Homemade Vanilla Syrup Recipe
This homemade vanilla syrup is rich, smooth, and infused with warm vanilla flavor - perfect for sweetening coffee, tea, or cocktails. Made with just sugar, water, and your choice of vanilla extract, paste, or bean, it’s an easy way to add a touch of indulgence to any drink or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract or
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or
- 1 whole vanilla bean
Instructions
With Vanilla Extract:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly. Once sugar dissolves, remove the simple syrup from heat.
- Add 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract to the syrup, stir until combined. Allow to cool before using or storing.
With Vanilla Paste:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the simple syrup from heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste to the syrup, stir until combined. Allow to cool before using or storing.
With Real Vanilla Beans:
- Slice 1 vanilla bean in half lengthwise then scrape seeds, add both to a small sauce pan, along with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.
- Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring regularly, reduce temperature and simmer 10 minutes before removing from heat.
- Allow syrup to cool for 5 or so minutes before straining to remove vanilla bean pods and using or storing.
Notes
Expert Tips:
- The way you make your vanilla syrup depends on the way you choose to add the flavor, vanilla pods are steeped in simmering syrup while vanilla extract or vanilla paste are added once the syrup is removed from the heat. Make sure you’re using the right method for your chosen ingredients.
- I cannot recommend using a fresh, plump vanilla bean for this recipe enough. Just having a couple of vanilla beans out for a few minutes while taking this recipe’s photos was enough to blanket my kitchen in the most intoxicating fragrance!
- I use water from my RO system rather than my tap, I find it’s got a more neutral flavor.
