Enhancing your morning coffee doesn’t have to be a complex process with fancy machines and equipment. Adding high-impact ingredients like vanilla syrup can elevate your drink to the next level. Vanilla syrup is simple syrup with added flavoring.
Dissolve one-to-one ratios of water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1-3 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract or one vanilla bean. Steep for 3-5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a clean air-tight container and fully cool before storing.
Don’t feel intimidated if you’ve never made simple syrup or vanilla syrup at home. The recipe doesn’t require many ingredients and is straightforward to follow. We cover everything you need to know to take your coffee to the next level in the article below.
What is Vanilla Syrup Made From?

One of the easiest ways to enhance lattes, iced coffee, or other coffee drinks is to make a bottle of decadent homemade vanilla syrup.
The mixture is easy to make; most recipes call for sugar, water, and vanilla. This mixture is different from pure vanilla extract—pure vanilla extract is created by diffusing ground vanilla beans into alcohol through soaking and heat.
Using real vanilla beans will produce the best flavor, but you can use pure vanilla extract if you can’t get your hands on the real deal. The recipe is straightforward and takes less than 30 minutes to finish. Read on for everything you need to know.
What Drinks Can I Use Vanilla Syrup in?
You can use vanilla simple syrup to elevate various drinks besides your morning coffee and cold brew. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind:
- Your morning coffee
- Lattes, cold brews, and macchiatos
- Cocktails
- Lemonade
- Sodas
These are just a few of the drinks you can use vanilla syrup in. Adding this mixture to your morning coffee can impart a sweet vanilla flavor to your drink and isn’t complex to make.
How to Make Vanilla Syrup at Home
Vanilla syrup uses the same recipe as simple syrup with additional vanilla flavoring. The process is straightforward and elevates any homemade coffee or cocktail to the next level. The vanilla mixture easily incorporates into cold beverages, isn’t gritty, and is versatile.
You’ll need the following ingredients to begin:
- 1 Cup of water
- 1 Cup of granulated sugar (on Amazon)
- 1 -3 Tablespoons of pure vanilla extract (on Amazon)
- One vanilla bean (optional)
Step 1: Dissolve the Sugar in the Water
In a small saucepan or pot, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture frequently to dissolve the sugar and prevent it from boiling. Dissolving the sugar should take around 3-5 minutes.
Alternatively, you can use equal parts water and sugar if you want more or less of the recipe.
Step 2: Add the Vanilla
You can make vanilla syrup using vanilla extract or vanilla beans. Here’s how:
- Vanilla Extract: Stir 1-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract into the simple syrup mixture, depending on how strong you want the vanilla flavor to be.
- Vanilla Bean: Take one vanilla bean, slice it lengthwise, and scrape the beans into the saucepan with a knife. Drop the rest of the bean into the mixture and let it steep for 5-10 minutes.
You can also strain the beans out of the mixture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, but this step isn’t mandatory.
Step 3: Let the Mixture Cool and Bottle
Now the sugar is fully dissolved, and the vanilla has finished steeping. Simply pour the mixture into a clean glass bottle or jar and let it cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
You can sterilize a glass bottle or jar by pouring boiling water into it while you prepare the vanilla syrup mixture. Then, pour out the water when your mixture is finished and transfer as normal.
How to Store Vanilla Syrup
Simple syrup and vanilla syrup must be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container. You can use a sealed glass jar like an old Mason Jar; sterilize it with boiling water beforehand.
You can use other materials, like food-grade plastic, but they might affect the flavor of your syrup. Regardless of the material, you’ll need to sterilize it ahead of time. Forgoing sterilization will affect the taste and longevity of your syrup mixture.
How to Sterilize Glass Jars
Glass Mason jars and other air-tight containers are popular for storing vanilla syrup. However, you’ll want to sterilize glass jars ahead of time to remove harmful bacteria and preserve your mixture for longer. Here’s how:
- Place your open glass jars right-side-up in a large pot on the stove. Completely cover the jars with hot water. The water should come up one inch above the jars.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat and start timing once you have a full boil. Boil the glass jars for at least 10 minutes and turn off the heat.
- You can remove the jars with jar lifters or tongs. Drain the containers and set them aside to dry on a clean surface.
How Long Can Vanilla Syrup Last in the Fridge?
Basic one-to-one simple syrups without additional flavoring can last up to four weeks in an air-tight container stored in the fridge. Flavored recipes, like vanilla syrup, can last up to two weeks in an air-tight container stored in the refrigerator.
However, the lifespan of your syrup mixture will depend on the cleanliness of the air-tight container and how much sugar you use.
Wrapping Up

Vanilla syrup is an easy way to upgrade your morning coffee, cocktails, or other beverages. The recipe is straightforward and is simple syrup with additional vanilla flavoring.
You can store the mixture in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Be sure to use an air-tight container that’s been sterilized or cleaned beforehand, regardless of the material. Cleaning and sterilizing your container removes harmful bacteria and preserves your mixture for longer.