat and add additional ingredients, such as lemon juice or mint. Let the syrup cool completely before transferring it to a mason jar and refrigerating it.

Notes:

• The simmer time will depend on the amount and type of ingredients you use. Granulated sugar helps thicken the mixture quickly, so if you don’t use it, the process will take a little longer.
• If you use purchased pomegranate juice, the process will also take longer, as it has a very watery consistency compared to fresh juice.

The best substitutes for grenadine

So if you can’t find grenadine syrup and don’t want to make your own, fear not! There are some wonderful and easy substitutes that you can use. Here are some of the best:

1. Pomegranate molasses

Pomegranate molasses is a product very similar to grenadine syrup, only it is slightly more bitter and acidic. It also has a much thicker consistency, which you may need to modify slightly for certain uses.

Pomegranate molasses is hands down the best substitute for grenadine.

Unlike normal molasses, this syrup is not made from sugar cane, but from fresh pomegranates. The juice and sugar mixture is further reduced than regular grenadine to produce an extremely thick, dark red liquid.

Since there is less sugar, the pomegranate flavor shines through.

If you’re using pomegranate molasses, you can add a bit of simple syrup to better mimic the flavor of grenadine. The simple syrup will also help thin the consistency, making the job easier.

If you want to thin the consistency without adding sweetness, simply use water.

If you use pomegranate molasses, you can usually substitute equal parts for the grenadine in drinks, desserts, or sauces. However, you may want to thin it first for some recipes where exact consistency is important.

2. Raspberry syrup

Raspberry syrup is a fantastic substitute because of its consistency. That being said, it has a completely different flavor profile.

Although both raspberry and grenadine syrup have sweet, fruity and floral notes, they naturally have different flavors as they are made with different fruits.

This is great for some people as you can experiment with new flavor combinations, but for those looking for a precise flavor substitution, you may want to try something different.

If you substitute the grenadine for the raspberry syrup, you can do it in equal parts , since their consistency is the same. This goes for cocktails, baked goods, and savory recipes like dips and marinades.

It also has a very similar bright red color, which means you won’t have to suffer any loss in visual appeal.

Raspberry syrup is usually easier to find. You can even find it at a bakery or liquor store, as well as your favorite grocery store.

The best recipes you can make using raspberry syrup as a substitute are very fruity sweet ones: those that contain stone fruits, citrus, berries, or even rhubarb. Most dried fruit pairs wonderfully with raspberry as well, as do caramel and chocolate flavors.

3. Blueberry concentrate

Also commonly known as cranberry juice cocktail , this syrup is very similar to raspberry. Both have similar consistencies, but very different flavors.

Blueberries have a slightly more acidic flavor than grenadine (pomegranates) or raspberries. Hints of fruity and floral flavors continue to come through strongly, but the main flavor structure is different.

So, just like with the raspberry syrup, many people will prefer the blueberry flavor over the pomegranate flavor, but others may want a precise flavor substitution.

When choosing which syrup will go best with your salty or sweet recipe, cranberry concentrate will combine very well with citrus flavors (such as oranges), autumnal spices (allspice, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, etc.) , apples, pears, quinces and pumpkins (or zucchini).

4. Maraschino cherry syrup

This is a fantastic substitute if you’re in a pinch. Do you know candied maraschino cherries? Well, they are preserved in a sugar syrup that essentially becomes maraschino syrup.

If you don’t have any at home, simply strain the cherries and use their syrup as a substitute for the grenadine . You can also use cherries as a cocktail garnish.

This syrup is sometimes a bit thicker than Grenadine, but it can be easily fixed by adding simple syrup or water (we recommend water, as this syrup is already extremely sweet).

It is by no means the best substitute, but it is by no means the worst. It is a very sweet syrup and also has a maraschino cherry flavor. However, as we have said before, this difference in flavor and possibly sweetness will be more beneficial for some than for others.

Recipes that will work well with this substitution include stone fruit, melons, oranges, or lemons. Spices that work well with cherries are most fall spices and savory herbs like sage, thyme, and coriander.

Caramel, chocolate, and vanilla are also easy to pair, as are creamy ingredients like mascarpone and crème fraîche.

5. Sugar-free pomegranate juice

This is another less sweet substitute like pomegranate molasses for those who don’t like sugary sweet drinks. Unsweetened pomegranate juice has a much thinner consistency than syrups, which is very important to keep in mind when using it.

It also doesn’t have a very concentrated pomegranate flavor, so you may need to add more or change the proportions in the recipe.

That being said, when choosing pomegranate juice, your best bet for great taste is freshly made (not those with artificial colors and flavors).

When it comes to consistency, substituting juice for pomegranate syrup in cocktails is not that difficult. You can add less of the bulk ingredient (the one without the main flavor, like soda water or lemonade) and more pomegranate juice.

When substituting syrup in desserts, you may run into problems. Desserts and baked goods require precise proportions. You have to add a ton more juice to even out the flavor of the syrup, but the juice will be thinner, which can throw off the recipe.

It’s often best to choose a different substitute (preferably a syrup) for desserts and sauces.

6. Strawberry Daiquiri Syrup

This is an established cocktail syrup that is used specifically for strawberry daiquiris. The reason we have included this syrup is that it is extremely easy to find, even easier than most of the substitutes mentioned above.

This syrup usually has a thicker consistency and tastes very different from pomegranate. It is slightly sweeter than grenadine and much less acidic, so it can be a very interesting substitution.

What also makes this substitution great is that it can accompany almost any recipe (salty, sweet or drink). It combines perfectly with a wide variety of fruits, spices, nuts and other aromas such as chocolate and caramel.

You can substitute this syrup in equal parts and slightly adjust the flavor of your recipe if you consider it necessary.

7. Cream of Cassis

Our last substitute for the day is another well-known alcoholic liqueur. This is a blackcurrant liqueur often used in mixed drinks.

It is less sweet than grenadine and has a richer, deeper, more fragrant flavor. The consistency of crème de cassis is that of a liqueur, not a syrup, so your recipe might need slight changes.

We highly recommend that you use only half the amount listed when substituting for the grenadine and work your way up from there.

This blackcurrant liqueur goes very well with many fruits, especially tropical ones such as watermelon, mango, banana, and nectarines.

You should stay away from recipes with a lot of spices, nuts, and chocolate. It does pair well with vanilla, honey, caramel, and creamy ingredients.

Comparison of Substitutes for Grenadine [Table]

Here’s a rundown of all those substitutes with some helpful information to know when swapping each one for Grenadine: