Why you’ll love this DIY triple sec recipe

Easy to make with only 3 ingredients (+ water), it delivers a citrusy-sweet orange flavor to any cocktail.
This version is non-alcoholic so you can use it to make mocktails and virgin drinks too!
The sweetness of this orange-flavored homemade triple sec is the secret ingredient in a classic virgin margarita.
Since it’s basically an orange syrup, you can use it in any drink to add orange flavor or even add it as a topping for muffins, pancakes or waffles.

Related ->> Learn How to Make Honey Simple Syrup

How to make non-alcoholic triple sec (aka orange syrup)

Gather the 4 ingredients. Water, honey, maple syrup and 1 orange.

Add the honey, maple syrup and water to a pan.

Zest the orange peel using a grater or microplane and add the zest to the pan.

Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice of the orange into the pan.

Bring to a boil, stirring in the honey to mix while it heats up.

After it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to simmer for 15-20 minutes. The liquid will reduce and thicken.

Carefully strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any orange zest and pulp. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Notes and tips

Honey – I love the flavor profile honey adds, but you can substitute regular sugar, brown sugar or use maple syrup. The final color will look a little different with any of these.
Honey & heat – If you wish to preserve as much of the good bacteria and nutritional benefits of honey as possible, you can simply heat the water and honey over the lowest heat possible to dissolve the honey and stir the mixture until the honey dissolves. This will result in a more “watery” result.
Straining – Take your time to carefully strain the zest out of the liquid to get a pure syrup. If you don’t have a fine mesh strainer, you can just slice up the orange peel into strips instead of zesting. Then you can simply remove the peel instead of straining.
Storing – You can store this in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator for about a month.

How this recipe is different than regular triple sec (with alcohol)

Triple sec with alcohol is a sweet, orange-flavored liqueur that’s used in many traditional drinks.

It’s typically made with a neutral alcohol that’s steeped and flavored with orange peels. It’s also sweetened and has an alcohol content around 20%

This homemade triple sec is different as it is:

Alcohol free
Made with real orange juice and zest (no artificial flavoring)
Contains more natural sweeteners (honey and maple syrup)
Perfect for mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks

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A jar of homemade triple sec with a white cap

5 from 5 ratings

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