Wondering what’s the big deal about cascara syrup? You’ve come to the right place. Cascara syrup has gotten a lot of eyeballs ever since Starbucks gave it some attention. So what is this thing? Is it good? Can you make it at home? Let’s answer these questions and more.
What is cascara syrup? Cascara syrup is made by brewing cascara and sugar in a saucepan. The resulting product is sweet and has a sticky texture making it a syrup. Cascara syrup has a sweet taste with a touch of citrus and floral notes. It is an excellent sweetener for your beverages and you can also use it on top of pancakes, waffles, and even as doughnut filling.
Cascara Syrup – An Explainer
Cascara is already well known for most coffee folks.
But it was in 2017, cascara syrup got some traction when Starbucks introduced its Cascara latte.
That’s not a bad beverage by any means, but like everything else, they marketed the bejeezus out of it and thereby making people think a lot about cascara syrup.
So what is this cascara?
Cascara is obtained from the cherry part of the coffee fruit.
In Spanish, cascara translates to husk which is exactly what it is.
Cascara is obtained when the outer skin and pulp of the coffee fruit are separated from the coffee bean and then dried. Some coffee farmers will dispose of what’s left of the coffee cherry but some will dry it to make cascara.
Why make cascara?
Cascara might be a byproduct of coffee, but it makes an excellent cascara tea also known as coffee cherry tea. Cascara is also used as a cascara topping like raisins and such.
Cascara syrup, on the other hand, is a more processed version of cascara. It can be used to sweeten beverages like coffee and steamed milk. Even some cocktails make use of cascara syrup.
In addition to that cascara syrup is also an excellent topping for pancakes, waffles, doughnuts (as filling), and even ice cream.
Do not confuse this cascara syrup with the cascara extract you get from cascara buckthorn which is a laxative.
What Does Cascara Syrup Taste Like?
People got a good taste of cascara syrup from the Starbucks cascara latte. The drink was a hit and you can see that there is some demand for the drink even now. So what’s the taste like?
If you’re going to taste cascara with the picture of coffee in your mind, you will be disappointed as it tastes nothing like coffee. Remember, cascara syrup is made from the flesh and outer skin of the coffee cherry and not the coffee beans.
The taste of the cascara syrup, though predominantly sweet, can vary depending on the coffee plant. Cascara made from Arabica plants and Robusta can be different. If the coffee plant is from different regions, you can be sure that the cascara syrup is going to have a slightly different flavor.
Cascara syrup is nothing but brewed cascara. When you infuse this syrup into water or any other beverage, you will feel a cherry taste with notes of citrus. Some cascara syrups will also carry an earthy flavor.
In addition to the sweetening effect, cascara syrup also imparts a nice fragrance. It isn’t going to affect the existing aroma of the drink but complements it nicely.
It is important to note that cascara syrup gets its sweet taste only from sugar. The original taste is deep, cherry-like, and slightly sweet as best. You can also use cane sugar or brown sugar if you wish.
How To Use Cascara Syrup?
We’ve already touched on this lightly, but it is now time to dive deep.
Cascara syrup is a great addition to your coffee. But the buck does not stop there.
You can use cascara syrup as a base sweetener for pretty much any hot beverage you can think of. Be it tea or just simple steamed milk, cascara syrup works great.
You can also informally add some to your cold drinks if the taste is growing on you.
Apart from sweetening drinks, cascara syrup can also replace honey, maple syrup, and other syrups. It can be used as a topping for ice creams, pancakes, and waffles.
Does Cascara Syrup Have Caffeine?
Cascara syrup contains a small amount of caffeine when compared to a regular cup of coffee. You can say the caffeine content is approximately one-fourth of what you would find in a cup of coffee. It will not give you the same energy but you get it nevertheless.
If a cup of black coffee can deliver 90mg of caffeine, you will be able to get around 23mg of caffeine from your cascara syrup. Of course, you can increase your caffeine content by adding more syrup but it can make your drink overly sweet which is not to be done.
How To Make Cascara Syrup?
Making cascara syrup is simple. Here are the things you’ll need.
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup of cascara
- A saucepan
- A sieve
Add a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
Once done, add sugar and cascara to the saucepan. Stir the sugar until it melts in the water and bring it to simmer for about 4 minutes.
When the time’s up, you will notice that the mixture is a lot thicker. Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove all the cascara bits from the syrup.
Store it in a clean jar and your cascara syrup is ready to use.
You can also add brown sugar in place of cane sugar and the syrup will turn out just fine.
Alternatively, if you want to avoid all these steps, you can buy your cascara syrup online.
The Starbucks cascara syrup is probably the best choice out there, but you can also find other ones as well.
You can also try your local roasters to see if they have their version of cascara syrups for sale.
Cascara Syrup – Nutritional Value
If you’re wondering how healthy cascara syrup is, then this section for perfect for you.
As we said, the sweetness in the syrup is mainly because of the sugar you add. So if you have problems with sugar, then you’re going to have the same problems with cascara syrup as well.
You can use brown sugar as an alternative to white sugar to make your syrup healthier.
Here are some nutritional values you will find interesting.
| Nutritional Value | Per fl oz | Per 100ml |
| Calories | 49 | 163 |
| Protein | 0.1gm | 0.3gm |
| Fat | <0.1gm | <0.1gm |
| Carbohydrates | 45gm | 145gm |
| Sugar | 46gm | 150gm |
| Dietary Fibre | 0.2gm | 0.5gm |
| Sodium | 0.2mg | 0.5mg |
Cascara Syrup – Closing Thoughts
Cascara syrup is an excellent sweetening agent for your coffee. Not only coffee, but you can also use this in pretty much any hot (or cold) beverage you want.
If you haven’t tried this with your coffee, now would be an excellent time. Try it and do let us know how you like it.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask us and we’d be happy to help. Happy caffeinating till then!