If you’re a coffee lover who enjoys all the extras in your brew, flavored syrups are a familiar topic. Adding flavor is a fun way to jazz up your morning or afternoon coffee break. If you like a variety of different flavors, purchasing them all can add up in costs. Plus, purchased syrups tend to be full of preservatives. If you’re interested in whipping up a fresh flavor with no chemicals, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’ll show you how to make syrups for coffee at home.
The base is a simple syrup with equal parts water and sugar. For this guide, we made a simple but delicious vanilla syrup. Once you’ve mastered the basics, feel free to experiment with other flavors!
How to Make Vanilla Syrup for Coffee:
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or 2 vanilla beans split lengthwise
- Saucepan
- Spoon or spatula
- Storage container with lid
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Let your mixture boil until the sugar is fully dissolved. Keep an eye on it — you do not want it to boil over!
3. Add vanilla and stir well.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer to desired thickness.
Your ideal syrup texture is up to you! Once your syrup is as thick as you like it, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool. If you used whole vanilla beans, strain them out once the syrup is cool.
5. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Your homemade coffee syrup should last up to a month in your refrigerator. Add it to your coffee whenever you like!
Variations
There are many flavor possibilities when making syrups for your coffee. Be playful in the kitchen and see what happens. Try adding cinnamon sticks, peppermint or hazelnut extract, or pumpkin pie spice.
Alternatively, if you want to make coffee-flavored syrup to use in recipes for ice cream, desserts, milk coffee, and adult beverages, you can use brewed coffee instead of water.
The key to making your own is to play with the proportions to your taste. If you want less sweet, adjust the amount of sugar. For more of your favorite flavor, add more of that flavor ingredient. It’s all up to you!
Extract or Emulsion?
When shopping, you may have seen an emulsion on the shelf next to the vanilla extract. Here’s the difference: An extract is an alcohol-based mixture, and an emulsion is water based, i.e., alcohol-free. An emulsion is used at the same ratio as an extract. If a recipe calls for one teaspoon of an extract, you can use one teaspoon of an emulsion. Emulsions do not combine well with chocolate but will work fine for coffee syrups.
How to Make Vanilla Syrup for Coffee
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Spoon or spatula
- Storage container with lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 2 vanilla beans split lengthwise
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Let your mixture boil until the sugar is fully dissolved. Keep an eye on it -- you don't want it to boil over!
- Add vanilla and stir well.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer to desired thickness.
- Your ideal syrup texture is up to you! Once your syrup is as thick as you like it, remove the pan from the heat and allow it cool. If you used whole vanilla beans, strain them out once the syrup is cool.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Your homemade coffee syrup should last up to a month in your refrigerator. Add it to your coffee whenever you like!
Nutrition
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