I’ll tell you a secret: homemade vanilla syrup might be the easiest thing you EVER make. Have you seen the price of those bottles of fancy-flavored syrups?! They are ex-pen-sive. Especially when you consider what is in them – water, sugar, & flavoring. Oh, and preservatives & needless additives – that must be why they’re so pricey. Instead of spending an arm & a leg on a bottle of vanilla syrup, use that salvaged arm to stir up some homemade!
Homemade Gifts
I’m a little bit obsessed with homemade gifts. Partly because it is really difficult to shop with 3 children in tow. And because it is difficult to know what someone wants specifically. I also hate the idea of getting a person something they won’t use & don’t like. Oh, and also because I have a frugal streak & making things is often less expensive than buying something. Mostly, though, because I want the person receiving the gift to know how much they mean to me. I feel that if I use my hands to put time, effort, thought, and a little sweat into something, it will better reflect my heart. This homemade vanilla syrup, presented in a glass bottle with a bow, is a great gift to give – for all of the above reasons! Plus, it tastes REALLY good 🙂
Using just 3 ingredients, which you probably have in your pantry right now, plus water, this homemade vanilla syrup recipe takes only 15 minutes (!) of active cook time & is so easy, you’re almost guaranteed to not screw it up. Always a bonus in my book.
Recipe adapted from Paula Deen.
Homemade Vanilla Syrup
You’ll start by mixing your sugars & water in a saucepan & heating it until you reach a simmer. Then cook it for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to cook your sugar too much or it will start to become candy, instead of staying a syrup. If you’re unsure, cook it a little less rather than more. Also be careful not to let it boil over – very sticky to clean up! Let it cool, add your vanilla, and Voila! Homemade Vanilla Syrup in a flash (well, in a simmer).
This syrup is great in coffee or espresso beverages, or my favorite way to use it is in some Homemade Cream Soda! Tasty, tasty. And if you’re in more of a spicy mood, try this Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup!! It’s a great way to add Fall flavors to your coffee, pancakes, or ice cream.
Homemade Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients
- 3 ½ c. Water
- 3 c. granulated Sugar
- ½ c. Light Brown Sugar
- 3 tbsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Gently stir water & sugars together in a medium saucepan, over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer & cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat & cool completely.
- Stir in vanilla & enjoy as syrup, or use it to make Homemade Cream Soda!
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Like what you see? Leave me a comment. ⭐
Can I use pure cane syrup as the sweetener? If so how much?
Yes, Kathy, you can absolutely substitute 100% pure cane syrup for the granulated sugar in this recipe on a 1:1 ratio (meaning 3 c. Pure Cane Syrup in place of the 3 c. Sugar). However, since cane syrup is liquid, you may need to adjust the amount of water used (I’d start with 3 c. of water & add more, if needed) to achieve the desired consistency.
One last thing: since cane syrup has a distinct flavor, the final result may taste slightly different. So, keep in mind that you may want to make additional adjustments to balance the sweetness and flavor. You can add the cane syrup slowly, tasting the “sugar water” as you go.
If you make it, I’d love to know how it turns out!!
Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question!! I’m definitely gonna make it with your suggestions. I’ll let you know how wonderful it is.
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A bottle of this syrup lives on our countertop. We use it for everything!
Same here!
Can I use 100% pure cane syrup as the sugar?
Does this thicken upon coming to room temperature?
Yes, it will thicken slightly as it cools.
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I’m about to make this for the 2nd time. It is AWESOME! Will it keep longer in the fridge? Thanks for the great recipe!
Patricia, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the syrup! Yes, it will keep longer in the fridge, though we normally store ours on the countertop (up to several weeks – though it rarely lasts that long because we use it too fast 😉). Best wishes in the kitchen! ❤️
Hi, I’m from Mexico, and I want to make the famous Butterbeer, I really love it and I remember the flavor ( I’ve been in Universal in november), and here I am looking for the recipes that i’m gonna use, cuse where I live I can’t find those ingredientes like the marshmallow fluff or the cream soda or this one the vanilla syrup, so I want to told you Thanks so much for this, and I hope the Butterbeer looks so great to celebrate this Happy New Year!!!!!!! -Adriana Varas 🙂
Yay!! I hope this helps you celebrate with a little remembrance of Harry Potter. While this recipe is a delicious Cream Soda, know in advance that it does not taste quite like Butterbeer, which has pear and ginger notes in it. Hope you like it anyway, though!! ❤️
Hi I was wondering before I made this for the cream soda recipe of yours that I saw, what does it taste like? I wanted to make this with my friend who is coming over tomorrow and wanted to check it flavour-wise! Thanks this recipe looks incredible!
