Four Homemade Coffee Syrups and My Favorite Cold Brew.
Humor me while I talk about sugar and water please.
Late last night I was all prepared to tell you about chicken today. It was the plan. But then I was all… it’s Monday. Coffee Monday. Who cares how simple? We must discuss.
These syrups. We gotta talk about them.
I made homemade vanilla bean syrup. Traditional and easily loved by me. Cinnamon brown sugar syrup – because earlier this winter I was losing my mind over the dunkin donut’s flavor. Homemade almond syrup, because anything amaretto flavored makes me nutty. Pun intended. And my real – but shocking – favorite: fresh blackberry syrup. GAH. I love it so much.
I don’t care much for raspberry flavored things, but the idea of blackberry? I was all over that. It is SO good. And you can obviously use these syrups for other things, I mean this is embarrassing because they are literally just flavored simple syrups.
But, like, why haven’t I been doing this for a year?
Ever since making this fresh mint syrup for iced coffee, I’ve been read-my-lips-OBSESSED with making homemade coffee syrups. And even though I lost my taste for coffee a few weeks after sharing it, I was still so in love with the whole coffee experience that I wanted to KEEP drinking it. Kind of like how I forced myself to drink it in the first place.
The problem was that I’d go get some and no matter how small the size was, I’d only take a few sips and have to be done. Just couldn’t do it. I did go a few weeks completely without a drop of coffee, but then the taste came back to me and I’ve thoroughly been enjoying it – iced only.
Sometimes I’ll still head out and get coffee – though I’ve never been able to finish one, so it’s much better if I just make it at home. And EASIER! And cheaper. Says my raging basic Starbucks addiction.
Back in April I also shared a cold brew concentrate method with that but over the months have been loving this one below so much more. It’s kind of a major pain to grind the beans but I tell you: the flavor is so much better. I’ve done regular and decaf beans. I’ve experimented over and over with using filtered versus unfiltered water and surprisingly prefer the filtered. I didn’t think it would make a difference, but it does. TOTALLY. Is it less acidic? Are my taste buds just in overdrive? Either way, I’m finding it WORTH IT.
Big deal for this person.
Also, I find it easiest to just use a bowl or a pitcher. I have a Toddy, but it’s rather obtrusive and, well, the real issue is that my husband LOATHES coffee and the scent so much that if it’s in his view or if he gets one whiff, he throws a major tantrum. I think that’s weird because even though I’ve spent most of my life hating coffee, the scent always brought me back to my childhood and gives me warm and cozy nostalgic feelings.
My not-so-secret love for the blackberry syrup comes partially from the color. It kind of tints your coffee (if you’re using cream) to a purpleish-fuschia color and I think it’s gorgeous.
Leave it to me to like a drink for the color. I mean, it tastes great too but just look. It’s PINK. Or red. Whatever.
So I’m just in love with this idea of homemade syrups and multiple syrups, and having them on hand so you can have little coffee parties with pals. The syrup mixes into iced coffee beautifully – but after a while some will settle on the bottom just as it would with iced coffee you order out. My simple solution is adorable mixers. It works in hot coffee perfectly and I can’t get enough. And it can work in other things too – like even making some almond hot chocolate and all that jazz. But let’s not talk about that in summer.
Now please go make this for a million friends. (invite me.)
Four Homemade Coffee Syrups and My Favorite Cold Brew
Ingredients
my favorite cold brew coffee
- 1 cup whole coffee beans
- 5 cups filtered water, this made a HUGE difference in how I liked iced coffee at home!
- regular ice or coffee ice cubes
vanilla bean syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
blackberry syrup
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup sugar
cinnamon brown sugar syrup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup water
almond syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
my favorite cold brew coffee
- First things first: coarsely grind the coffee beans! Yeah, this is annoying. For a year I’d try to make coldbrew coffee with already ground beans, and grinding them definitely is better. I used my grinder thing for my vitamix. Just make sure they are COARSELY ground, this way you won’t have granules floating in your drink (which is one of the worse things ever in life, in my opinion). Once the beans a freshly ground, add them to a large bowl or pitcher/container/jar. Add the water and stir to mix. Let this mixture sit overnight in the fridge. I have heard both ways: at room temperature and overnight. I prefer it from the fridge. (Also as a note, sometimes I made this in my french press too. I just don’t have a huge one.)
