Homemade Vanilla Syrup

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This Homemade Vanilla Syrup takes three ingredients and is ready under 10 minutes. It costs a fraction of what you’d pay for a bottle at the store, and you know exactly what’s in it: sugar, water, and vanilla bean paste. No preservatives, no artificial flavors, and yields 1 ½ cups of delicious vanilla flavored syrup.

I use vanilla paste in my vanilla syrup as it gives the syrup that deep vanilla flavor, however, you can substitute with vanilla extract if that is all that you have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Just 3 pantry ingredients. Nothing fussy or hard to find.
• Ready in under 10 minutes. Most of that time is just waiting for the sugar to dissolve.
• You control the flavor. Add a little more vanilla or a little less, depending on your taste.
• Make only what you need. Halve or double the recipe easily so nothing goes to waste.
• Budget-friendly. A homemade batch costs much less than store-bought syrup.

What You’ll Need

See recipe card for full measurements.

• Vanilla bean paste: Gives you rich vanilla flavor and those pretty little bean specks. I use my Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste, but store-bought works too. You substitute with one tablespoon Vanilla Extract.
• Granulated sugar: Plain white sugar keeps the flavor clean. You can substitute with brown sugar which will give it a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Water: Equal parts water and sugar make a classic simple syrup.

How to Make Vanilla Syrup

We will begin by making a basic simple syrup.

• Dissolve the sugar. Add the water and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk often so the sugar doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat. Once the sugar has fully dissolved and the liquid looks clear (this usually takes about 4-5 minutes), remove the pan from the heat. Note: you don’t want it to boil.
• Stir in the vanilla. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Taste, and add a little more if you’d like a stronger vanilla flavor.
• Cool and store. Let the syrup cool completely, then pour it into an airtight jar or bottle and refrigerate.

How to Store Vanilla Syrup

Keep this homemade vanilla syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If it turns cloudy or smells off, toss it and make a fresh batch. The vanilla specks settle to the bottom over time, so give the jar a quick shake before using.

Ways to Use Vanilla Syrup

• Coffee, of course! Stir it into brewed coffee or a homemade latte. We love it in our Homemade Cold Brew Coffee.
• Homemade vanilla creamer. Stir a spoonful of vanilla syrup into this Cashew Creamer for an easy dairy-free vanilla creamer.
• Tea lattes. It’s lovely in this English Breakfast Tea Latte. You will never want to pay for that overpriced Starbucks version again!
• Chai lattes. Pair it with my Chai Latte Syrup for a cozy vanilla chai.
• Cocktails and mocktails. Every good bar setup has a bottle of vanilla syrup.
• Breakfast. Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, or yogurt.

More Homemade Vanilla Recipes

If you love having homemade vanilla on hand, start with my Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste, the same paste used in this syrup. For baking, my Homemade Vanilla Extract is a pantry staple worth making once and using all year.

If you make this recipe I would love it if you left a review below and tag me on Instagram!