Grenadine Syrup substitute

Best substitute

Pomegranate Juice

1 cup + 1 cup sugar

Best for when you can spend 15 minutes cooking it down

The closest grenadine substitute is one you cook: simmer 1 cup of unsweetened pomegranate juice with 1 cup of sugar over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduced by about a third and coats a spoon. Pomegranate juice poured straight from the carton is far too thin and nowhere near sweet enough to stand in for a syrup.

Other grenadine syrup substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Cranberry Juice
1 cup + ¾ cup sugar
Sharply tart and the right colour, so the sugar is doing all the correcting.
What changes
Best for
when you want tartness along with the red colour, a Sea Breeze or a Cosmopolitan-leaning drink, when it is the only red juice in the fridge
Taste
much tarter
Texture
thin until reduced
Simmer 1 cup with 3/4 cup sugar for 10 minutes, or the drink comes out sour and pale. Use unsweetened juice, not cranberry cocktail.
3Simple Syrup + Red Food Coloring
Different taste
1 cup + 1-2 drops
Homemade alternative with similar sweetness and color
What changes
Best for
when the grenadine was there for colour and sweetness only, layered drinks that need the density to sink, when there is no red fruit in the house
Per 1 cup of grenadine, 1 cup of simple syrup plus 1-2 drops of red food colouring. It gives you the sweetness, the density and the colour, and no pomegranate flavour at all, so use it only where the grenadine was there for looks.
4Cherry Juice
1 cup + ½ cup sugar
Sweeter and rounder than pomegranate, so it needs less sugar and tastes unmistakably of cherry.
What changes
Best for
when a cherry note suits the drink anyway, Shirley Temples, where cherry is already the theme, when cherry juice is what is open
Taste
sweeter, cherry
Texture
thin until reduced
Simmer 1 cup with 1/2 cup sugar for 10 minutes. Use tart Montmorency juice if you can - sweet black cherry juice makes a cloying syrup.
5Raspberry Syrup
Use 1 cup for every cup of grenadine syrup
Already a syrup, so it is the one option that is the right thickness straight from the bottle.
What changes
Best for
when a shop-bought syrup is all there is, drinks where the density matters more than the flavour, desserts and pancakes
Taste
raspberry
Texture
similar
No cooking needed, and it pours and sinks the way grenadine does. The flavour is unmistakably raspberry rather than pomegranate.
6Strawberry Syrup
Use 1 cup for every cup of grenadine syrup
A shop-bought syrup of the right density and the wrong colour, usually pink rather than deep red.
What changes
Best for
when raspberry syrup is not available, sweet drinks for children, ice cream and desserts
Taste
sweeter, strawberry
Texture
similar
Sweeter and less sharp than raspberry syrup and paler, so the finished drink comes out pink rather than the deep red grenadine gives.

What is Grenadine Syrup?

Grenadine Syrup is a sweet, deep red pomegranate syrup - usually just called grenadine - poured by the half-ounce to colour and sweeten drinks such as a Tequila Sunrise, a Sea Breeze or a Shirley Temple.

Cooking tips

Grenadine is a syrup, not a juice, and cocktails rely on that. It is dense enough to sink through a drink, which is what gives a Tequila Sunrise its layers.
To make it: 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice plus 1 cup sugar, simmered over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until reduced by about a third. Cool before bottling.
Homemade grenadine keeps about a month in a sealed bottle in the fridge, and it separates as it sits, so shake before pouring.
Grenadine contains no alcohol, which is why it is in most of the standard non-alcoholic drinks a bar makes.
A dash of orange flower water, about 1/4 tsp per cup, is what gives traditional grenadine its faintly floral note.
Simple syrup with red colouring gives you the colour and the density and none of the flavour, so use it only where grenadine was there for looks.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use pomegranate juice instead of grenadine syrup?

Yes, pomegranate juice is a good substitute for grenadine syrup. It has similar flavor and color, though it may be more tart and need additional sweetening.

What's the difference between grenadine syrup and pomegranate juice?

Grenadine syrup is sweetened pomegranate juice, while pomegranate juice is pure juice. Grenadine syrup is sweeter and more concentrated.

Can I use cranberry juice instead of grenadine syrup?

Yes, cranberry juice can work as a substitute, though it has a different flavor profile. It has similar color and tartness.

What is the best substitute for grenadine?

Make it. Simmer 1 cup of unsweetened pomegranate juice with 1 cup of sugar over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until it reduces by about a third and coats the back of a spoon, then cool it. That is essentially what grenadine is. It keeps about a month in a sealed bottle in the fridge. If you cannot cook, the next best thing is a shop-bought raspberry or cherry syrup, which is at least the right density even though the flavour is different.

Can I use pomegranate juice on its own instead of grenadine?

Only if you accept a different drink. Grenadine is a syrup: it is thick, roughly as sweet as simple syrup, and heavy enough to sink through a cocktail and give a Tequila Sunrise its layered look. Juice is thin and tart, so it will disperse rather than sink, dilute the drink, and leave it sour. If you must use juice straight, use half the volume and add 1/2 tsp of sugar per tablespoon.

Related substitutes

More sauces & condiments substitutes

Grenadine Syrup substitute

Other grenadine syrup substitutes

2Cranberry Juice

3Simple Syrup + Red Food Coloring

4Cherry Juice

5Raspberry Syrup

6Strawberry Syrup