It tastes similar to a simple syrup, but more flavor-forward with the vanilla. Hope that helps!
Can you use this for vanilla lattes?
YES!!!
I haven’t made this yet but it looks so good I was wondering about other sugar substitutes like monk fruit I know it’s a little more textured like regular sugar and stevia any thoughts
I have not personally made this with any sugar substitutes but there isn’t a reason why it wouldn’t work – the sugar is for taste, not so much texture (as opposed to the necessary solidifying process of making candy). It should work according to the conversation rate for the substitution being use (see product information for stevia, monk fruit, etc). I’d love to know how it turns out if you do try it!
Hi. I used this syrup to make my cream soda and BUTTERBEER! It was perfect. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and it was such a success. Thank you for the recipe
That is so good to know! We are also HUGE HP and Butterbeer fans.
Hi! I just made this and it tastes great! I noticed that there are 78 calories in one serving of this syrup, but the serving size listed (Servings 34 oz) doesn’t make sense to me. Is there maybe a typo?
Yes, I believe that’s correct. It’s based on 2 tbsp being a serving – and it does make 68 oz total (give or take depending on how long you simmer it).
This is great in ginger ale to make cream soda thanks for the recipe!
Good to know! So glad you enjoyed it.
Can this be water bath canned?
I’m not terribly experienced when it comes to canning, though I don’t see why not. It does keep FOREVER in the fridge – and could easily be frozen. Hope that helps!
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Hi your recipe looks very tempting but I’m from the uk and don’t understand your measurements. How much water should I start off with and do you means cups of sugar Thanks
No problem! Here are the ingredients converted to British baking units:
29 fl oz Water
13.2 oz Sugar
2.2 oz Light Brown Sugar
3 tbsp (1.5 oz) Vanilla Extract
Hope that’s helpful!!
Very easy to make and kids loved it. Thanks loads!!😇
Yay!! You’re welcome. 😉
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This is a GREAT idea that I’m definitely going to make today! I was just wondering what the best kind of vanilla to add? I have pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and “baking vanilla” which is really just a richer version of the pure extract. Thank you so much for this recipe, and I will be obsessively checking my Notifixations for a response so I can start making it!
You can use any of the vanillas you listed. Personally, I prefer the pure vanilla extract in mine. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts after you make it!
Hi, how long can I store the syrup before it goes bad?
Typically, you can safely store it at room temp for at least two weeks. I’ve used mine for at least a month or two beyond that with no problem. If you’re concerned, you can always freeze batches of it once it’s cooled & then pull them out as-needed.
I want to use it in a Steak n Shake copy cat recipe for a vanilla shake. It calls for vanilla syrup. Would this syrup be okay?
@Jo-Ann – that sounds yummy!! Yes, this should definitely do the trick! Let me know how it turns out.
Thanks for the quick reply. I received a retro green Waring Malt making machine for my birthday (Dec. 22) . I’m excited to give it a “whirl”!!!
Jo-Ann
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I’m not a fan of syrup, but I loved this recipe. It was easy to make and was perfect over pancakes. Thank you!
@Jaya – I’m so glad you liked it! I’m not a big syrup fan either, but this one I (obviously) love, as well!! 🙂
Thank you for this simple recipe. I made some pancakes from scratch and this was perfect! I prefer it over maple syrup any day! I’ll try it in my coffee tomorrow. Mahalo
It’s SO good in coffee! Hope you enjoy it.
Could this vanilla syrup be used to make vanilla coke if I combine it with coke
@Ryan – Yes! Add 1 tbsp of the Vanilla Syrup to 1 can (or 12oz) of Coke. Enjoy!
Would it be okay to substitute the white sugar with Stevia? Do I need to make any other changes to the recipe if I use it?
@Elke – I have honestly never baked with Stevia before. According to the Stevia online conversion chart, though, you would use 1 tsp Liquid Stevia or 1 1/2 tbsp Powdered Stevia per each 1 c. of Sugar … which means you’d need either 3 tsp Liquid Stevia or 4 1/2 tbsp Powdered Stevia for this recipe. As to the taste, cooking instructions, & texture, I really could not even start to guess. Might be worth a try for you though!! If you attempt it, I’d love to hear how it goes! Best wishes!!
This looked so good, but I must have done something wrong. My syrup tastes awful! Almost like plastic or burnt, but it hardly even reached the simmer stage at medium heat. Any suggestions?
