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Can You Put Vanilla Extract in Coffee?
About vanilla extract and how to use it in coffee.
Published March 17, 2022
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Johan Hedlund
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
There are few flavor combinations quite as dynamic as coffee and vanilla flavoring, a classic fan favorite of coffee drinkers no matter where you go. Coffee with flavorings is a very popular option, and vanilla flavors are some of the most popular. Instead of buying flavored vanilla coffee beans or grounds at the store or going to a coffee shop, you might want to consider making your own vanilla coffee. You can put vanilla extract it in pretty much any type of coffee or add depth and more liveliness to your usual brew. Vanilla extract is a tasty, effective, and safe way to add more flavor to your morning cup of coffee.
What is Vanilla Extract?
Vanilla extract is a liquid ingredient that is primarily used as a baking ingredient. It is known for its sweet taste and classic vanilla smell. It is produced by expressing the liquid from vanilla pods and combining it with ethanol and water. It has a potent vanilla aroma and a hint of alcohol. It is very sweet, and that will add depth to desert recipes and coffee drinks. It is a complex flavor with several different notes, especially when you get the best quality vanilla extract.
Will Vanilla Extract Sweeten My Coffee?
Will a café vanilla recipe sweeten your coffee? Depending on how much you add, you can use vanilla extract to sweeten your coffee. Since it is so potent, it doesn’t take a lot of vanilla extract to sweeten an entire pot of coffee. Before you add it to your coffee, it’s a good idea to taste a drop of the vanilla extract to check how sweet it is. Does vanilla extract make things sweeter? Vanilla extract can be an ideal alternative to sugar when it comes to sweetening your coffee, if you want to improve your health and wellness without giving up the sweet coffee that you enjoy.
Vanilla Extract Buying Guide
When you buy vanilla extract for coffee or any kind of recipe, it’s important to always go for pure, organic vanilla extract for the best taste. Real vanilla extract should be a translucent brown color, so if you find a product that is light in color or completely clear, it will be artificial. Clear cold pressed vanilla may also be a product that works well.
What are the Benefits of Vanilla Extract in Coffee?
Can you add a bit of vanilla extract to coffee for health reasons? Vanilla extract can be an ideal way to sweeten and add flavor to your coffee, but you might be surprised to hear that it also has some health benefits. Even if you don’t need your coffee to be flavored, there are several reasons why you might want to consider adding a drop of vanilla extract to your brew for health reasons.
1. Vanilla Has a Calming Effect
For some people, studies have found that adding vanilla extract to coffee might have a calming effect. If drinking caffeinated beverages tends to give you the jitters, then you might find that adding vanilla extract to your coffee and standing by it while it brews can help you feel calmer, along with helping to keep you calm after drinking it. Along with reducing your stress levels, it will add a gorgeous vanilla scent to your kitchen.
2. It’s Naturally Sweet
Can you drink vanilla extract in coffee? Vanilla extract is a natural sweetener, and it is also low in calories. It is a great alternative to coffee that has already been flavored, and it can also be an ideal swap for sugar in your coffee if you like sweet coffee but are trying to cut down on sugar for health reasons. It can be a quick, easy, and effective way to lower your sugar intake overall or reduce the number of calories that you consume.
3. Source of Minerals
Vanilla extract is a great source of various antioxidants and multiple minerals that will help to improve your overall health and wellness. When it is sourced naturally, organic vanilla extract contains potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Coffee and vanilla are both great sources of antioxidants.
How to Make Coffee with Vanilla Extract
To make coffee with vanilla extract recipe, you will need your usual coffee maker and a mug. For the ingredients, use:
- Freshly brewed dark or medium roast coffee
- One quarter to one half of a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Dairy or creamer if you prefer
- Ice if making iced coffee
To make the coffee:
- Brew around 24 ounces of coffee. If you are making iced coffee, then set it aside to cool first.
- Add the vanilla extract to your coffee and stir until fully combined. It’s a good idea to add a small amount and then taste, before adding more if you want it to be sweeter or more flavorful.
- Pour into a mug, add creamer or milk if you like, and enjoy. If making iced coffee, serve over ice.
Is Vanilla Extract a Healthy Coffee Flavoring?
Many people know that several different types of creamers, flavors, and other additions to coffee will increase your calorie count and may even be responsible for a rise in blood sugar. However, you will be glad to hear that using vanilla extract in your coffee is safe and healthy to use regularly. Organically prepared, natural, and sugar-free vanilla extract is an ideal choice for your everyday coffee. It is sugar free, gluten free, allergen free and dairy free naturally, and does not contain any harmful flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Along with being a natural product that is low in calories, there are many health benefits of using vanilla extract in your coffee, including that it can improve your brain health, boost your mental performance, and boost your mood. The only thing to consider when using this ingredient is that you should limit how much vanilla you add since you only need a very small amount to add flavor to your coffee, and too much can make your coffee taste bitter.
How Much Vanilla Extract in Coffee is Too Much?
Organic vanilla extract products will contain some alcoholic components. If you overdo it with the vanilla extract, it will naturally cause your brew to taste more bitter. Your coffee might be bitter or sour in taste if you add too much vanilla extract due to the addition of the alcoholic ingredients. Generally, you will only need no more than half a teaspoon of the vanilla extract in a pot of coffee to add just the right amount of sweetness and flavor. Add a small amount at a time while tasting it to determine how much is just right for you.
What to Do If You Add Too Much Vanilla Extract to Coffee
If you’ve added a little bit too much vanilla extract to your coffee and it has given your brew a bitter taste, you don’t have to throw it away and start again. There are a few things that you can do to reduce the bitter taste and make sure that your coffee tastes good. Adding a regular coffee creamer can reduce the bitter taste, or you can add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar. If you’re trying to avoid sugar in your coffee, then cinnamon can be added to reduce the bitterness, and it goes well with vanilla extract in coffee.
How Long Does Vanilla Extract Last?
You will be glad to hear that if you purchase pure and organic vanilla extract, it won’t have an expiration date, so there’s no need to worry about it going bad if you don’t use it in your coffee every day. However, these pure vanilla extract products are not always easy to find since they are expensive to produce; most of the time you’ll find cheap imitation products or almost pure products. While these can still work just as well for sweetening your coffee, they will usually expire after between two and four years. If you buy vanilla beans to try and make your own vanilla extract, these will usually last for around a year. You can easily determine if the vanilla extract that you have at home has gone bad by smelling it; if it’s expired, it won’t have the fresh flavor and aroma of vanilla that you would expect. Sediments at the bottom of the vanilla extract bottle are another sign that it’s expired. Store your vanilla extract in a cool, dry place that does not have too much sunlight, moisture, or heat to keep it fresher for longer.
Vanilla Extract Vs Vanilla Syrup in Coffee
Vanilla syrup for coffee is often made with a combination of simple syrup and natural vanilla extract. Unlike organic vanilla extract, these syrups often contain more sugar, additives and flavors and may add extra sugar and calories to your daily intake, which is not healthy for you on a regular basis. So, in terms of your health, vanilla syrup might be something to enjoy in moderation in your coffee while vanilla extract that is made with organic vanilla beans and no added sugar or other preservatives is something that you can add to your coffee on a daily basis without worrying about its impact on your health.
If you want naturally sweet coffee without the sugar, try vanilla extract.
About the author
Johan Hedlund
I´m living in Karlstad, Sweden with my family. Been working the last 25 years with several start ups in the tech industry. Coffee has been an integral part, both professionally and privately. Eager to learn new things and happy to be a member of the era of we community.
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