This Vanilla Simple Syrup is one of the easiest syrups you can make at home! It's great for coffee, lattes, tea, cocktails, and mocktails, or for drizzling over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream. Made with three simple ingredients in just 10 minutes. Great for kids and adults alike!

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Why This Recipe Works
Easy and simple - Vanilla syrup is one of the most popular syrups and it's so incredibly easy to make at home! All you need is sugar, water, and vanilla. It takes just 10 minutes to make and it's great for all kinds of drinks.
Budget-friendly - If you don't have whole vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste, you can use vanilla extract instead. It's a great more budget-friendly option that will yield the same flavor as whole vanilla. Vanilla extract also makes the syrup clear without any vanilla specs if that's what you prefer.
Tons of uses - Vanilla is a flavor that goes with practically anything! You can add it to coffee, lattes, cocktails, hot chocolate, and mocktails, or drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, and more!
Ingredients
- Vanilla - You can use a whole vanilla bean, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is the most budget-friendly option and it's also the only one that will yield clear syrup, just like the ones you can buy and what Starbucks uses. Vanilla bean paste is my favorite option because it adds pretty vanilla specs to the syrup and lots of flavor without leaving little pieces of the actual vanilla bean in the syrup.
- Cane sugar - I like using cane sugar for most syrups because it's very neutral in flavor but less processed than classic white sugar.
- Water - The syrup is made with water and sugar in a 1:1 ratio.
Variations and Substitutions
- Sugar-free - You can substitute cane sugar for a sugar-free sweetener if you wish. Keep in mind it might change the flavor of the syrup. You can also use maple syrup but it will also change the flavor of the syrup.
- Type of vanilla - If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can use pure extract. You can also mix and match them if you don't have enough of just one.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add cane sugar, water, and a sliced vanilla bean to a medium saucepan. (If you’re using vanilla extract, only add sugar and water.)
- Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes.
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- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if you’re not using a whole vanilla bean.
- Transfer the syrup into a glass jar. You can keep the vanilla in the jar or discard it.
- Wait for it to cool completely before closing it with a lid. Store it in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Serving Suggestions
- Coffee - This syrup is delicious in any kind of coffee drink. Add it to hot or iced coffee, cold brew, lattes, macchiatos, espresso, or (my personal favorite) Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso.
- Lattes - Vanilla syrup works really well in any kind of matcha latte. Try it in this Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte, Iced Blackberry Matcha Latte, or this Iced Strawberry Oat Matcha Latte!
- Hot chocolate - Vanilla and chocolate are the perfect match, I highly recommend this syrup in hot or iced chocolate. Try it in this Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate or this Double Chocolate Iced Mocha
- Cocktails - This syrup also works really well with fall and winter-themed cocktails like this Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail or any coffee cocktails like this Tequila Espresso Martini or this Creamy Espresso Martini.
Storing
Store the syrup in an airtight jar in the fridge for 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon for the syrup to make sure it stays fresh.
FAQs
Vanilla extract has a brownish color with no black vanilla specs. It usually has either alcohol or glycerin. Vanilla bean paste is made with cane sugar, vanilla extract, and real vanilla bean which means it won't be clear and it's have those little black vanilla specs.
Simple syrup is just sugar and water. Vanilla syrup is sugar, water, and vanilla.
No, you can't. Vanilla extract is much more concentrated than vanilla syrup. If a drink calls for 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup, I'd use ¼-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
More Homemade Syrups
Below are four delicious fall and winter syrups you can use in coffee, lattes, cocktails, mocktails, or even drizzle on desserts or pancakes! To see all syrups including more spring and summer syrups, head over to the Flavored Syrups category.
- Chocolate Simple Syrup
- Chestnut Praline Syrup
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- Chai Simple Syrup
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Simple Syrup
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 ⅓ cup 1x
- Category: Flavored Syrups
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vanilla Simple Syrup is one of the easiest syrups you can make at home! It's great for coffee, lattes, tea, cocktails, and mocktails, or for drizzling over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise or 2 tablespoon vanilla extract (see notes)
Instructions
- Add cane sugar, water, and a sliced vanilla bean to a medium saucepan. (If you’re using vanilla extract, only add sugar and water.)
- Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if you’re not using a whole vanilla bean.
- Transfer the syrup into a glass jar. You can keep the vanilla in the jar or discard it.
- Wait for it to cool completely before closing it with a lid. Store it in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Notes
If you want clear smooth syrup just like store-bought vanilla syrup, use vanilla extract instead of whole vanilla beans. It’s cheaper and easier to do. Whole vanilla bean will have black specs and little bits of the vanilla bean floating in it. If you want the black specs while still keeping it easier and cheaper, stir in vanilla bean paste after you take the syrup off the heat in the same ratio as vanilla extract.
The syrup makes enough for about 10-12 servings if you use 2 tablespoon per serving.
Jess says
I made it with plain vanilla extract to keep it clear and cheaper and it was so good in a latte!