Jarritos Recipe

Combine and dissolve

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups granulated sugar, 4 cups water, and 1/2 cup light corn syrup (if using). Stir to combine off heat.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until all sugar dissolves (about 5–7 minutes). Do not boil vigorously. Once dissolved and slightly thickened, remove from heat and let cool to warm (~15 minutes).

If you want a clearer syrup, skim any foam and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container. Refrigerate until cold. This yields about 1 L of syrup base.

General note

You can make one flavor at a time or prepare smaller amounts of several flavors. The recipe below describes preparing one flavor batch using ~1/2 cup fruit concentrate mixed into the syrup base. Scale proportionally for multiple flavors.

Tamarind Jarritos

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup tamarind paste with 2–3 tablespoons of warm syrup to loosen. Strain if there are large fibers or seeds. Stir the loosened tamarind into 1 cup of cold syrup base. Add a pinch (1/8 tsp) salt and 1/4 teaspoon citric acid (optional). Taste and adjust: for more tang add extra citric acid or lime juice.

Mandarin Jarritos

Mix 1/2 cup concentrated mandarin juice (or strong fresh mandarin juice reduced slightly) with 1 cup cold syrup base. Add 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tablespoon lime juice if extra brightness is desired.

Pineapple Jarritos

Combine 1/2 cup strained fresh pineapple juice with 1 cup cold syrup base. Add 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp citric acid or 1 tsp lime juice to sharpen the pineapple flavor.

Mango Jarritos

Stir 1/2 cup mango puree into 1 cup cold syrup base. If puree is very thick, thin with 1–2 tablespoons water before mixing. Season with 1/8 tsp salt and up to 1/2 tablespoon lime juice to balance sweetness.

Fruit Punch Jarritos

Blend 1/2 cup fruit punch concentrate with 1 cup cold syrup base. Adjust brightness with 1/2 teaspoon citric acid or 1/2 tablespoon lime juice and 1/8 tsp salt.

Lime Jarritos

Mix 1/4 cup fresh lime juice with 3/4 cup cold syrup base. Add 1/8 tsp salt and up to 1/2 teaspoon citric acid if you want more tartness. Lime is more tart than other flavors, so reduce added citric acid accordingly.

For each 12 oz (360 ml) serving: combine 2.5 tablespoons (about 38 ml) of flavored syrup with 12 oz (about 1.5 cups) very cold carbonated water. If you made the batch in larger quantities, use a ratio of roughly 1 part flavored syrup to 5 parts carbonated water as a starting point (1:5). Adjust to taste—Jarritos are moderately sweet with pronounced fruit flavor.

Gently stir once to combine. Do not vigorously stir to preserve carbonation. Taste and adjust: add more syrup for sweetness or more carbonated water to dilute.

Serve over ice in a glass and garnish with a lime wedge if desired. For a bottled presentation, fill sterilized bottles leaving 1–2 cm headspace and refrigerate; best consumed within 7–10 days for freshness if not pasteurized.

Refrigerate unused flavored syrup in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, freeze in portions. Citric acid and refrigeration help preserve flavor and color.

To make small tasting bottles (like Jarritos 370 ml bottles), pre-mix flavored syrup and cold carbonated water at 1:5 ratio and bottle immediately. For a less sweet 'light' version use 1:6 or 1:7 syrup to water.