I’m tired of overpriced and overly sweet coffee syrups you buy from the store. They don’t taste good and never truly taste like the real deal! I’m sure many of you also have this sentiment, which is why making your own simple syrups is amazing! Now, this caramel syrup for coffee and more is super easy to make and tastes amazing.
Since making my own syrups, I’ve noticed all my at-home beverages taste a lot better! From strawberry syrup, simple syrup, and even lavender syrup, nothing beats freshly made syrup.
So, here’s how to make a delicious caramel syrup at home!
What is Caramel?
Caramel, at its core, is caramelized sugar. If you ever watch baking shows (Great British Baking Show lovers, anybody?) and see people caramelize sugar as a cake or cupcake topper, that’s exactly it. Caramelized sugar is hard and crunchy, but it can also be liquid for desserts like flan or pudding.
You’re probably also familiar with chewy caramels, which are caramel added with milk and butter to make a creamy and sweet treat. Caramel sauce is basically the same thing, just added when the sugar is cooked less, so it remains a sticky, but semi-liquid sauce.
Caramel is one of the most popular flavors I can think of, which is no surprise, since it’s so popular in coffee!
What is Caramel Syrup?
Caramel syrup is caramel-flavored simple syrup! It’s made by caramelizing sugar until it’s golden brown, then stopping the cooking process by adding water. The result? A golden-colored syrup that has the perfect balance of sweet and bitter, perfect for all your drinks and desserts!
What is caramel syrup made of? Unlike the caramels you eat, caramel syrup has no milk or dairy in it, just caramelized sugar and water! Of course, it needs water to be a liquid texture, so you can use it in all your at-home coffee drinks!
Caramel syrup is probably the second easiest syrup to make, besides regular simple syrup. All you need is patience!
Caramel Sauce vs. Caramel Syrup
As mentioned, caramel sauce is a thick, viscous caramel that has cream and butter, which gives it a butterscotch color and flavor. Caramel syrup is just caramelized sugar and water, which makes it golden in color and translucent. The syrup tastes much closer to what you think caramelized sugar is, while caramel sauce leans more towards buttery.
You can use both in coffee and drinks, but since caramel sauce has added fat, it has a much richer flavor and texture. Caramel syrup is best if you want a clean, caramel flavor.
But to make both, you have to make the caramel first, which is the same process, no matter which one you’re making.
What to Use Caramel Syrup For
Why make caramel syrup? Well, one, it’s delicious, but two, it’s super versatile. Add it to beverages to make all sorts of caramel-flavored drinks like:
- Caramel Latte
- Caramel Hojicha Latte
- Iced Caramel Apple Spice
- Caramel Macchiato
Or desserts like flan, pudding, creme caramel, cake, etc. But the syrup is not limited to sweets; you can also use it to braise meat, add it as a sauce to fish, or any protein that needs a little sweetener.
It’s truly one of those syrups you don’t realize you use so much until you have it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s super, super easy.
- You’ll use the syrup for everything.
- Save a lot of money making caramel syrup from scratch!
- It tastes much fresher than any store-bought syrup.
- Practice making coffee syrups!
Caramel Syrup: What You’ll Need
You’ll need:
- A heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot.
Ingredients:
- Equal parts sugar and water. (Literally, that’s it.)
- Vanilla extract (optional)
Caramel Syrup Recipe
- Make Caramel. Add sugar to your pot or saucepan and heat on low-medium heat until it starts melting. Let it melt on its own without touching it; otherwise, you risk crystallization. If you’re a beginner: Add a little bit of water and let it sit. This helps prevent the sugar from burning.
- Watch the sugar closely and keep heating it until it turns a dark golden color.
- Add Water. Once the sugar has melted completely and turned the correct color, add warm water very slowly to the caramel. The heated sugar will immediately evaporate the water, so make sure to protect your hands and face with a mitt or pot lid.
- Once you add all the water, stir gently to dissolve the sugar into the water. Once the sugar dissolves, let the syrup cook for 1-2 minutes until you get your desired consistency. Then turn off the heat.
- Cool and Store. Let the syrup cool slightly before transferring to an airtight bottle or jar. Once completely cool, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Note: Depending on how bitter you want your syrup, you can cook your syrup more or less. Also, the sugar will continue to cook even off the heat, so if you’re unsure about when to add the water, take your pot off the heat earlier and let it cook from the residual heat.
