How to Use Coffee Syrup Plus Homemade Vanilla Recipe
Making gourmet coffee drinks at home is easier than ever once you learn about coffee syrups and how they can elevate your morning brew’s flavor. Though syrups can be store-bought or ordered online, making them at home is a simple process.

Coffee syrups
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You only need a few ingredients to take your drinks to the next level. From French press coffee to cappuccinos, coffee syrups are one of the best ways to attain that coffee shop flavor and sweetness.
To flavor coffee drinks, you need coffee syrup. At its most simple, it’s a liquid sweetener made from sugar and water. In fact, this mixture is called simple syrup because it is a basic two-ingredient mixture.
Though sugar easily dissolves in warm drinks, it takes much longer for iced drinks. Because simple syrups are already liquid, they can be mixed into drinks much more easily. This saves time for baristas at coffee shops.
Commercial syrups are often made with corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives to extend their shelf life. Homemade coffee syrups can be flavored with extracts, infusions and flavorings.
They can be made with different types of sugars, from regular cane sugar to brown sugar. Sugar-free coffee syrups are another option. A sugar-free syrup can be made with natural and artificial sweeteners like stevia or coconut sugar.
Homemade coffee syrup
For the budget- and health-conscious, making coffee syrups at home is a great choice. It is made by dissolving sugar in water, which can be done with heat on the stove or with agitation in a blender.
Most simple syrup recipes call for a 1-to-1 ratio. This means that it contains equal parts sugar and water.
When syrups are made with more sugar than water, such as with a 1.5-to-1 or 2-to-1 ratio, it will yield a thicker, more viscous syrup. This type of syrup is often called rich syrup.
Common coffee flavors
There are a number of flavors of syrups you can expect to find in most coffee shops to add to lattes and iced coffees. However, they can easily be made at home to create your own flavored coffee drinks.
French vanilla syrup: Sweet and spiced, vanilla syrup is the star of vanilla lattes. It can be made by infusing vanilla beans into the syrup or mixing in vanilla extract. You’ll find my recipe for homemade coffee syrup with vanilla extract below.
Caramel sauce: Caramel sauce is a thicker syrup that is used to decorate drinks like the caramel macchiato. It can also be mixed into iced drinks to add a decadent flavor.
Mocha syrup: Mochas are chocolate-infused espresso drinks that are made with sweetened chocolate syrup. Similarly, white chocolate mochas are made with white chocolate syrup.
Toffee nut syrup: With a brown sugar base, toffee nut syrup is made by infusing hazelnut, almonds or pecan flavor into the syrup. The flavor tastes much like a salted toffee candy bar and is delicious in cold brewed coffee.
Fancy coffee syrup flavors

Recently, I attended the Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a regular trade show for new and up-and-coming specialty food items. I was shocked at not only how many different companies were selling coffee syrups but the variety of coffee syrup flavors they were offering. Some of the ones I saw included:
- Lavender
- Pumpkin Spice
- Salted Caramel
- Hazelnut
- Pistachio
The one flavor I did not see? S’mores flavor, which I used in my hot s’mores latte recipe.
How much syrup to put in coffee
How much coffee syrup you use is a matter of personal preference. Start with a small amount, such as half an ounce, which is equal to half a tablespoon. Then add more to taste.
Coffee shops use pumps to dispense coffee syrups. One pump is equal to 1 tablespoon or half an ounce. A 12-ounce drink usually contains three pumps of syrup.
Syrups can be added to the cup before and after pouring in coffee. Since they are liquid, they should mix in easily either way. The coffee or espresso can be hot or cold.
How to store coffee syrup
Most commercial syrups do not need to be refrigerated as they are meant to be shelf stable. However, they should be consumed within 6 months of opening.
Homemade syrups, however, should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 1 month. If they have additional flavorings, especially infusions with fresh ingredients for natural flavors, the shelf life is 1-2 weeks. If you notice a cloudy appearance, it’s time to toss the syrup.
Other uses for coffee syrups
Beyond sweetening coffee, there are other ways to use flavored syrups. “I love having a variety of coffee syrups to add flavor to coffee, but I also love using them in specialty milkshakes and drizzled on vanilla ice cream,” said Gena of Ginger Casa.
Try drizzling it over breakfast foods like waffles, pancakes or French toast. You can also pour it over ice cream sundaes, and desserts.
In addition to coffee, you can use them to sweeten other drinks like tea, soda and hot chocolate. Syrups are common ingredients in cocktails as well.
Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.

Homemade Flavored Coffee Syrup Using Vanilla Extract
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar granulated
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat water and sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. It takes only a few minutes.
- Remove the pan from the cooktop.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- If using immediately in your coffee, add one tablespoon of your newly made vanilla coffee syrup and enjoy.
- Once cooled, transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for one week.