- The next morning, strain the coffee through a few layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter. It’s key to reduce the granules. Now you have your coffee! Fill a glass with ice, add your desired amount of coffee and cream/milk – then go to town with the syrups. Note: the syrups should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. They should last a week or two!
vanilla bean syrup
- Combine the sugar, water, scraped vanilla beans, whole bean and extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in a jar. I usually don’t remove the vanilla pod and just leave it in for flavor. You can remove it if you wish!
blackberry syrup
- Add the blackberries to a blender with the water. Puree until completely smooth and blended, then strain over a fine mesh sieve into a bowl – so all you have is blackberry juice. Combine the juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in a jar. This syrup can get extra sweet due to the flavor of your berries, so feel free to play along with water and sugar ratios.
cinnamon brown sugar syrup
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in a jar.
almond syrup
- Combine the sugar, water and extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in a jar.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Okay. I’m done being boring with coffee now. Swear.
238 Comments on “Four Homemade Coffee Syrups and My Favorite Cold Brew.”
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This is amazing, thanks so much for sharing!
I’m sorry if you already answered this, but how long do your syrups usually last? Just curious. Thanks!
What is your favorite type of coffee bean to use for this?!
If I haven’t left a comment already – YAY! Cinnamon brown sugar? Guess what’s on the stove right now? YES. Thanks for the great idea… and probably a month’s worth of great coffee! :)
I am all over that blackberry syrup! How have I not tried fruity coffee before?!?! Cinnamon, chocolate, caramel, have them all the time, but blackberry? NEED to make this ASAP! :)
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So easy!!! I’ve always been a little scared to make syrup but this wasn’t scary at all! I’m totally making these syrups on the reg.
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I had big plans to go without sugar for the next 2 weeks, then I stumbled on this. Gah! There’s no way I’m not making (and consuming) these syrups in the near future.
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i know this i’ve come across this a year after it’s been published, but i was searching for a twist on making a coffee concentrate to mix with my premade simple syrup and came across this. i love when people do things themselves and forgo all the artificial crap. .
anyway, i happened across this because i make italian sodas, granitas, shaved ice.
i make them all natural, nothing artificial, yadda yadda.
so… i just want to tell you guys that the exact same syrups used for coffee, are used to make italian sodas, by just pouring about 2 tablespoons of the syrup in a glass halfway full of ice. then add club soda or seltzer or sparkling mineral water (my fav), and stir. oh yeah…if ya want it sweeter, add more syrup, etc.
then… for the cream version, just add about a tablespoon of half-and-half or sweetened creamer (or even milk) on top of the glass and let that sink to the bottom on its own.
then…… if you want to make an authentic NY egg cream… use the same flavored syrup to a glass, (leave out the ice), but now add equal parts chilled club soda and cold milk (saving the milk for last or it’ll bubble out of the glass).
just wanted to share.
:o)
Is there anyway to make homemade hazelnut syrup?
To make homemade hazelnut syrup, use the recipe for the almond syrup, using the same amount of hazelnut extract instead of almond. J.R. Watkins makes an imitation hazelnut extract that Walmart carries or you can order it online from various sources. You might want to check out their other extracts-so many flavored syrup possibilities! You can easily marry two or three flavors in one syrup, adjusting the amounts of extract accordingly. My favorite is chocolate raspberry coffee syrup that I make using pure chocolate extract and imitation raspberry extract. Hope this helps!
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Can’t wait to try these. How long and where can they be stored?
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This organic vegan thinks you’re awesome for sharing your “boring” coffee talk! Thank you very much for bothering to share these simple recipes!
I am in the process of moving, so I atm looking forward to trying the syrups after I get settled (or maybe just do it anyway).
One thing of concern – vanilla and other extracts contain alchohol. Alcohol holds the flavor. If you put them in while cooking the syrup the flavor evaporates. Add the extract after the mixture cools. Trust me it will taste much, much better.
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How long do these stay good for? Should they be refrigerated?
Blackberry syrup with cold brew??! …Sounds like it will taste amazing. Definitely going to try this! Thanks
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How would you suggest pouring the mixture from the fridge through a coffee strainer to “catch” the granules? My brain doesn’t seem to be functioning properly and I can’t come up with a way to do this part… sounds delish though! I also used to be/sort of still am obsessed with Starbucks but I LOVE me a good Americano, over ice, with just one pump of the syrup and I swear every time they do something to give my coffee this burnt, super strong, and horrible taste… it was perfect for a year, and then… wasn’t
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