Easy Homemade Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe for Coffee

Ready in just 5 minutes, this wonderful vanilla simple syrup is perfect for coffee, tea, cocktails, baking and so much more!

To be honest, before I tried it, vanilla simple syrup was never a staple in my pantry.

One day, inspired by Tiktok and not wanting to go out, I decided to satisfy my craving for a Starbucks Iced Caramel Vanilla by making it at home. I had everything I needed except the vanilla simple syrup. Given that vanilla is a key flavor in the drink, I decided to make the effort to make it myself. I didn't have any fancy vanilla beans, so I used vanilla extract. To be honest the syrup didn't look very promising. I added it to the milk and began frothing.

WOW.

This homemade vanilla syrup recipe turned my regular milk froth into an aromatic masterpiece. It felt like a big comforting hug and tasted like melted vanilla ice cream. The whole kitchen smelled like vanilla.

I couldn't believe it. Now I use it in everything from soaking cakes, my morning coffee to fancy cocktails.

If you make coffee drinks at home, you absolutely need this syrup.

Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

What is vanilla simple syrup?

Vanilla simple syrup is a sweetening agent used in various beverages, desserts, and cocktails. It's made by dissolving equal amounts of sugar and water, and then infusing it with vanilla. It can be used to sweeten your morning coffee, tea, lemonade, cocktails, and even desserts like cakes and pancakes. It adds a pleasant sweetness along with a hint of vanilla aroma, elevating the overall flavor profile of whatever it's mixed with.

What does vanilla simple syrup taste like?

Vanilla simple syrup has a smooth and velvety texture, with a distinctively rich flavor that carries the sweetness of sugar along with the comforting, sweet and fragrant notes of vanilla.

Ingredients

Vanilla simple syrup is made with three very simple ingredients: sugar, water, and vanilla extract.

• The basic simple syrup is made with equal amounts of sugar and water. While any type of sweetener, including no calorie sweeteners, can be used, I prefer to use a neutral sweetener like white granulated sugar to avoid competing flavors for sweeteners like brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup.
• I used vanilla extract because it is readily available in my pantry. You can also use vanilla paste, or vanilla beans or pods to infuse the simple syrup. Note that while vanilla pods provide the most intense and luxurious vanilla flavor and aroma, they are also a significantly more expensive option.

How to make your own vanilla syrup

Option 1: With pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste:

• Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Turn heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until all the sugar dissolves. Remove the mixture of sugar and water from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Cool to room temperature. Place into an airtight container like a mason jar for storage.

Option 2: With a whole vanilla pod:

• Split the fresh vanilla bean pod in half, lengthwise, leaving one end intact. Place the sugar, water, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes or longer. Once cool, place the homemade vanilla bean syrup into an airtight container in the refrigerator for storage.

Tips

• Boil the syrup a little longer for a thicker syrup.

Nutrition

Each serving of this homemade syrup has 59 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein and 7.8 grams of carbohydrates (37g of net carbs).

This recipe yields approximately 8 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. It is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Storage

Vanilla simple syrup will last about a month in the refrigerator when stored in a clean, airtight container. When storing syrup, be sure to label the container with the date and type of syrup so you know when to discard. Many bartenders prefer storing vanilla simple syrup in glass containers to prevent other flavors from leaching in.

Using vanilla simple syrup

Hugely versatile, this simple vanilla syrup recipe can be used in many ways to enhance the flavor of your favorite drinks and desserts. I love adding homemade vanilla simple syrup to a delicious cocktails like Vanilla Bean Old Fashioned, Iced White Chocolate Mocha, and Vanilla-Pineapple Margarita. Its a must for me, as a liquid sweetener in cold beverages like Iced Vanilla Latte and cold brew coffee drinks. You can also use this rich simple syrup to soak cake layers and fresh fruit.

This homemade vanilla syrup can also make a great gift for the coffee lover in your life.

Variations

• Vanilla Cinnamon Syrup: Boil the sugar and water with two cinnamon sticks and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the vanilla extract.
• Vanilla Cardamom Syrup: Boil the sugar and water with 3 smashed cardamom pods and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the vanilla extract.

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