Butterfly Pea Syrup (Easy Homemade Recipe)

This butterfly pea syrup is a homemade simple syrup made using blue butterfly pea flowers. It makes a pretty, naturally colored blue syrup that is great for desserts and drinks!

With only 3 ingredients, this easy butterfly pea simple syrup is easy to put together. It's deep blue hue gives any drinks or desserts a pretty color. The syrup requires only about 15 minutes to make and you can be make it in advance. Kept refrigerated, this lovely blue pea flower syrup lasts well.

What is Butterfly Pea?

Butterfly pea plant is a vine that produces delicate bright blue flowers. This plant is native to the Asian region and the flowers have always been traditionally used as a natural food color. Though almost tasteless, the flowers are said to be rich antioxidant, hence often consumed as a herbal drink. Having said that, the flowers are only used for the color and extract, and are discarded afterwards.

When steeped in warm or hot water, the flowers impart a deep blue extract and the color often changes to purple when it comes into contact with acidic PH.

Blue pea flowers can be used fresh or dried. They are also sold in powder form that can be used directly in drinks and baking.

The butterfly pea syrup recipe on this page uses dried butterfly pea flowers. It is a concentrated syrup, and is therefore of a very dark blue color. It is made using equal amounts of water and sugar that are heated to a boil. The blue pea flowers are added in and allowed to steep for a good 5 minutes before the syrup is strained to discard the flower pulp.

How to Make the Syrup

Ingredients

• Water
• Sugar
• Butterfly pea flowers

Making the syrup

1. Measure water into a small pot. Turn on the heat and boil the water.
2. As soon as the water boils, add the sugar. Stir to dissolve and let it come to a boil.
3. Turn off the heat. Add in the butterfly pea flowers and stir briefly.
4. Cover the pot with a lid and the the flowers steep in the hot syrup for 5 minutes.
5. Strain the syrup to discard the flower pulp.
6. Press the flowers to remove as much extract as possible before discarding them. Let the syrup cool down to room temperature before using or storing in the refrigerator.

Notes

Fresh flowers or dried flowers?

• You can use both fresh butterfly pea flowers or the dried version to make this syrup. Both will yield the same results.
• For optimum results, let the flowers steep in the hot syrup for about 5 minutes to allow all the extract and the color from the flowers to impart into the liquid.

Would powder extract of butterfly pea flowers work for this syrup?

• If you cannot find the butterfly pea flowers (either fresh or dried version), you can always purchase them in powder form for this recipe.
• Unlike making the syrup with the flowers, if you are using the powder, simply add the powder to the water, sugar and syrup and heat up until the sugar dilutes and the syrup comes to a boil.

Can you adjust the quantity of flowers?

• Yes you can. The syrup recipe on this page makes a rather concentrated butterfly pea syrup, hence the dark blue color of it. You can make your syrup lighter by using lesser flowers.
• I do not, however, recommend adding too many flowers in making the syrup from what I have indicated in the recipe as the butterfly pea flower is a herb and it is always advisable to not overdo with herbs.

Can you store the syrup at room temperature?

• No, this homemade simply syrup should be refridgerated.

How long does the syrup last?

• The syrup can last for a good 2 weeks in the refrigerator. If you store it at room temperature, it is best to consume the syrup within a day.

What can you use the syrup for?

• This butterfly pea syrup is quite neutral in taste and smell, but it does impart a lovely blue color. Hence it is mostly suitable for making drinks and desserts.
• You can make simple butterfly pea tea or butterfly pea lemonade with this syrup. You can also make cocktails with it.

What does the pea syrup taste like?

• The butterfly pea syrup is sweet, and there really is not distinct smell or taste that distinguishes it from the normal simple sugar syrup. Nevertheless, the flowers are said to be a good antioxidant source and are also often used as a natural blue colorant in drinks.

Like this homemade butterfly pea syrup recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out

• Butterfly Birthday Cake - A Decorating Tutorial
• Butterfly Cupcakes
• Pandan Syrup
• Butterfly Pea Latte
• Butterfly Pea Lemonade
• Gula Melaka Syrup
• Butterfly Pea Flower Drink

Recipe (Printable)

Here is the full printable version of my homemade blue butterfly pea syrup recipe.

And that my super easy, butterfly pea syrup recipe.

Enjoy!