How-to
How to Make Coffee Syrups at Home
A simple syrup base and four easy flavors, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar and maple, for lattes and iced coffee.
Café syrups are just sugar dissolved in water, with a flavor added. You can make one in about 10 minutes with things from your pantry.
Basic simple syrup
- Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan.
- Heat on medium, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. It does not need to boil hard.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool.
- Pour it into a clean jar or bottle with a lid and store it in the fridge.
Four easy flavors
| Flavor | Sugar | Add to the pan |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | White | 1 split vanilla bean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract stirred in after cooling |
| Cinnamon | White | 2 cinnamon sticks, removed before bottling |
| Brown sugar | Brown | Use brown sugar instead of white. Nothing else needed |
| Maple | None | Use equal parts pure maple syrup and hot water, stirred together |
How much to use
Start with 1 tablespoon per drink and adjust to taste. Stir it into the hot coffee before adding milk or ice, so it dissolves fully.
Storage
Keep syrups in a sealed jar in the fridge. As a guideline, a homemade syrup is best within about 1 to 2 weeks. Throw it out if it looks cloudy or smells off.
Use it in an iced latte or the AeroPress Iced Vanilla Oat Latte.
Try it at home
Gear that fits
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Many brands Handheld milk frother Foamy milk for lattes on a small budget. Who it suits (Handheld milk frother)
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