How to Make Homemade Vanilla Syrup

One of the best parts about going to a coffee shop is all the fancypants syrup options, right? And maybe you drink enough coffee that you buy bottles of these syrups for your home or office, too.

Well, guess what? They are super simple to make. And when you make your own syrups at home, you can use real fruits, herbs, spices and even flowers to make them--no artificial flavors, no food coloring.

Easy Homemade Vanilla Syrup at Home

In the case of this vanilla syrup, you'll be using a vanilla bean to provide the flavoring. If you haven't used vanilla beans before, don't be intimidated--you can find them at most grocery, gourmet, or seasoning shops. (I like buying them from my local spice shop because they sell them in bulk, and I can get the exact number I need.)

Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut the pod from top to bottom, pull it open, and then use a butterknife to scrape the paste-like insides into the saucepan. If you want an even stronger vanilla flavor, you can add additional vanilla extract to the recipe too.

With its heady aroma of vanilla, this syrup is the perfect addition to your morning cup of coffee. I love using it to make homemade cream soda too—just add it to sparkling water. And it's wonderful on fresh strawberries!

If you're feeling adventurous, try adding cardamom or cinnamon to the vanilla syrup, too.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Homemade Vanilla Syrup

A simple recipe for making yummy homemade vanilla syrup - perfect in coffee!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Drinks + Cocktails

Keyword: vanilla

Servings: 1 cup

Author: Stephanie Gerber

Cost: $10

Equipment

• saucepan
• whisk
• sieve

Ingredients

• 2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise & insides scraped out
• 2 cup white sugar can also use sucanat, turbinado or even coconut sugar if you prefer
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional

Instructions

• Whisk together vanilla bean scrapings, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat at medium, whisking occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. For double vanilla syrup, whisk in vanilla extract.
  
• Allow syrup to cool completely in saucepan. Once syrup has reached room temperature, pour into a resealable container or bottle through a fine mesh sieve. Store in refrigerator and use within two weeks.
  

Notes

While you're free to use any sugar you like for this recipe, some may require more water than others depending how coarsely or finely ground they are. If you add too much water, just let the syrup simmer on low until the extra water has boiled away slightly. Too little water, just add a tablespoon at a time until you reach a syrup-y consistency.

And since vanilla beans are expensive, you can stretch yours farther by doubling the other ingredients while keeping the number of vanilla beans the same. It might have a softer vanilla flavor but it'll still be tasty nonetheless.

Photos by Ana Stanciu