@Angie – OH NO!! That’s terrible! I am so sorry to hear that your first attempt turned out so poorly. That stinks! My first guess would be that maybe something just went wrong! Possibly there was residue in your pan, or an ingredient was bad, or the ingredients didn’t get incorporated well & burned on the bottom of the pan before it reached simmer??? I wish I could help more – like come over & help you make a new batch! 🙂 I do hope you’ll try to make it again & let me know if it turns out better. I’ve had SO much positive feedback on this recipe so I hope your next try is a HUGE success!!!
My husband loves vanilla diet coke from sonic. Would this work at home with can diet coke?
@Rhonda – absolutely!! Add a tbsp or two to the soda & voila! Let me know how he likes it.
Inquiring minds want to know, how to find bottles like the one in the photo? The link provided is a different style (I also worry about that bottle not up for pouring syrup!) Thanks for a yummy recipe and gift idea!
@Michele – the bottle pictured is from Walmart. I got it several years ago, but I’ve seen them other places since then. Hope that helps!!
Hobby lobby has those bottles.
Can this be used in pop?
@Rebeca – YES!!! In fact, I’ve worked out the proportions & recipe for an amazingly delicious (and easy) Homemade Cream Soda (using this syrup) –> https://fromfoodiewithlove.com/homemade-cream-soda-dairy-free/. Let me know how you like it!!
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Hi can I use vanilla essence?
@Liz – yes, you can definitely use vanilla essence in this recipe! The amount you use will depend on the type of essence you have (concentrated or imitation) & the strength of its flavor. If you have the real concentrate, it can be much stronger in flavor than extract, so start out with half the amount. If you’re using imitation essense, it will be much weaker, and probably not have the same “pure” flavor that extract would (similarly to imitation extract vs pure extract), so you may need to double it. I would start out slow & add more to taste, as needed.
If you make it with the essense, come back & let me know how much you used & how it turned out!
Hey! I really want to try this syrup soon and was wondering how much vanilla beans should i use to replace the vanilla extract? And if i use vanilla beans without any extract, will the flavor still be as strong? Thanks!
@Ann – the basic rule when subbing vanilla bean for extract (and vice versa) is 1 vanilla bean = 1 tsp extract. I’ve never made this recipe with a bean instead of extract, but I think it would be delicious to try!!! If it were me, I would probably start with 2-3 whole vanilla beans (slit down the center to expose the seeds), drop in the pan with the sugar & water & let them boil. Taste it & if needed, you could split the bean open & scoop some of the seeds into your syrup, which should intensify the flavor over time (or keep the pods & all in your syrup). Keep in mind that the vanilla bean has a much more intense flavor than extract, so your finished product will taste much fresher & full-bodied — though the quality of the bean you buy (& extract) will determine a lot of that too. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!!!
Would it make much of a difference if I used dark brown sugar instead of light?
@Allison – Yes, the flavor will be different. I used dark instead of light before & the flavor, as expected, is more rich in the caramel notes. It is still good & a bit more pungent, in my opinion. I prefer the light brown sugar, but the dark was definitely still good!
Sounds wonderful! Do you know How long it lasts? Can you freeze it?
It should last at least 2 weeks in a clean, sealed, glass or plastic container. Obviously, it will last longer if you refrigerate it. I’ve never tried to freeze mine, but I don’t see any reason that you couldn’t! Let me know if you do & how it turns out.
Is the syrup supposed to be watery?
@Olivia – yes! It is the same consistency of the Torani syrups. A little thinner than pancake syrup, but thicker than water :).
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How much does it make, approximately?
It makes about 1 liter of syrup.
Thanks. I made this stuff, and it is amazing!!! My Mom loves this in her morning coffee:) (My Dad just likes his plain, but it’s just bitter that way I find:) It’s way better than the Starbucks’ syrup and cheap. (Don’t tell my sister that, she works at Starbucks:)
What’s your next recipe? Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be amazing:)
Thanks, DeAtra!! I’ve got lots more recipes to post – be sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss one 🙂
Yummy! All made and ready for breakfast tomorrow. Any chance you have a good homemade maple syrup recipe? I don’t care for store bought pancake syrup and pure maple syrup is expensive.
@Marcia – so glad you made this syrup!! Hope it makes your breakfast sweeter :).
Hmmm – I’ll have to do some research & look for a pancake syrup recipe. I think I have one from years & years ago. I actually prefer powdered sugar instead of syrup on my pancakes. Good idea, though!