Easy vegan chai plum syrup using Japanese green plums (ume) and warming spices. A unique, caffeine-free syrup perfect for summer drinks and desserts.
Looking for a refreshing summer syrup with a twist? This Vegan Chai Plum Syrup combines the tart, fruity flavor of Japanese green plums (ume) with the cozy warmth of chai spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. It’s vegan, caffeine-free, and alcohol-free—perfect for kids, tea lovers, and anyone craving a unique homemade drink.
Whether you mix it into sparkling water or drizzle it over shaved ice(かき氷) or yogurt, this syrup is a delicious way to enjoy ume season.
Jump to:
- 🍑 What Is Ume (Japanese Green Plum)?
- 🐰 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🌻 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 🌱 Yellow or Green Ume? What's the Difference?
- 🧂 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
- 🔰 How to Prep Ume (Removing the Stems Easily!)
- 🌼 How to Make Vegan Chai Plum Syrup (Step-by-Step)
- ♻️ Bonus Tip: Don’t Waste the Fruit!
- ☀️Storage & Shelf Life
- 👼Troubleshooting: What to Do If Your Plum Syrup Starts to Ferment
- 🍹 How to Enjoy Chai Plum Syrup
- 👨🏻🍳F&Q
- 🚲More Recipes with Cinnamon
- 🌈Latest Vegan Recipes
- 📖Recipe Card
🍑 What Is Ume (Japanese Green Plum)?
Ume are small, green, tart plums that show up in Japanese markets in early summer. While they’re too sour to eat raw, they’re amazing for making traditional foods like umeboshi (pickled plums) or umeshu (plum wine). Here, we’re taking a fun and fragrant twist by turning them into a sweet-and-spicy syrup!
🐰 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with fruity and spiced flavor
- Only a handful of ingredients needed
- Easy, no-cook recipe—just let it sit and do its magic
- Great for drinks, desserts, and more
- Kid-friendly and caffeine-free!
🌻 Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this syrup, you’ll need:
- Fresh Japanese green plums (unripe ume) or yellow plums (ripe ume)
- Rock sugar (vegan rock sugar)
- Chai-style spices:
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cloves
- Cardamom pods
🌱 Yellow or Green Ume? What's the Difference?
You can use either green ume (ao-ume) or yellow ripe ume (kanjuku-ume) for this recipe—both work beautifully, just with slightly different results.
- Green ume are firm and tart, giving your syrup a crisp and refreshing flavor.
- Yellow ume are riper and slightly softer, making for a syrup that’s mellow, smooth, and a bit more fragrant.
It all comes down to your taste preference! Feel free to use whichever is available or appeals to you.
💡 Tip: If you're new to ume, green ones are more commonly used for syrups and pickles, while yellow ones are great for making sweet liqueurs or a richer flavor profile.
🧂 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
- Sterilized 3L glass jar with airtight lid: A clean, dry jar is essential to prevent mold during fermentation.
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula: Use non-metal tools for stirring.
- Clean cloth or paper towels: To dry the plums thoroughly before fermenting.
- Toothpick or skewer: Perfect for removing plum stems efficiently.
🔰 How to Prep Ume (Removing the Stems Easily!)
If you're new to working with ume (Japanese green plums), don’t worry—this part is easy and even kind of satisfying!
Before making the syrup, you’ll want to remove the little stems from the top of each plum. Here's how to do it:
What Tool Should You Use?
You’ll need something small and pointy to lift out the stem.
- Many people use bamboo skewers, which are soft and gentle on the fruit.
- At our house, we often use a metal BBQ skewer—just something we had on hand!
🌟 Note: You might hear that ume and metal don’t go well together. That’s because ume are acidic, and certain metals can react. But if you’re working quickly and wash your tools right after, it’s totally fine.
So don’t stress about buying special tools—use what you’ve got!
Easiest Way to Remove Ume Stems
STEP1: Take your skewer and gently press it into the edge of the stem.
STEP2: Wiggle it just a bit and pop the stem upward.
STEP3: Done! It should come out easily and cleanly.
This method is fast, simple, and gives great results. Perfect for beginners!
🌼 How to Make Vegan Chai Plum Syrup (Step-by-Step)
Now that you’ve mastered the stem-removal technique, let’s get started with the syrup prep!
- Sterilize the Container: Pour a small amount of white liquor (such as shochu or vodka) into a large glass jar with a lid.
Close the lid and shake the jar so the liquor touches all surfaces inside.
Then open the lid, wipe off any excess with paper towels, and let it air-dry completely.
💡 This helps prevent mold during the long steeping process.
- Prep the Plums: Wash the plums gently, then spread them out in a single layer to air-dry completely.
Once dry, remove the stems using the method described in “How to Prep Ume” above.
- Layer the Ingredients: In the sterilized jar, layer in this order: Plums → Chai spices → Rock sugar.
Repeat the layers until everything is in the jar, making sure to finish with a layer of sugar on top.
- Let It Steep: Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dark place for about 7–10 days.
While the sugar is dissolving, gently shake the jar once a day to help it mix.
💡 Make sure the plums are always covered with sugar or the syrup to prevent fermentation or mold.
- Remove the Plums: When the sugar is fully dissolved and the plums look wrinkled, remove the plums and spices using clean tongs or a slotted spoon.
Pour the finished syrup into a clean, smaller jar or bottle and store it in the fridge.
💡 If your plums don’t wrinkle even after the sugar has dissolved, remove them after about one month to avoid oversteeping.
- Enjoy!: Your syrup is ready! Mix it with chilled water or sparkling water, or drizzle it over vegan yogurt or ice cream.
♻️ Bonus Tip: Don’t Waste the Fruit!
