How to Make Your Own Coffee Syrups
- Guest post by Hannah's sister -
Do you love a delicious specialty coffee drink? Holding a cozy mug filled with delicious espresso and a sweet taste is one of my favorite things!
However, I’ve been guilty of spending far too much money at coffee shops for that flavored latte or chocolatey mocha. As my husband and I were spending time assessing our budget last year and thinking of ways we could save, I decided to start making the majority of my coffee at home.
To me, one of the best parts of ordering coffee out is the delicious variety of flavors you can find on a coffee shop menu! I really wanted to replicate this part of the drinks myself, to feel like a homemade drink was equivalent to a purchased drink. First, I started with buying coffee syrups in stores or online to find different flavors and adding them to my drink. But I quickly realized that these syrups were made of simple ingredients that I could probably make myself. After a bit of internet searching, I found various recipes for making my own flavored coffee syrups. I’ve since been working on perfecting many different variations of staple and seasonal flavors. This is the easiest DIY and can save you a ton of money!
Basic Recipe
The basic recipe for making coffee syrup is so simple: equal parts water and sugar. Mix together in a small saucepan on the stove on low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool and pour into a storage container or jar.
That’s it!
It’s essentially just like making a simple syrup (the kind used in many cocktails). I usually make about 1 cup of syrup at a time, as it fits perfectly in a small mason jar where I store it in the fridge. So my basic recipe would be 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, but you could modify these amounts for however much total syrup you are making.
Over time though, I have found that I personally don’t like my syrups to be super sweet, so I tend to use 1 cup water and ⅔ or ¾ cup sugar to reduce the sweetness a bit. I use organic cane sugar, but you could use any sugar or sweetener that you have in your pantry or that you typically use for baking. I’ve found that sweeteners like honey and maple syrup do change the taste a bit, but they are great options as well.
I add about a tablespoon of syrup to my latte. You can experiment with how much to use, as it depends on your tastes and on the type of drink!
Easy variations on the basic recipe
Once you’ve got the basic recipe, you can find tons of variations online. Pinterest is a great place to search for ideas! Here are a few go-tos that I love to make.
Classic Syrups
Vanilla Syrup
1 cup water
¾-1 cup sugar or sweetener
2-3 tsp vanilla extract
Mix water and sugar together in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla and stir, letting extract dissolve for a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool before storing in the fridge.
Mocha Syrup
1 cup water
¾-1 cup sugar or sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa powder
Mix water and sugar together in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla and cocoa and stir. Keep over the heat until all the ingredients have dissolved into a smooth syrup (takes a few minutes). If you cook it a few minutes further, the syrup will thicken a bit. Remove from heat and let cool before storing in the fridge.
Seasonal Syrups
Pumpkin Syrup
1 cup water
¾-1 cup sugar or sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
~3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of pumpkin pie spice
Mix water and sugar together in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla, pumpkin puree, and spices and stir. Keep over the heat until all the ingredients have dissolved into a smooth syrup (takes a few minutes). If you cook it a few minutes further, the syrup will thicken a bit. Remove from heat and let cool before storing in the fridge.
Peppermint Syrup
1 cup water
¾-1 cup sugar or sweetener
2-3 tsp peppermint extract
Mix water and sugar together in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add peppermint and stir, letting extract dissolve for a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool before storing in the fridge.
Other products to level up your DIY coffee game
Espresso machine: If you’re not already using one, an espresso machine will definitely level up your at-home drinks! There are tons of brands out there, from cheaper to very expensive. You can even find them secondhand on Facebook marketplace or at sales if you don’t want to spend a lot. Our simple machine has lasted 4+ years already, so it can be a great long-term investment.
- If you don’t have an espresso machine, a small shot-like amount of a dark roast coffee can work well.
Milk frother: If you don’t have an espresso machine with a built-in milk frother, you could heat milk in the microwave and use a hand-held frother. Or, you could get an automatic milk frother where you just push the button and it froths up. I just recently got one of these and LOVE it!
Storage jars: There are cute options out there for storage jars for coffee syrups, with pump tops that you can store in the fridge! These are also great if you’re making multiple syrups at once and want customizable labels.
