Vanilla Extract in Coffee: Should You Add it?
From French vanilla coffee creamer to a delicious affogato made with espresso and vanilla ice cream, the world knows by now that coffee and vanilla are a match made in heaven. This incredible pairing has taken the world, and coffee shop menus, by storm.
We’re all trying to bring this amazing flavor combo into our morning brew at home, but what’s the best way to do that? You may have experimented with vanilla extract in coffee, but is that the right way to get vanilla flavor into your coffee?
Today, we’ll answer all your questions about vanilla extract and coffee and whether or not you should do it. Keep reading, and you’ll be one step closer to that sweet, rich combo you can't stop craving.
Vanilla Extract and Coffee
To make a long story short, yes, you can absolutely add vanilla extract to your coffee! And the great news is that there are several ways to do it and a few different benefits. Let’s dive a bit deeper.
What Is Vanilla Extract?
Vanilla extract is a dark, amber-colored liquid that is bursting with vanilla flavor. It’s used commonly in baking, and it’s a great way to add sweet, vanilla flavor to something with only a few drops.
It’s made by percolating ethyl alcohol and water through crushed-up vanilla beans. The alcohol and water extract the vanilla flavor from the beans over two days, leaving behind a flavorful extract. Sugar, corn syrup, and stabilizers might be added to it as well.
The result is a sweet liquid that we all know as vanilla extract. It’s one of the most popular and prominent forms of vanilla that we have today. It can easily mix into your coffee — or any drink you have.
What Are the Benefits?
There are a whole host of reasons why you would want to add vanilla extract to your coffee. Here are a few of them.
It Tastes Amazing!
As we’ve already discussed, vanilla and coffee are absolutely delicious. There’s a reason why the vanilla latte is on every coffee shop menu: it’s one of the best pairings out there.
The powerful sweetness of the vanilla is amazing on its own. It’s creamy, sweet, floral, perfumey, and so bright. It goes with virtually everything, and coffee is no exception.
Coffee is rich, dark, nutty, and even bitter. They say opposites attract, and this is one of the best examples of that. These two flavor profiles contrast one another perfectly. Add some milk to the mixture, and you’ve got a delicious treat you can’t put down.
It’s a Low-Sugar Sweetener
We all love coffee, but not all of us love the taste of coffee on its own. Many of us need a little sweetness to help ease that necessary caffeine into our bodies. But most of the ways to sweeten coffee are full of sugar.
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of sugar in moderation, but it’s generally a good idea to cut out sugar where you can to support your health by maintaining a proper diet. Well, vanilla extract is a great way to sweeten your coffee with little to no sugar.
You can add it to your drip coffee, americano, latte, cold brew, or any other coffee drink you want. Not only will it sweeten your coffee, but it will also give it that delicious vanilla flavor. It’s a win-win.
It’s Good For You
Vanilla actually offers a lot more than just a pleasant, sweet taste. It’s actually pretty good for your body and brain. For starters, vanilla is rich in antioxidants and minerals, so it will help contribute to a full, complete diet.
But on top of that, vanilla has been used medicinally to help support people’s moods. Specifically, vanilla helps to support feelings of relaxation and calmness, so it will help to put a relaxing smile on your face each morning.
It Balances the Effects of Coffee
We’ve all experienced caffeine jitters. You break into a sweat, your hands might get shaky, a nervous energy pulses through you, and you may even experience some heart palpitations. It’s inconvenient and not a great way to start your morning.
But because of the natural calming effect of vanilla, it helps to counteract some undesirable symptoms of too much caffeine. So by putting it in your coffee, you can reap the energy benefits of the caffeine and avoid some of those not-too-fun parts.
Some Delicious Vanilla-in-Coffee Recipes
So the answer is yes, you should absolutely add some vanilla extract to your coffee. It’s a great way to flavor and sweeten your coffee, and it helps you out in more ways than one. But that raises the question: how should you enjoy your vanilla and your coffee?
Well, here are some great coffee recipes for you to try.
Classic Vanilla Latte
There’s nothing more classic than a delicious vanilla latte. It’s one of the best ways to enjoy vanilla and coffee together, and it’s relatively easy to make. To do this, you first need to make homemade vanilla syrup. It’s easy!
Add half a cup of sugar, half a cup of boiling water, and three or four tablespoons of vanilla extract to a container and mix them until the sugar dissolves. You can play around with how much extract you add. Just make sure that the sugar doesn’t overpower the vanilla flavors.
Once you’ve got your syrup, grab a glass and pour two tablespoons of syrup in with two tablespoons of Javy coffee concentrate. Add your milk (hot or iced, you pick) and you’ve got an amazing homemade vanilla latte ready to enjoy.
You can store the rest of your vanilla syrup in an airtight container in the fridge and use it later. Now you can make delicious vanilla lattes with ease.
Homemade Vanilla Almond Creamer
If you just want to add vanilla to your regular cup of coffee in the morning, that’s a great option too. You’ll want this delicious homemade vanilla almond creamer to flavor your daily brew.
Start by grabbing a jar and adding one cup of almonds, two to three dried and pitted dates, and two cups of water. Seal the jar and let that mixture soak overnight in the fridge. The next day, add all of that to a blender, a tablespoon of vanilla extract, two more cups of water, and a pinch of salt.
Blend it up until you have a dense, creamy mixture, then pour that mixture through a cheesecloth to strain out the solids, leaving you with a beautiful vanilla almond creamer.
You can add this creamer to hot coffee, iced coffee, cold brew, or whatever you want. It’s a much better alternative to those high-sugar, high-fat versions you can find in stores. It’s healthy, delicious, and super easy to make.
Find a Flavor Combo
One of the most beautiful things about vanilla is its ability to play well with others. Vanilla doesn’t just taste good, but it works like salt in that it enhances the flavors of the things around it, making it great in combo with other flavors in a latte or creamer.
- Cinnamon
- Honey
- Lavender
- Brown Sugar
- Caramel
- Chocolate
- Peppermint
All of these flavors and more work amazingly well with vanilla by their side. Get creative with your flavor combinations. Make homemade syrups and creamers to your heart’s content. There are so many ways to enjoy vanilla in your coffee and so many pairings to try.
Just a Splash of Extract
And, of course, you can enjoy your coffee with nothing more than just a splash of vanilla extract. If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to make a creamer or syrup, a half teaspoon of extract will flavor your coffee wonderfully and make it all the more enjoyable.
It’s sweet, it’s flavorful, and it’s everything you need. You can even make a plain latte and add a splash of extract to make a quick vanilla latte if you’re in a hurry.
Vanilla Coffee Concentrate
The simplest way to get vanilla into your coffee each and every day is by just buying vanilla coffee. Javy French vanilla coffee concentrate doesn’t use any sweetener to add the delicious vanilla to your cup. Instead, vanilla oils are added to the coffee beans during the roasting process, infusing natural vanilla into the coffee from the start.
The coffee is then ground up and brewed into coffee concentrate, and throughout the whole process, the vanilla flavor is maintained so you can taste it in your cup every morning.
This way, you don’t even have to worry about adding vanilla extract to your coffee because it’s already been added for you. Just add your creamer and go.
Coffee and Vanilla
You should absolutely add vanilla to your coffee, and now you know all the ways that you can do that right in the comfort of your own home. So get out there and enjoy one of the greatest flavor combos known to man.
For more information about coffee and for an amazing selection of delicious coffee concentrates, head over to Javy.
Sources
Vanilla Benefits and Information | Natural Ingredient Resource Center
Vanilla extract, 1 tsp - Nutrition Facts | University Hospitals