How to Store Caramel Syrup
The best way to store any homemade syrup is in an airtight bottle or jar—something like a mason jar or syrup bottle with an airtight cap. You can also put it in a syrup bottle that has an open dispenser on top, just make sure to wrap it in plastic wrap if you’re keeping it for more than 3 days.
The more oxygen introduced to your syrup, the less likely it is to stay fresh. Luckily, sugar (in large quantities) is a great preservative, so bacteria should not easily grow in your syrup.
This syrup should last 1-2 weeks in the fridge. However, if the texture or look of your syrup changes, it’s best to toss it and remake it. (Ex. If you see floating fuzzy dots or white strings, it’s probably mold.)
Tips for the Best Caramel Simple Syrup
- For a More Bitter Syrup: If you love bitter caramel, caramelize the sugar until it’s a dark brown, almost black color. You could even burn the sugar to really get that bitter and smoky flavor.
- For a Lighter Tasting Syrup: Alternatively, if you like a lighter caramel flavor, cook the sugar until it’s a light golden color. This will be lighter and sweeter with a mild bitterness.
- Add Vanilla or Salt: You can add as many flavor enhancers as you want. Some find caramel a little flat, so to give it more dimension, add vanilla extract or a pinch of salt after your syrup is done cooking.
- Experiment with Consistency: If you prefer a thicker syrup, cook the caramel and water for longer until it’s more viscous. And alternatively, you can also finish cooking once the sugar dissolves into the water for a more watery syrup.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap White Sugar for Brown: Did you know that butterscotch is just caramel, but made with brown sugar and more butter? That’s where that classic richer, nuttier, and molasses flavor comes from. While you don’t have to add more butter, you can make a mix between the two by swapping sugar for brown sugar.
- Make Healthier Syrup: If you use sugar-free sweeteners, I am afraid that (due to the chemical makeup) you can’t caramelize them the same way you can with sugar. To make a healthier caramel syrup, I recommend using dates! While dates are high in sugar, it’s often seen as a healthier sweetener since they also contain fiber and nutrients. They also have a caramel-like flavor, so instead, you can blend some soaked dates for a caramel sauce of sorts. You could also use caramel bitters if you find them!
- Make Caramel Sauce: Need something more robust? Try making caramel sauce instead of just caramel syrup. I like making sauce for drinks with mixed flavors, like chocolate and caramel. Regular caramel syrup is best on its own.
Homemade Caramel Syrup for Coffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Make Caramel. Add sugar to your pot or saucepan and heat on low-medium heat until it starts melting. Let it melt on its own without touching it; otherwise, you risk crystallization. If you're a beginner: Add a half cup of water and let it sit. This helps prevent the sugar from burning.
- Watch the sugar closely and keep heating it until it turns a dark golden color.
- Add Water. Once the sugar has melted completely and turned the correct color, add warm water very slowly to the caramel. The heated sugar will immediately evaporate the water, so make sure to protect your hands and face with a mitt or pot lid.
- Once you add all the water, stir gently to dissolve the sugar into the water. Once the sugar dissolves, let the syrup cook for 1-2 minutes until you get your desired consistency. Then turn off the heat.
- Cool and Store. Let the syrup cool slightly before transferring to an airtight bottle or jar. Once completely cool, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is caramel syrup made of?
Caramel syrup is made of caramelized sugar and water, dissolved together to make a liquid syrup. Variations include brown sugar, less or more sugar, and a lighter or more burnt sugar.
What’s the difference between caramel sauce and caramel syrup?
Caramel sauce is made of caramelized sugar, cream, and butter and is thicker, viscous, and opaque. On the other hand, caramel syrup is made from caramelized sugar and water, which makes a translucent syrup.
What type of sugar is best for caramel?
White sugar or granulated sugar is best for caramel! It has a blank canvas that allows for nice caramelization and flavor. You’ll taste the sweetness and bitterness best.
What is caramel syrup used for?
You can use caramel syrup for drinks, desserts, and even cooking. Add it to coffee, matcha, milk, flan, pudding, cakes, or flavor meat with it.
Other Homemade Syrups to Try
Once you make this caramel syrup, surely you’ll want to make other syrups too! Being a home cafe page, I 100% prefer homemade syrups to storebought! They just taste so much better. Here are some syrup recipes I think you’ll love:
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