Vanilla Syrup for Coffee or Tea

I love coffee. I really truly absolutely love coffee. I drink a seriously insane amount of coffee every day. It actually calms me when I am stressed and I will enjoy a yummy cup in the late afternoon or early evening on a stressful day, knowing full well that I will also have a hard time falling asleep that night if it is too late in the day for caffeine. 

During the summer I love drinking cold pressed coffee over ice. It is so refreshing and yummy. I sometimes drink several cups throughout the day. I love to drink iced coffee just slightly sweetened with a bit of simple syrup. No creamer, or cream of any kind. And not sugar, it doesn't dissolve all the way. During the fall and winter I make a full pot of coffee. When it is hot I love to be a bit creamy so I started putting a little half and half in my coffee instead of the non-dairy creamer I used to use so much of. For the sweetener, I have tried agave and it's good, but a bit costly and I like stevia but also a bit costly. So a homemade simple sugar syrup works perfectly as it is very cheap to make and I can control what type of flavor profile it has. It is also a versatile syrup that can be used in tea as well. I love tea almost as much as I love coffee. Almost.

This syrup is really so simple to make and I make it a few times a week in small batches. And you don't even need to use the stove if you do not want to. I use dark brown sugar because it gives the syrup a richer almost caramel flavor. White sugar just gives a flat sweet flavor. Sometimes I combine the two sugars depending on how much brown sugar I have in my kitchen when I make it. 

So here is how I make my syrup. 

 

Simple Syrup on the Stove: 

1 cup of brown sugar (or a mix of white and brown) 

1 cup of water

Flavor as desired:

1-2 tsp vanilla 

1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond extract 

 Any other extract you desire in any amount you like.

Start small and add until you get the flavor profile you are looking for. 

Combine sugar and water and extracts in a small saucepan. 

Stirring constantly over medium to medium high heat bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature before doing anything with it. Including taste it. Sugar boils at a higher temperature than water so be very very careful handling the boiling sugar water. You do not want to be burned by it. 

Transfer to a container and store in the fridge.

Simple Syrup in the Microwave

1 cup dark brown sugar (or a mix of white and brown)

3/4 cup water

Flavor as desired:

1-2 tsp vanilla 

1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond extract 

 Any other extract you desire in any amount you like.

Start small and add until you get the flavor profile you are looking for.

In a microwave safe bowl or cup (I use a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup) combine the sugar, water and extract.

Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until dissolved. Sometimes it needs another 30 seconds or so in the microwave to finish dissolving the sugar.

I use less water in the microwave because it isn't given the opportunity to evaporate like on the stove.

And there you go. Quick and easy simple syrup for your coffee or tea flavored the way you want it.