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.”
These all sound so delicious! Unike Mr How Sweet, I don’t love coffee but I DO love the smell. With your syrups I’m pretty sure I could drink a cup a day (at least!)
Gah!!! I LOVE blackberry syrup in coffee! I usually get the strangest looks when I order it, which is ridiculous because they’re the ones offering it! One time, though, a barista in the know told me that I should try Ethiopian coffees because they tend toward berry and fruity notes! And they do! So if I’m somewhere with fancy pour over and other such silliness I go for it, otherwise I’m all syrup!
I love making cold brewed coffee! I prefer it so much more over Starbucks. These syrups sound fab! I have to try (after Whole 30). My husband CANNOT stand coffee, but he loves the smell. The last time we were at Costco he had a moment with their coffee grinder. Ha!
can you do ANY sugar on whole 30? i’ve been using organic cane sugar to make these syrups and well… makes me feel SLIGHTLY better. ha.
Sugar is not allowed on the Whole30. I did the Whole30 and felt so much healthier.
Sugar is evil for our bodies but why does it taste so good!??
This post is literally (and I mean literally LITERALLY) torture for me because I have adrenal fatigue and a thyroid problem, and am medically not allowed to drink coffee right now. Those swirls!! Gah. Perfection. Cinnamon brown sugar syrup sounds so perfect for coffee I can’t even take it. I would tell you to go die right now for being so cruel to me, but you’re pregnant and all. Also, I would have never thought about turning coffee into a fruity thing, but blackberry syrup sounds freakin incredible. Your genius never ceases to amaze me.
My friend has thyroid problems too but she’s allowed to drink herbal drinks as long as they are caffeine free. I always keep Mandarin Orange Spice and Peach Passion on hand. If you’re also able to drink caffeine free teas, then I recommend trying any of the syrups with them. I just made a Mandarin Orange/Peach combo and added the brown sugar cinnamon syrup to it. DELISCIOUS! I have some Gingerbread Spice herbal tea and Sugar Plum left over from last Christmas. I think I’ll experiment with the blackberry syrup next. All over ice, of course. By the way, all the teas I’ve mentioned are caffeine free and come from Celestial Seasonings. I buy mine at Whole Foods and my local grocery store.
Good luck with your health issues. -PEACE-
Made some homemade blackberry syrup today funny I now find a recipe
Use in green tea with a little lemonade just like Starbucks ! Yummo!
omg yes! brilliant!
Wow. I am trying this as soon as I have the opportunity to. Blackberry iced coffee? I am so there. Sounds delicious. Absolutely why-have-I-never-tried-this amazing. I love iced coffee as it is but this just sounds fantastic. I’m so happy I found this blog post :D
Making the cold coffee seems too easy….really just grind and soak in filtered water overnight? Am I missing something?! thanks!
oh man, i love coffee. oh man, this looks so freaking delicious!!
xo Julianne
http://reallifesurreallife.blogspot.com
I dont know why but i’ve never ever thought to make my own coffee syrup, let alone have coffee at home…
I personally like strong black coffee with a tad of milk and a touch of flavouring… I should try perfecting my own coffee at home!
Ooohh that cinnamon brown sugar one sounds good!!!
It IS! I just made some! I’m in coffee heaven! Here’s to saving about $80 a month at the coffee shop. lol
I tried looking in the comments for an answer in case this question has been asked, but not all the comments are showing, so sorry if someone asked it already.
How long do the syrups keep, say if I make a larger batch? cause you know, this would be awesome gifts.
i’m dying over the marble swirl of that cold brew. Gorgeous, Jessica!
Every post on cold brewing has made the whole process seem complicated and annoying but you’ve really simplified it for me! Thank you so much for sharing.
nueyork.blogspot.com
Great post
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
your cold brew explanation was the easiest to understand that I’ve found, but I still may leave it to the (coffee shop) pros :)
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! :)
Jessica,
Are you going to avoid coffee while you are pregnant? I couldn’t stand the smell of coffee or the mention of hotdogs when I was pregnant. Both sent me to the bathroom with morning sickness!
Ooh, these are awesome! I especially like the blackberry & almond recipes.
I am not a coffee drinker, but I guess I could use the Syrups for something else!?
Cool! My hubby would love this. But he likes Truvia. Can I make it with that??
i’ve never used truvia in large amounts, so i’m not sure how it would work. i’m sure it will dissolve in the water but you may need to play around with some ratios since occasionally stevia can have that bitter flavor!
I literally just ran out of vanilla syrup and was about to buy some at Roast & Toast in Petoskey this morning when I saw your post. Then, I made the cinnamon-brown sugar syrup and it reminded me of delish coffee drinks from my waitressing days. And then I wanted one…and then I remembered I was pregnant so that’ll have to go on the “in 3 months list”. Congrats on your pregnancy, too!
This article is very helpful, thank you a milion times :3
Game changer.
I am totally going to try this. Maybe all of them. They just sound so good! :)
That cinnamon brown sugar syrup is calling my name!
I freeze fresh brewed coffee in ice cube trays to use for my iced coffees – that way it doesn’t get watered down!
yum.. yes please! that almond syrup is one i definitely will be making. what an awesome idea. thanks for the inspiration!
I think my life might have just been radically changed…for the better.
Put ground coffe put whole raw egg in smash it and blend with grinds add water boil then strain to serve , lovely.
These syrups look amazing! Can you figure out a chocolate and/or peanut butter syrup??
For chocolate, I suggest adding 2 to 3 Tablespoons Hershey’s Semi Dark Cocoa to the vanilla syrup recipe instead of the vanilla bean (still add the extract after it has cooled down though). I tried this with just the 2 Tablespoons and it was okay but my friend thinks I should have used more chocolate.
For peanut butter, i recommend using the almond syrup recipe but cut the almond extract in half and add 1 Tablespoon of your favorite brand of peanut butter (make sure it’s the smooth kind) added to the almond syrup. I haven’t tried this yet so if you do, let me know how it goes.
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Everything looks so good…I don’t even know where i would begin. Yum.
OMG!! I’m gonna have to try the blueberry syrup with my ice coffee! All of this sounds deelish! Thanks for the recipes
I know it is cliche but the Blue Bottle New Orleans coffee is hard to beat, I wish we had it in London. Any amazing cold brew suggestions here? I always get it when I am in the US. Sam
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I really really love the idea of iced coffee but the only kind of coffee I actually like is plain black – does iced coffee taste any good on its own or would I need to put stuff in it?
The syrups look amazing btw!
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These look fantastic! I never know what I do because I love flavored syrups but hate the funky chemicals. I can’t wait to whip myself up a few batches!
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Thank you for these syrups, I’ve been treated to a coffee machine and rather buy some syrup to go with it I’m so going to make these. I don’t care if it’s too hot for coffee. Got any other flavour recipes??
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Hey Jessica! is it possible to replace the vanilla bean with vanilla bean paste? It’s so hard for me to find the actual bean anywhere.
i lost my taste for coffee early in pregnancy too!!! thankfully it did eventually return…now i’m just waiting for these babes to be born, any day now! :) hope you’re feeling well!
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