A few weeks ago, I was making coffee one morning (I think it was on a weekend…time was not of the essence) and a thought suddenly dawned on me. Why couldn’t I make coffee with a little more flavor, somewhat similar to Starbucks? 


Ten seconds later, the words ‘simple syrup’ popped into my brain. Simple syrup can be flavored many different ways. Genius. 


Trust me when I say that I am not the first person to think of this, but I’ll be darned as to why I didn’t think about it sooner. Let me tell you, the hubs we had been missing out! 

Needless to say, my first experiment with flavored simple syrup was successful. Of course, there is always room for improvement but I have to say, the subtle vanilla flavor hit the spot. I can’t wait to try some other flavors!


Here’s what you’ll need:


● A medium saucepan 
● 1 cup white sugar
● 1 cup water
● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 


This is what you do:


Bring water to a gentle boil. Add sugar and let boil until dissolved. Turn off and move from burner, adding vanilla extract. For a stronger flavor, add an extra teaspoon or use a vanilla bean (scrape the seeds, add pod while simmering, then remove pod). Let completely cool before pouring into an airtight container, like a Mason jar. Keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks, if it lasts you that long.