The leftover plums and spices are perfect for making chai spiced blueberry plum jam or compote. Get creative and don’t let them go to waste!
☀️Storage & Shelf Life
Store the finished syrup in a clean, airtight bottle in the refrigerator.
If kept properly chilled and handled with clean utensils, it will last for 6 months to 1 year.
Important: Every time you open the lid, there's a chance of introducing bacteria. To keep it safe and fresh, always use clean spoons or pour directly without dipping.
If you notice any signs of fermentation (fizzing, cloudiness, sour smell), keep it in the fridge and use it up within 1 month.
👼Troubleshooting: What to Do If Your Plum Syrup Starts to Ferment
Don’t panic—it happens!
A fermented syrup will show signs like:
- Fizzy bubbles when stirred
- Plums swelling up and becoming very soft
- A noticeable alcohol-like smell
How to Fix It
You can stop the fermentation and still enjoy the syrup! Here's what to do:
- Carefully pour the syrup (without the plums) into a non-reactive pot like enamel or stainless steel. ⚠️ Do not use aluminum pots, as the acidity can cause a chemical reaction.
- Heat it gently over low heat, watching the temperature.
- Once it reaches around 60°C (140°F), remove it from the heat.
- Let it cool completely, then pour it into a clean, sterilized bottle and store it in the refrigerator.
This will stop the fermentation process and allow you to safely enjoy the syrup!
Can I Still Drink It If It’s Slightly Fermented?
Yes! Even if you don’t stop the fermentation, the syrup can still taste delicious—it may have a light fizz, similar to a sparkling drink.
Just be cautious when serving it to children, as a small amount of alcohol may have developed.
Some people even enjoy that subtle fizzy kick!
🍹 How to Enjoy Chai Plum Syrup
This syrup is super versatile. Try it:
- Mixed with sparkling water for a fizzy summer drink
- Drizzled over yogurt or vegan ice cream or shaved ice (かき氷)
- Stirred into iced tea or herbal tea for extra depth
- Mixed with water and poured into popsicle molds for a frozen treat
👨🏻🍳F&Q
Ume have a uniquely tart and fragrant profile. Regular plums are much sweeter and won’t give the same result—but you’re welcome to experiment!
Of course! Love black pepper? Add some for extra kick! Don’t like cloves? Leave them out. Make it your own.
Absolutely! It’s non-alcoholic, caffeine-free, and full of fruity flavor that even little ones can enjoy.
You can definitely use granulated sugar or other types of sugar instead. Rock sugar dissolves slowly, which helps gently draw out the flavor from the plums and results in a smoother, less bitter syrup. Using other sugars will slightly change the final flavor and texture—but that can be part of the fun! Try experimenting with different sugars to create your perfect syrup.
🚲More Recipes with Cinnamon
Love cinnamon? You’ll probably enjoy these too:
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If you like this recipe or have already made it, we'd love to hear your thoughts in the COMMENTS 🐒. Also feel free to ask any questions or leave any requests!
📖Recipe Card
Vegan Chai Plum Syrup (Ume Syrup with Spices)
Equipment
- 1 glass jar 3L
- 2 glass jar 930ml
- skewer
- paper towel
- scooping net
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh ume (green or ripe)
- 1 kg rock sugar (or substitute with granulated sugar or any sugar you prefer)
- 10 g cinnamon stick
- 3 g whole cloves
- 3 g cardamom pods
Instructions
- Sterilize the Container: Pour a small amount of white liquor (such as shochu or vodka) into a large glass jar with a lid. Close the lid and shake the jar so the liquor touches all surfaces inside.Then open the lid, wipe off any excess with paper towels, and let it air-dry completely.* This helps prevent mold during the long steeping process.
- Prep the Plums: Wash the plums gently, then spread them out in a single layer to air-dry completely. Once dry, remove the stems using the method described in “How to Prep Ume” above.1 kg fresh ume
- Layer the Ingredients: In the sterilized jar, layer in this order: Plums → Chai spices → Rock sugar. Repeat the layers until everything is in the jar, making sure to finish with a layer of sugar on top.1 kg rock sugar10 g cinnamon stick3 g whole cloves3 g cardamom pods
- Let It Steep: Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dark place for about 7–10 days.While the sugar is dissolving, gently shake the jar once a day to help it mix.* Make sure the plums are always covered with sugar or the syrup to prevent fermentation or mold.
- Remove the Plums: When the sugar is fully dissolved and the plums look wrinkled, remove the plums and spices using clean tongs or a slotted spoon. Pour the finished syrup into a clean, smaller jar or bottle and store it in the fridge.* If your plums don’t wrinkle even after the sugar has dissolved, remove them after about one month to avoid oversteeping.
- Enjoy!: Your syrup is ready! Mix it with chilled water or sparkling water, or drizzle it over vegan yogurt or ice cream.
Notes
- You can reuse the plums to make compote or jam.
- The syrup flavor deepens after a few weeks—try it both fresh and aged!
- You can use either green or yellow ume. Green plums make the syrup more crisp and refreshing, while yellow plums create a smoother, mellow flavor.
- Store in the fridge. Keeps for 6–12 months if cleanly handled. If fermentation starts, use within 1 month.
How did it turn out? Once your Chai-Spiced Ume Syrup is ready, why not use the leftover plums to make a tangy blueberry-style ume jam?
Honestly, in our home, we make this syrup just so we can make the jam.
It’s truly delicious—give it a try! 🕊
💬Did you try this recipe? Let me know how it turned out in the comments— or mention #vegin_vegan_vegun or just tag us @veginveganvegun with your delicious creations!
yui says
I just added a touch of spices to the syrup that was already done.
The aroma is so lovely, and the taste is just perfect.
Next year, I'll try adding it from the beginning.