Description
This Homemade Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee recipe offers a smooth, richly flavored coffee experience enhanced with a homemade vanilla syrup and creamy sweet cream. Perfectly steeped over 12 hours and served over ice, it delivers a refreshing and indulgent cold coffee treat that’s easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Cold Brew Coffee
- 16 ounces water
- 1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee
Vanilla Syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Sweet Cream
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons prepared vanilla syrup
Instructions
- Prepare Cold Brew Coffee: Use a French press or a large mason jar to combine 16 ounces of water with 1/2 cup of coarsely ground coffee. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 12 hours to steep and extract rich coffee flavors.
- Strain Coffee: After steeping, separate the coffee from the grounds. If using a French press, press down the plunger gently and pour out the cold brew. If using a mason jar, strain the coffee through a coffee filter to remove the grounds. Store the cold brew in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make Vanilla Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Stir 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract into the cooled syrup. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. This syrup can be stored up to 2 weeks and is used to flavor the sweet cream and cold brew.
- Prepare Vanilla Sweet Cream: In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup 2% milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared vanilla syrup. Stir well until combined. Store unused cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator; it lasts 3 to 4 days.
- Assemble Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew: Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in cold brew coffee to three-quarters full, then top with the prepared vanilla sweet cream. Stir gently to combine and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use coarsely ground coffee to prevent over-extraction and bitterness.
- Keep cold brew refrigerated and consume within 1 week for best flavor.
- Vanilla syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Adjust sweetness by varying the amount of vanilla syrup in the sweet cream and cold brew.
- This recipe makes 1 serving; scale ingredients accordingly for more servings.
