TikTok Tuesday: Lavender Simple Syrup Used Two Ways

By Molly Cuddy

This week, I decided to make a lavender syrup using lavender from the home garden of Washington Gardener's editor, Kathy Jentz. I have been seeing these trendy lavender oat milk lattes everywhere on the internet, and I wanted to try and recreate the drink myself at home.

 

Lavender simple syrup
Photo by Khloe Quill

In this week’s TikTok video, I show myself making homemade lavender simple syrup and demonstrating how I made the coffee drink. The syrup was super simple (probably why they call it a "simple syrup," now that I think about it): just water, sugar, and the sprigs of lavender. 

I don’t have an espresso machine at my apartment, so I just used normal brewed coffee, which still turned out great. I put in oat milk, the lavender syrup, and also a hint of vanilla syrup which I figured would pair well with the lavender.

 

I liked the drink a lot! I was skeptical that I would like it since I haven’t used lavender in many foods before, but I definitely will be trying more foods and drinks with lavender now. It was super earthy, and the lavender paired so well with the bold coffee taste and creaminess of the oat milk.

If coffee mixed with lavender doesn’t sound like your thing, you’re in luck, because we have another recipe using lavender this week. I got in contact with last semester’s Washington Gardener intern, Khloe Quill, who also recently made lavender syrup to make a lavender lemonade for the Fourth of July. She even made freshly squeezed lemonade! She used this recipe, which makes a delicious and gorgeous-looking drink, perfect for any summer barbeques or garden parties you may have.

As always, let us know if you try either of these recipes using lavender from your own garden.

About the Author

Molly Cuddy is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is also a campus tour guide and will be a teaching assistant for a professional writing class next semester.