Vanilla simple syrup adds sweetness and vanilla aroma in a form that mixes easily into drinks. Start with a plain sugar syrup, then add vanilla extract after taking it off the heat. The amount of extract matters: different products vary in strength.
The 100g sugar, 100ml water and one-teaspoon extract formula comes from Sift & Simmer’s vanilla syrup recipe. Adding vanilla after cooling is also used in Nielsen-Massey’s flavoured syrup method. This is a sourced adaptation, not an independently kitchen-tested Sommblog recipe.
Ingredients
- 100g white granulated sugar
- 100ml water
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
Use a small saucepan, a measuring spoon and a clean lidded container. The batch weighs roughly 200g plus the extract before handling losses; measure the finished amount if a precise yield is needed. Active preparation takes about five minutes, plus cooling.
Method
- Combine the sugar and water in the saucepan.
- Warm gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Avoid reducing the liquid.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to the clean container, label and refrigerate promptly.
Extract, paste or a pod?
Extract is convenient because you can measure it without needing a separate infusion step. Vanilla paste can contain seeds, sugar and thickeners; its label may suggest a substitution amount. Do not assume every paste or concentrated flavouring replaces extract teaspoon for teaspoon.
A split vanilla pod is another option in the source recipe, but it produces a different preparation and a variable extraction. For a first batch, choosing one familiar extract makes the result easier to repeat. Keep the packaging so you can record the brand and quantity alongside your syrup ratio.
Using vanilla syrup in drinks
Begin with a small measured addition to iced coffee or a milk-based drink, then adjust. These are serving ideas, not independently tested drink recipes. Milk already changes texture and sweetness perception, so the same syrup measure may taste different in black coffee.
In a cocktail, vanilla syrup replaces part or all of the sweetening ingredient; adding it on top of the full original syrup measure can make the drink overly sweet. For a neutral baseline, compare with our plain simple syrup.
Cooling, storage and troubleshooting
Use the Food Standards Agency’s general cooling and leftover guidance as a cautious household routine: refrigerate promptly, keep covered, and use within two days or freeze. This is not a tested shelf-life claim for vanilla syrup. Do not treat homemade syrup as a shelf-stable commercial product.
If the vanilla dominates, dilute a measured portion with plain syrup and record the amounts. If crystals appear, check whether the syrup was reduced or the proportions changed. Discard any batch with mould or unexpected deterioration. For alternatives with a different flavour, see honey syrup and syrup substitutes.
Image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of a tested recipe or a reviewed bottle.
