Guava Syrup

Marie Overton

Feb 223 min read

Guava syrup has a honeylike texture and tastes heavenly. In my area we don't have guava trees so I love it when I find some at the store. I appreciate the flavor which to me tastes so exotic. This syrup is a byproduct of a guava jam that I make. The jam uses the outside of the fruit and the syrup uses the inside that surrounds the seeds.

Homemade Guava syrup is delightful to eat any time of the year.

Jars of guava syrup on a wooden board. A heart shape formed in syrup on a cutting board. A silver pot beside them, creating a cozy vibe.

Preparation to Make Guava syrup:

Start by preparing your boiling water bath canner with enough water to cover 5-half pint jars with 1-2 inches of water. Place the water bath canner on the stove on medium heat. Now that your equipment is ready, it is time to start making syrup.

Ingredients:

23 guava fruit

1/2 teaspoon butter

3 1/4 cups sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups water

Making the Jam:

Wash, peel and cut off the ends of the guava with a peeler and paring knife. Then, cut them in half and use a melon baller to remove the seeds and pulp from the center. I like to use the outer portion for making guava jam but you could add it to your syrup if you wanted.

Hands scooping balls from guavas on a wooden cutting board; empty guava shells in a green bowl, knife nearby. Kitchen setting.

Place the pulp, cinnamon stick and water in a large pot. Place the pan on the stove and bring it to a boil. The goal is to both soften up the pulp and disperse the cinnamon flavor. I press the pulp against the sides of the pan to help break it up a little. Once it comes to a boil, set the timer for 5 minutes. Continue to stir regularly.

A hand stirs boiling guava pulp in a pot with a wooden spoon on an electric stove. The background is tiled, creating a casual kitchen setting.

Next, I use my honey strainer. I only want to use the coarse upper strainer portion. The lower part would be too fine. I like to use a silicone spatula to move the pulp back and forth over the strainer so that all the liquid and soft pulp portion can strain through. I press down to encourage the soft parts to pass through the strainer. This can take 5 minutes or more to get the moisture through it.

Hands stirring a thick mixture of guava pulp in a pot on a speckled countertop, with another pot and a bowl nearby. Neutral kitchen setting.

When done, be sure to knock the pulp off the bottom of the strainer into the pot as this can be quite a large amount.

Person filtering guavas into a pot on a speckled countertop. Metal lid tilted over the pot. Warm kitchen setting, no visible text.

I give the leftover seeds to my chickens but you could mix it with peanut butter and feed the wild birds instead.

Then I add the sugar. If you want to reduce foaming add 1/2 teaspoon of butter. This is an option step but I feel like it really helps.

Bring the mixture back to a boil.

Filling Jars and Canning:

Using a jar funnel, pour or ladle the syrup into clean, hot, half-pint-sized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Hands pour liquid guava syrup into a jar using a funnel on a speckled countertop. Several empty jars are nearby. A beige apron is partially visible.

Place the lids and rings on and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner at sea level or adjust for your elevation. After the timer is done, remove the lid, turn off the heat, and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

Hands use tongs to lift sealed jars of guava syrup on a wooden cutting board. Kitchen background, apron visible, cozy mood.

Remove the jars from the water bath. Allow them to sit a heat-resistant surface on the counter for 24 hours then check if they are sealed properly. The center will be indented down if they are. Then, remove the rings and wash off the jars with hot soapy water. If not sealed, place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use them right away.