What can you use coffee syrup for?

Coffee syrup is wonderful in a cappuccino, latte or iced coffee, but it works far beyond that. Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles or vanilla ice cream, sweeten desserts with it or stir a spoonful into plant-based yogurt. Basically, it fits everywhere you would use maple or caramel syrup.

How long does homemade coffee syrup last?

Thanks to the high amount of sugar, the syrup keeps for several weeks. Fill it hot into a clean, ideally sterilized bottle, seal it well and store it in the fridge. Always use a clean spoon and it will stay fresh until the last drop.

Which coffee is best for coffee syrup?

Use a strong, freshly brewed coffee – a robust filter coffee or an espresso both work well. The stronger the brew, the more intense the coffee flavor in the finished syrup. Decaffeinated coffee works just as well if the syrup is meant for the evening.

How do I know when the syrup is thick enough?

After about 20-30 minutes of simmering, the syrup should coat the back of a spoon. Keep in mind that it thickens quite a bit more as it cools, so take it off the heat while it still seems slightly runny. If it gets too thick, simply stir in a splash of hot coffee.

Can I use a different sugar for the syrup?

Yes. Raw cane sugar gives the classic caramel note, but brown sugar or coconut blossom sugar work too and add a deeper, malty flavor. Just keep the amount roughly the same – the sugar is what preserves the syrup and gives it its thick texture.

Coffee syrup with cinnamon and cardamom – easy vegan gift

Name: Coffee syrup with cinnamon and cardamom
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 1 bottle
Ingredients: 500 ml (2 1/8 cup) strong coffee; 2 cinnamon sticks; 1 pinch of cardamom; 250 g (1 ¼ cup) raw cane sugar

Hello lovelies, as soon as the first Advent candles come out, I start making little gifts in my own kitchen – and this homemade coffee syrup is one of my absolute favorites. It's well known that the way to the heart is through the stomach, and I have been giving away homemade treats for years. So if you get something edible from me, you can be sure: I like you :-). The syrup is part of a little series of 3 edible gifts I created in cooperation with Migros Bio/Alnatura Switzerland – made with high-quality organic ingredients.

What I love about gifts from the kitchen: they are sustainable. Nothing ends up standing in a corner collecting dust – they get used up and enjoyed. For the coffee syrup I reuse pretty bottles I already have at home and only buy labels and little stars for decoration; nature supplies the rest. And with just 4 ingredients – strong coffee, raw cane sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom – it could hardly be easier to make.

Coffee syrup with cinnamon sticks in a saucepan, photographed from above

Everything simmers together at medium heat for about 20-30 minutes until the syrup turns thick and glossy. Filled into a nice bottle – the cinnamon sticks can go right in – it looks beautiful and keeps for several weeks thanks to the sugar.

For my syrup I brewed a strong coffee from the organic Caruso Crema Bio – but any strong ground coffee you love works beautifully. The syrup is of course wonderful in a cappuccino, but also over desserts, pancakes or vanilla ice cream – basically everywhere you would use syrup. It is the ultimate gift for any coffee lover, and because of the added sugar it has a shelf life of several weeks.

Homemade coffee syrup in a bottle with cinnamon sticks beside it

If you would like to put together a whole gift board, the syrup has 2 delicious companions from the same little series: the sweet chocolate chips with speculoos biscuits and the savory pickled basil tofu with olives.

And if you are as much of a coffee fan as I am, have a look at my quick espresso cookies, the cozy vegan gingerbread latte or the vegan donuts with coffee glaze – they all pair wonderfully with a freshly brewed cup. You can find more delicious recipes with Migros Bio ingredients here.

This blog post was created in collaboration with Migros, but reflects my own opinion.

Coffee syrup with cinnamon and cardamom

Verena's notes