Learn how to make caramel syrup for coffee. It’s quick and easy plus homemade caramel simple syrup will save you a small fortune compared to buying takeout speciality coffee or a bottle of store-bought syrup.
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Learning how to make caramel syrup for coffee from scratch is a bit of a game-changer. You’ll be able to enjoy a sweet, indulgent and mellow coffee at home whenever you please… even in your pyjamas.
If you think this is going to be a complicated recipe, you can breathe a sigh of relief. It’s not. This caramel coffee syrup is classed as a simple syrup because it is made with sugar and water. In this instance, we caramelise the sugar before adding the water. It’s as straightforward as that.
This caramel simple syrup has been developed to make a banging caramel latte. However, it could also be used to flavour cocktails, hot chocolate or milkshakes.
Why you’ll love this homemade syrup
- You only need 4 ingredients (including water).
- It’s inexpensive – making a batch of homemade caramel syrup for coffee is so much cheaper than buying a bottle.
- You can make indulgent caramel-flavoured drinks on demand, which is more convenient and more purse-friendly than developing a regular coffee shop habit.
- It keeps well – expect a lifespan of at least 4 weeks.
Ingredients notes
You only need 4 ingredients to make a bottle of this caramel simple syrup and arguably, 2 of these ingredients are optional.
Sugar: use white caster sugar as it dissolves more easily than granulated sugar.
Water: use hot water (just off the boil) to reduce the amount of splattering that takes place when it is added to the liquid sugar.
Vanilla extract & salt: these are optional additions. They serve to enhance rather than dominate the flavour in this homemade caramel syrup for coffee.
Equipment notes
A small heavy-based saucepan and a wooden spoon are all that you need to make this caramel simple syrup recipe. Go for the size up from a milk pan (mine measures 7 inches/ 18cm in diameter). If you double the recipe, use a larger pan.
Step by step instructions
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan in a level layer. Place the pan over a low-medium heat and cook gently until the sugar turns liquid. Avoid stirring it until most of the sugar has dissolved.
Step 2. Once the liquid is deep amber in colour slowly pour in very hot water (from a recently boiled kettle). It may splutter and clump together.
Step 3. Put the pan back over the heat and stir until the syrup is smooth again. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Leave to cool then decant into a bottle.
Top Tip: Take care when adding the water as it can sizzle and splash.
Expert tips
- Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up to cook the caramel faster. It will most likely cook unevenly and end up burnt.
- If your syrup is cooking too quickly, plunge the base of the pan into cold water to quickly cool it (ensuring no water enters the pan). Then pop it back on the hob to cook but at a lower heat.
- Do not taste the caramel as it cooks – it is molten liquid and will cause a severe burn.
- On that note, do not let small children get involved in making this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
If your syrup burnt it’s likely that it was cooked at too high a temperature or for too long. Sadly, it is not possible to save burnt syrup – it will always taste bitter and burnt. Try cooking the next batch at a lower temperature.
It’s possible that the sugar did not fully dissolve during cooking. You can either pass your syrup through a sieve to remove the crystals or try reheating it gently, stirring constantly, to dissolve the residual sugar crystals.
Yes, you can. Simply grind some sea salt in a pestle and mortar and stir it into the caramel simple syrup when you add the vanilla extract. Exactly how much salt to add will depend on your personal preferences. Anything between 1- 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt will work.
I prefer to add any salt directly to the drink recipe I’m making as it can be hard to get the level of saltiness right in drinks when using salted caramel syrup.
More syrups and cordials to try out
Have you made this homemade caramel syrup for coffee? Please give the recipe a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Caramel Syrup for Coffee (Caramel Simple Syrup)
Equipment
- 1 Small heavy-based saucepan Go for the size up from a milk pan (mine measures 7 inches/ 18cm in diameter). If you double the recipe, use a larger pan.
Ingredients
- 225 g Caster sugar
- 150 ml Water very hot
- 1½ Teaspoons Vanilla extract optional
- ⅛ Teaspoon Sea salt a large pinch
Instructions
- Put the kettle on to boil.
- Put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan in a level layer. Place the pan over a low-medium heat and cook gently until the sugar turns liquid. Avoid stirring it until most of the sugar has dissolved (it will take around 5-10 minutes).
- Once the liquid is deep amber in colour slowly pour in very hot water (from the recently boiled kettle). The caramel may splutter and clump together as the wateris added.
- Put the pan back over the low-medium heat and stir until the syrup is smooth again. Take off the heat and after 5 minues stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Leave the syrup to cool then decant into a bottle.
Notes
- Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up to cook the caramel faster. It will most likely cook unevenly and end up burnt.
- If your syrup is cooking too quickly, plunge the base of the pan into cold water to quickly cool it (ensuring no water enters the pan). Then pop it back on the hob to cook but at a lower heat
- Do not taste the caramel as it cooks – it is molten liquid and will cause a severe burn.
- On that note, do not let small children get involved in making this recipe.
- If your syrup burnt it’s likely that it was cooked at too high a temperature or for too long. Sadly, it is not possible to save burnt syrup – it will always taste bitter and burnt. Try cooking the next batch at a lower temperature.
- To make salted caramel syrup simply grind some sea salt in a pestle and mortar and stir it into the caramel simple syrup when you add the vanilla extract. Exactly how much salt to add will depend on your personal preferences. Anything between 1- 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt will work.
Jane Coupland
Thanks for reading my recipe. I hope you make it and get plenty of enjoyment from it.