Easy DIY Coffee Syrup Recipes for a Sweet Cup of Joe

There's nothing better than that first sip of a coffee-house hot beverage, fragrant, warm, and lightly sweet with a flavor of your choosing. But sometimes you just want to stay in your jammies and don't want to head to the local Starbucks to get your java fix. 

That's where these DIY coffee syrups come in. They're so easy to make at home, and they give your daily cup of joe a hint of sweetness and loads of flavor. 

DIY Basic Coffee Syrup & Variations

Adding that sweet liquid gold to your coffee at home is easier than you might think! All you need is sugar, water, and less patience than it takes to make an espresso.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar

Instructions

1. In a small to medium saucepan over high heat, add water and sugar.
2. Stir continuously until the sugar fully dissolves.
3. Remove from heat and let the syrup mix to cool completely.
4. Pour into a resealable container.
5. Cover and store in the fridge for up to four weeks. 

This will make approximately one cup of basic coffee syrup. 

Chocolate 

To add some magical mocha essence to your coffee syrup, start with the basic recipe. Add ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and a tiny pinch of salt to your sugar and water in step 1, above. Then follow the instructions as written. 

Vanilla 

When you're stirring in your one cup of sugar and one cup of water, add a half tablespoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. If you're changing the recipe, try to keep a ratio of a half tablespoon of vanilla flavoring for each cup of basic coffee syrup. Otherwise, follow the above recipe as written. It's perfect for winter days and spring mornings.

Hazelnut

I am a major hazelnut coffee fan. Growing up, it was always my dad's go-to coffee flavor, and once I started drinking coffee, it became mine. 

To make it, start with the basic recipe. Add 1½ cups of roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts with your sugar and water in step 1. Then allow the mix to simmer for around 10 to 15 minutes. When you remove it from the heat, cool it completely, and then strain it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Store in the fridge for up to four weeks.

Almond 

Thanks to almond extract, which you can find alongside the vanilla extract and other extracts in the baking aisle, you can go nuts over your next coffee concoction. For every cup of basic coffee syrup you make, add 2 teaspoons of almond extract. Add a full tablespoon if you can't get enough of that almond flavor. 

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar 

Get extra cozy this fall by swapping your white sugar for brown sugar and tossing in two to three cinnamon sticks or a full teaspoon of ground cinnamon in step 1. Cook as directed. Cool completely and then strain out the cinnamon sticks. The result? A rich and cozy coffee syrup that'll be a blanket in a mug. 

Peppermint

Like most flavorful homemade coffee syrups, extract can help you achieve those dreamy, mouth-watering flavors with ease. But just one single teaspoon of peppermint extract (added in step 1) is all you need when making a cup of basic coffee syrup. Peppermint is a bold, vibrant flavor, so you don't need much to make that flavor pop. 

Caramel Coffee Syrup Recipe

There's a major difference between caramel syrup and caramel sauce: caramel sauce is that ooey-gooey, thick ice cream topping. Caramel syrup is much easier to work with and is thinner, although no less flavorful.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add a half cup of water with one cup of sugar.
2. Bring to a rolling simmer and stir until sugar is totally dissolved.
3. Reduce heat until it's just simmering.
4. Allow to simmer for approximately fifteen minutes, until the mixture turns a golden color. Swirl (but don't stir) the pan occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. Warm up the remaining water.
7. With the caramel off the heat, slowly add the warmed water and vanilla, stirring constantly, until completely mixed.
8. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. 

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup

If you're a pumpkin spice fanatic, your secret is safe with us. And we have just the DIY pumpkin spice coffee syrup for when those flavors call to you, even when the leaves aren't falling.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2½ teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, add water, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.
2. Stir to mix.
3. Bring to a simmer and stir often.
4. Allow to simmer for approximately five minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and put in an airtight container once it's totally cooled.
6. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

How Much Syrup to Add to Your Coffee

This is an incredibly personal question. It's like having 10 people agree on how much milk they want to add to their cereal. The more coffee syrup you add, the more flavor and sweeter that coffee will be unless your recipe is on the subtler side. 

And if that answer leaves you more lost than before and you're looking for a numerical amount: add one ounce of coffee syrup for 12 ounces of coffee. For every additional four ounces of coffee, you'll add another quarter to half an ounce of syrup. 

If you're only brewing a 10-ounce cup of coffee in a regular-sized mug, opt for half to three-quarters of an ounce. The right amount, and how much coffee syrup to add to your coffee, is mostly about personal preference. 

DIY Coffee Syrup Recipes for Your Home Café 

There's no need to head to the coffee shop when you're looking for a flavorful and dreamy coffee. Especially if your wallet is a little extra slim with how many times you've stopped in for a little treat. Give your budget a break and stay in your cozy clothes, all while enjoying a coffee with one of these homemade coffee syrup recipes.