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Close up of the Homemade Caramel Syrup for Coffee in a jar with a bottle of Great Value vanilla and a container of sugar in the background.
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Homemade Caramel Syrup for Coffee

Love a rich, caramel-flavored coffee without the coffee shop price tag? This Homemade Caramel Syrup for Coffee is incredibly easy and delicious. Made in about 20 minutes on the stovetop with 3 simple ingredients: water, sugar, and vanilla. It’s a Starbucks copycat, but even easier than what you’ll find on their website!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Syrup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel coffee syrup, Starbucks copycat
Servings: 20 tablespoons
Calories: 39kcal
Author: Mindy Boyd

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and place it over medium heat. Let it come to a boil, which takes about 5-7 minutes.
    1 cup sugar, ¼ cup water
  • Once boiling, continue cooking and stirring slowly for another 11-13 minutes, lowering the heat to medium-low if needed. You want a slow boil, and the syrup will turn a very light amber color when done. The total cook time is 16-18 minutes, including the time it takes to reach a boil.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit for 30-60 seconds. Then carefully stir in the hot water and vanilla. 
    ½ cup hot water, 1 teaspoon vanilla

Notes

Be very careful when adding the remaining water to the syrup, hot water works best. I let it sit 30-60 seconds so it cools down and then it shouldn't splash too much. 
I have a glass electric cooktop and medium heat is 5, and medium-low heat is 3.
Cook this low and slow to prevent burning. 
I like to use a wire whisk and gently scrape the sides of the pan to help incorporate any of the sugar mixture that sticks, ensuring it fully dissolves into the syrup.
When you are stirring the hot water and vanilla into the syrup small sugar crystals may form, if this happens return it to medium-low heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly until they dissolve.
Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
 
Nutritional information is approximate. 
 
See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above. 
 
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Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 0.3mg | Potassium: 0.5mg | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 0.2mg | Iron: 0.01mg