Gum Syrup substitute

Best substitute

Rich (2:1) simple syrup

Use the same amount by volume as the gum syrup you are replacing

Best for any cocktail calling for gum syrup

Different texture

This is the rare case where the answer is genuinely reassuring: gum syrup tastes exactly like simple syrup. The gum arabic in it adds no flavour and no sweetness at all, it only adds body, a slightly thicker and silkier feel in the mouth that also rounds off the burn of high-proof spirits. So use a rich 2:1 simple syrup measure for measure and you have replaced ninety percent of what gum syrup was contributing. If you want the texture too, stir two teaspoons of powdered gum arabic into a little warm water, let it hydrate for a few hours, then mix it into a cup of rich syrup, because that is all gum syrup is. A barspoon of egg white or aquafaba in the shaker is a different route to the same silkiness. Do not reach for xanthan gum unless you have nothing else, it is slippery rather than silky and extremely easy to overdo.

Other gum syrup substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Rich simple syrup plus gum arabic you dissolve yourself
Close match
Use About 2 teaspoons of powdered gum arabic for every 1 cup of rich syrup
Not really a substitute, this is the recipe.
What changes
Gum arabic, sold as acacia gum or acacia powder, needs to hydrate slowly: stir the powder into two or three tablespoons of warm water, leave it for a few hours or overnight until there are no lumps, skim any foam, then stir it into the warm syrup.
Best for
classic and pre-Prohibition cocktail recipes, spirit-forward drinks, anything where mouthfeel is the point
Patience is the whole technique. Dumping the powder straight into hot syrup gives you stubborn lumps that will never dissolve and a syrup you have to throw away. Buy the powder rather than the whole tears or lumps, which take days to soften.
3A barspoon of egg white or aquafaba in the shake
Close match
Replace the gum syrup with rich simple syrup 1:1, then add about a teaspoon of egg white or aquafaba to the shaker
A completely different mechanism that arrives at a similar sensation.
What changes
Where gum arabic thickens the liquid, protein whipped into the drink creates a fine foam that reads as silky and soft. Aquafaba, the liquid from a tin of chickpeas, works the same way without egg.
Best for
shaken sours, fizzes, Clover Club and Ramos-style drinks
You will get a visible foam cap the drink would not otherwise have, which may or may not be what you wanted. It also only works in shaken drinks, so it is no help in a stirred Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.
4Orgeat
Different taste
Use the same amount with the recipe's other sweetener pulled back slightly
An almond syrup that is emulsified, so it genuinely has the rich, coating body gum syrup provides.
What changes
The catch is that it also brings a strong marzipan and orange-flower flavour, so it changes what the drink tastes of rather than just how it feels.
Best for
tiki drinks, rum and brandy drinks, anywhere almond is welcome
A reasonable choice if you already have a bottle and the drink can carry almond. A bad choice in something clean and dry like a Gin Fizz, where the marzipan takes over completely.
5Cane syrup or honey syrup
Different taste
Use the same amount
Both are thicker and heavier than plain sugar syrup, so the mouthfeel moves in the right direction on its own.
What changes
Cane syrup contributes a butterscotch note and honey syrup a floral one, so neither is flavour-neutral the way gum syrup is.
Best for
rum drinks, whiskey drinks, punches
Cane syrup is the closer of the two, because its flavour is quieter. Both are sweeter per spoonful than a sugar syrup, so start at three quarters of the called-for volume and taste before adding more.
6A pinch of xanthan gum in rich syrup
Different texture
Use About 1/16 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every cup of rich simple syrup
It will thicken the syrup, and in a pinch it works.
What changes
But xanthan produces a slippery, faintly slimy texture rather than the clean silkiness of gum arabic, and the margin between not enough and unpleasantly gloopy is tiny.
Best for
emergencies only
This is the least-good option on the list and worth being honest about. If you overshoot you cannot fix it, the syrup has to be diluted heavily or discarded. Measure with a proper small measuring spoon, blend it in rather than stirring, and taste a diluted spoonful before committing a whole batch.

What is Gum Syrup?

Gum Syrup is Gum syrup, also spelled gomme syrup or simply gomme, is a rich sugar syrup with a small amount of gum arabic dissolved into it, which gives the syrup a silky viscosity without making it any sweeter.

Cooking tips

Gum arabic is the sap of the acacia tree and is sold under several names, gum arabic, gomme arabique, acacia gum and acacia fibre powder, all of which are the same thing. The food-grade powder from a baking or homebrew supplier is what you want.
Hydration is the only difficult part. Two teaspoons of powder into three tablespoons of warm water, stirred and then left covered for several hours, will give a smooth gel. Skim the greyish foam off the top before you combine it with the syrup, it looks unappealing and adds nothing.
You will taste the difference most clearly in a drink with nothing to hide behind, a Gin Fizz, a Whiskey Sour, a spirit-forward Old Fashioned. In anything with cream, egg or heavy fruit juice the effect is essentially invisible, so do not go to the trouble for a Pina Colada.
Finished gum syrup often throws a slight haze when it goes cold and can look faintly cloudy. That is the gum, it is harmless, and it clears as the drink dilutes.
Pineapple gum syrup, which several revival cocktails specify, is just gum syrup made with pineapple juice in place of some of the water. If you have gum syrup, add an equal part of pineapple juice and you are there.

Frequently asked questions

What does gum syrup taste like?

Like simple syrup. That is the honest and slightly anticlimactic answer. Gum arabic is flavourless and adds no sweetness of its own, so the only difference you can detect is textural: gum syrup feels rounder and heavier on the tongue and takes some of the alcoholic bite off a strong spirit.

Can I use simple syrup instead of gum syrup?

Yes, and for almost every drink it is a fine swap. Use a rich 2:1 simple syrup measure for measure so the sweetness and dilution match. The drink will taste identical and feel very slightly thinner and sharper, which matters in a stirred whiskey drink and is undetectable in most others.

Can I leave it out?

No, because it is the sugar in the drink, not a texture additive on top of some other sweetener. Leaving it out gives you an unsweetened, harsh cocktail. Replace it with any syrup you have rather than omitting it.

Is gomme syrup the same as gum syrup?

Yes. Gomme is simply the French word for gum, and old cocktail books use gomme, gomme syrup, gum, gum syrup and gum arabic syrup interchangeably. There is no difference between them.

Do I have to hydrate the gum arabic overnight?

A few hours is usually enough for powdered gum arabic, and overnight is safer. What you cannot do is skip it. Adding dry powder to hot syrup produces lumps that never break down, and no amount of stirring or straining afterwards rescues the batch.

Related substitutes

More sweeteners substitutes

Gum Syrup substitute

Other gum syrup substitutes

2Rich simple syrup plus gum arabic you dissolve yourself

3A barspoon of egg white or aquafaba in the shake

4Orgeat

5Cane syrup or honey syrup

6A pinch of xanthan gum in rich syrup