Coffee-shop syrup · In season for Fall
Caramel Syrup
Sugar cooked to deep amber, then loosened with water. Pourable, dairy-free, latte-ready.
- 17 min total
- 1½ cups360 ml
- Keeps 1 month
Photo: Cristina Chumillas · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Caramel syrup is sugar cooked to a deep amber caramel and then dissolved in hot water, so it pours like simple syrup instead of setting like sauce. Cook 1¼ cups sugar with a splash of water to copper-penny brown, carefully whisk in 1 cup hot water, and use 2 tbsp per latte.
Unlike caramel sauce, this syrup has no cream or butter. It stays fluid in the fridge, dissolves instantly in iced coffee and keeps for weeks.
The whole recipe comes down to color: too pale and it's just sweet; too dark and it's bitter. Aim for the shade of a copper penny and pull it off the heat a moment early, because it keeps cooking.
Tastestoasted sugarbutterscotchslightly bitter
The recipe
Caramel Syrup
Ingredients for 1½ cups360 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, pastry brush, thermometer, cane sugar, pump bottle, glass jarsmall saucepan, pastry brush, thermometer, cane sugar, pump bottle, glass jar
Method
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Start the caramel
Put the sugar and 60 ml water in a heavy, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until the sugar is wet and dissolving, then stop stirring for good.
1¼ cups250 g granulated sugar¼ cup60 ml water, for caramelizing1 cup240 ml water, just boiled
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Cook to amber
Let it boil undisturbed, swirling the pan occasionally and brushing the inner walls with a wet pastry brush, until it turns a deep copper-amber, 8–10 minutes (about 175°C/350°F). Watch closely in the last minute.
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Add the hot water
Take the pan off the heat and stand back. Pour in the hot water in a slow stream while whisking. It will hiss and steam violently, then calm down.
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Melt it smooth
Return to low heat and stir until any hardened caramel has completely dissolved, 2–3 minutes. Stir in the salt and vanilla.
½ tsp½ tsp pure vanilla extract
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Cool and bottle
Cool to room temperature in the pan (never pour hot caramel into cold glass), then funnel into a bottle and refrigerate.
Storage. Keeps about 1 month sealed in the fridge and stays pourable. Discard if it grows mold or smells off. If sugar crystals appear, warm gently with a spoonful of water.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 40 kcal, 10.4 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Caramel latte
2 tbsp (30 ml) per 12 oz latte, stirred into the espresso before the milk.
Iced caramel coffee
1½–2 tbsp (22–30 ml) per 12 oz iced coffee or cold brew with milk. Use sauce, not syrup, if you want a drizzle on top.
Caramel cold foam
Froth 1 tbsp (15 ml) with 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream and 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk; spoon over cold brew.
Caramel Old Fashioned
¼ oz (7 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon and 2 dashes Angostura. Stir over ice; orange peel.
Caramel apple cider
1 oz (30 ml) in 8 oz (240 ml) hot apple cider, with a cinnamon stick.
Gear for this recipe
Glass Coffee Syrup Dispensers with Pumps (16.9 oz, set of 2)
A pump gives the same dose every press, so every latte tastes the same. Glass washes clean between flavors.
Best for Home coffee bars
Zulay Kitchen Handheld Milk Frother
Best for Lattes and cold foam on a budget
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
Best for Real espresso lattes at home
ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 Instant-Read Thermometer
Best for Caramel and temperature-sensitive steeps
More gear for this recipe (4)
OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush
Best for Soaking cake layers
Ball Regular Mouth 16 oz Pint Mason Jars (12-pack)
Best for Big batches and everyday storage
Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar (10 lb)
Best for Classic and flavored syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Burnt sugar can't be saved. If it smokes heavily or smells acrid, or the syrup tastes harsh and bitter, start again. It only costs a cup of sugar.
- Lumps after adding water are normal. That's caramel seizing on contact; gentle heat and stirring melt them back in.
- Graininess while cooking means the sugar crystallized, usually from stirring or splashes on the pan walls. Add a little water, dissolve it again and don't stir once it boils.
- Use a light-colored or stainless pan so you can judge color. A thermometer is optional: 170–180°C (340–355°F) is the sweet spot.
- Clean-up is easy: fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil; hardened caramel dissolves on its own.
Variations
Salted caramel
Stir in ½ tsp flaky sea salt with the vanilla. Great with cold brew and oat milk.
Dark caramel for cocktails
Take the caramel a shade darker, to mahogany, for a less sweet, bittersweet syrup that suits whiskey and aged rum.
Caramel sauce
For a drizzle, swap the hot water for 120 ml warm heavy cream and add 2 tbsp butter. It's thick, keeps about 2 weeks, and doesn't dissolve in cold drinks the same way.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between caramel syrup and caramel sauce?
Syrup is caramelized sugar dissolved in water: thin, dairy-free and made to mix into drinks. Sauce adds cream and butter, so it's thick, rich and better for drizzling.
Why did my caramel harden when I added water?
Cool water makes hot caramel seize into lumps. It isn't ruined: return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth. Using just-boiled water reduces seizing.
Why does my caramel syrup taste bitter?
It was cooked too dark. Pull it off the heat at deep amber, since it keeps darkening for a few seconds after you remove it.
How much caramel syrup goes in a latte?
About 2 tbsp (30 ml) per 12 oz latte, or 3 tbsp for 16 oz. Pair 1 tbsp caramel with 1 tbsp vanilla syrup for a sweeter café-style drink.
Can I make caramel syrup without a thermometer?
Yes. Go by color and smell: deep copper-amber with a toasty, nutty aroma. If you see heavy smoke, it's gone too far.