For me, there’s not much better than an ice-cold coffee on a hot summer day. One problem though: if you want to sweeten your coffee you only have a few options. Option one is to use sugar, which is hard to dissolve and can result in a pile of sugar gunk at the bottom of your glass. Option two is using a store-bought coffee syrup, but those tend to be cloyingly sweet and flavored with junk.
The hidden third option is to make your own syrup at home. This simple caramel syrup isn’t that hard and will give your coffee a beautiful rich flavor.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water, divided
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small, sturdy pot, combine the sugar, 1/4 cup of the water water, and the corn syrup. Stir over low heat until dissolved.
- Once the sugar has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to medium high, cover the pot, and let boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cover and stir vigorously as the caramel continues to cook. Stir over heat until mixture is a light amber color.
- Remove the caramel from heat. Carefully pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Be very careful when stirring the water into the caramel as it can splatter. Stir in the vanilla and a small pinch of salt.
- This syrup is best if you let it cool completely before use. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of syrup to flavor 8 ounces of coffee. The syrup will keep beautifully in the fridge for a few months.
