Homemade Vanilla Coffee Syrup Recipe

Save money by making your favorite vanilla coffee shop drinks at home with this quick and easy Vanilla Coffee Syrup Recipe.

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I’ve been coming up with all these delicious ways to save money while still enjoying my favorite coffee drinks. 

If you’re also a coffee lover, you should definitely check out these coffee shop drink recipes:
- Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
- Strawberry Latte
- Iced Coffee with Ice Cream

This homemade vanilla coffee syrup is another great way to enjoy more of your favorite Starbucks drinks in your own kitchen.

It tastes like Starbucks vanilla syrup, is incredibly easy-to-make, and a whole batch of it costs less than one vanilla latte from the store. 

Is Vanilla Coffee Syrup the Same as Vanilla Extract?

No, it is not. 

Vanilla coffee syrup is a basic simple syrup with vanilla flavoring. 

Regular simple syrup is made by combining equal parts white sugar and water, over heat, until the sugar dissolves. 

This homemade vanilla syrup recipe follows the same simple steps, as you can see in the recipe card below, EXCEPT we use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar. 

Light brown sugar adds such great flavor and cozy complexity to this delicious homemade vanilla syrup. 

The vanilla flavor, in this simple recipe, comes from pure vanilla extract. 

It’s so much easier to use than vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean pods. 

It also tends to be cheaper and most people already have it in their kitchen, so there’s no need to go to the grocery store. 

Benefits of Making Vanilla Coffee Syrup at Home

Speaking of the grocery store… pre-made vanilla syrup can easily be bought in local stores or on Amazon. 

BUT, there are so many benefits to making your own vanilla syrup at home:

It’s cost-effective. 

You can make a large batch of syrup at home for a fraction of the price of purchasing a smaller bottle at a store. 

This vanilla syrup for coffee recipe, made with simple ingredients, only costs $1.51 for 12 ounces of delicious syrup.

A 12.7 oz bottle of pre-made vanilla syrup, from my local store, costs $6.99.

Let’s save that money!

It can be healthier!

When you make your own homemade coffee syrup, you can choose to use high-quality and/or organic ingredients. 

This will raise the cost a little more, of course, but it’s entirely up to you. 

If you would like to reduce the amount of sugar in the syrup, you can use a sugar substitute. 

I personally haven’t tried this recipe with a sugar substitute. If you do, I’d love to hear how it came out in the comments below.

This vanilla syrup for coffee is customizable.

Want more intense vanilla flavor? Next time, add more vanilla extract or even throw in a real vanilla bean. 

Have a crazy sweet tooth? Or need to bury the bitterness of your usual morning coffee? Add a little more sugar. 

Please be aware that adding more sugar will result in a thicker, rich simple syrup. 

The first time that you make this recipe, I recommend using the basic ingredients (and the listed amounts) in the recipe card below. 

How long does Vanilla Coffee Syrup last?

This Vanilla Syrup for coffee can last up to a month, when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Please make sure the container is clean and dry before transferring your homemade syrup into it.  

If using a mason jar, like one of these 12 oz Mason Canning Jars, I recommend using a clean spoon whenever you retrieve your syrup.

I used one of these Bormioli Rocco Quattro Stagioni Glass Canning Mason Jars to store the vanilla syrup in the photos on this post.

I usually like to use these coffee syrup dispensers to store my homemade syrups. They do look a little like hand soap dispensers 😆, but they make life so much easier… and a little fancy.

With these syrup bottles/pump dispensers, you can simply squirt syrup into your coffee, latte, or tea.

For more coffee syrups, check out How to Make Simple Syrup at Home, How to Make Pumpkin Sauce for Coffee and this Homemade Peppermint Syrup Recipe.

How much vanilla syrup should I use in my coffee?

This depends on your own personal preference. 

I like to do 1 to 1 ½ Tablespoons of vanilla syrup per 8-12 ounces of strong coffee. 

The best way to use this syrup is to start with a small amount in your iced coffee, cold brew, or iced lattes - including this vanilla chai latte. 

Then, gradually add more syrup until you reach your desired sweetness and vanilla flavor.

This homemade syrup works perfectly in hot AND cold beverages. 

It really is a great way to sweeten cold coffee. It dissolves into the liquid, while adding the best flavor. 

No more sucking up chunks of cane sugar in iced coffee at home. 😂

Love coffee shop drinks? Check out these homemade versions:
- Iced Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe
- Iced Guava White Tea Lemonade Recipe
- How to Make Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Iced

What's your favorite syrup for coffee? Let us know in the comments below.