Where I live the winters are way too cold. Like gets down to -60 degrees Fahrenheit too cold. So, most of the time there is no way you can get me to go outside. If I do go outside it is only to go to and from a car my husband preheated for me so the seat warmer is already on and the heat is blasting. Thankfully, shopping is an indoor activity.
One of my favorite things to do this chilly season is to grab a cozy winter themed latte and Christmas shop for hours on end. Sadly, lattes get very expensive, and being a stay at home mom isn't necessarily the most lucrative thing ever. So what is my solution? I learn to make holiday lattes at home!
This fall I perfected my pumpkin spice syrup recipe. So much to the point where I stopped getting them at all from my local coffee shop because I liked mine better! Don't worry, I found a different flavor I haven't figured out that I would just order instead. I love to support small businesses! Anyway, with the development of the perfect pumpkin spice syrup I figured out a base recipe for just about any flavored coffee syrup you could ever want! With Christmas coming up and many coffee lovers in my family I figured I should get working on getting a few holiday flavors under my belt. My three favorite flavors I have made so far are spiced chai, eggnog, and gingerbread.
Spiced Chai Syrup
The first one I started working on was a chai syrup. This has been requested a few times and I know this flavor pretty well. In high school my sister and I would order a dirty chai latte (chai latte with a shot of espresso) at every coffee shop we went to in order to find the best one. I even once learned how to make my own chai concentrate so that I could control the flavor profile and adjust them to my liking.
Making chai syrup wasn't much different from making chai concentrate. The main difference is chai concentrate you just brew like a tea and the syup you cook on the stove. I started off by heating up one cup of water and adding two chai tea bags. You can also add black tea bags if you do not have chai but the result will taste a little different. After about a minute I add my sugar and extra spices. I then let it simmer until it starts to thicken. I tell the thickness by dipping a spoon into my syrup and letting it cool down to room temperature. You can't let your syrup get too thick or else it'll turn into a sauce and it can't be too thin or else the flavor won't be concentrated enough. It takes about 5 minutes of simmering for me.
Once the syrup reaches your desired consistency you turn off the heat and let it cool just slightly. Before it totally thickens up, pour your syrup through a strainer into your desired container. Let the syrup reach room temperature before you put the lid on. If you don't, the syrup will create a vacuum as it cools and you will have a heck of a time getting the lid off. Store your syrup for about a month in an airtight container in the fridge. The spices you add totally depend on how you like your chai, this is what I love about homemade coffee syrups. Personally I like my chai super spiced with lots of ginger and black pepper but a lot of people would rather have vanilla chai with less spices and vanilla extract.
For vanilla chai recipe all you need is the water, sugar, chai tea, and vanilla extract. For spiced chai I like to add about a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, one cinnamon stick, a teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon anise, two teaspoons whole cloves, and about 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Of course those measurements do not need to be exact and you should definitely measure with your heart, omitting whatever sounds necessary. Leave a comment with what you like in your chai syrup!
Eggnog Coffee Syrup
Although there are slightly conflicting opinions on eggnog, it is a staple in my home. We love eggnog so much that it is starting to affect the other treats I eat like my cookies and now, even coffee! Eggnog lattes are so creamy and rich and even allow people who don't like the thickness of eggnog to enjoy its amazing flavor.
Some doubters may say "why don't you just put straight eggnog into your coffee?" my answer is its better with syrup. The syrup has a more concentrated eggnog flavor. This makes it so that you do not have to add as much to your coffee to still have the flavor. Straight eggnog also can chunk up a bit if your coffee is really hot, therefore messing with the texture.
To make this coffee syrup I started by reducing 1/2 cup eggnog. I like to add a little cinnamon and nutmeg as it simmers and thickens. Once it has a little bit of color and is thicker but not quite carameley, I add one cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. I let it simmer for about 10 more minutes until it has the syrupy texture I want. I then run the syrup through a strainer into a jar or other container. I store my syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Gingerbread Coffee Syrup
The final syrup I'd like to share for this holiday season is my gingerbread syrup! It was inspired by the humongous batch of gingerbread cookies I made (if you're interested the link is here: Gingerbread men ). I felt that all the amazing cookies deserved the perfect latte to go with!
All you have to do to make this syrup is mix one cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved, add about one teaspoon freshly ground ginger, a few cloves, a cinnamon stick, and about 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. You can also add allspice but I did not have any on hand.
Simmer until everything in your syrup is well combined and your syrup reaches the desired consistency. Once it is thickened, pour the syrup through a strainer into an airtight container. Store your gingerbread syrup in the fridge for up to a month!
To use any of these syrups, all you have to do is add about 1/2 tablespoon of it to any coffee drink. You can modify this ratio to your liking but I tend to like my drinks less sweet. My favorite drink consists of 2 espresso shots, steamed milk, 1/2 tablespoon of ay of these syrups all mixed together with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top!
Leave a comment with how these recipes work for you! What drinks did you make with your homemade syrup?
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