Joanne Chang’s Vanilla Syrup Recipe

Joanne Chang is a Boston-based pastry chef and the co-owner of Flour Bakery. The award-winning pastry chef has a degree with honors in applied mathematics and economics from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Passionate about baking since her college days, Joanne left her consulting job to work in restaurants, eventually opening Flour Bakery in 2000. Since then, she expanded the bakery to eight more locations, opened a Taiwanese-inspired restaurant, won a reality TV cooking competition and a James Beard Award, and wrote five cookbooks.

Despite her long list of accolades, Joanne still delights in the alchemy of baking: simple ingredients that, when combined with the right techniques, transform into something magical. Learn to bake like a pro with Joanne Chang.

Vanilla syrup is a simple syrup flavored with vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water over heat. Most simple syrup recipes feature equal parts granulated sugar and water and have a consistency similar to maple syrup or caramel sauce. Still, you can also use brown sugar for a deeper flavor (and color).

While plain simple syrup is a popular cocktail ingredient, vanilla syrup is a better option for desserts and sweet beverages. Here are a few of the best ways to use your homemade vanilla syrup:

1. 1. Vanilla cakes: Use vanilla syrup as a soaking syrup to flavor cakes and make them extra moist. Dip a pastry brush or clean paintbrush in the syrup, and carefully press it into the surface of your cake.
2. 2. Vanilla coffee: Add vanilla simple syrup to your favorite iced coffee drinks (or iced tea). The syrup dissolves better than plain sugar and adds a subtle vanilla flavor to your cold brew coffee or iced latte. (Baristas at your local coffee shop use flavored syrup to compose drinks like hazelnut or vanilla lattes.)
3. 3. Vanilla ice cream: Instead of soaking vanilla pods in cream, use vanilla syrup to make a quick base for homemade vanilla ice cream. Use this vanilla ice cream recipe as a guide, swapping the sugar and vanilla beans for vanilla syrup.

Vanilla syrup is an easy, three-ingredient recipe that takes just a few minutes to put together. Here’s how to ensure success:

1. 1. Use real vanilla extract. Artificial vanilla will give your syrup an artificial flavor, so look for a high-quality pure vanilla extract from Madagascar or Tahiti. Use vanilla paste for an even deeper vanilla flavor (and characteristic black flecks of vanilla bean). Learn more about using vanilla paste vs. vanilla extract.
2. 2. Choose a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When making simple syrup, choose a small saucepan with a heavy bottom. If you use a thin pan, you risk burning the sugar before it has dissolved.
3. 3. Store in the fridge. Vanilla syrup can last indefinitely, provided you store it properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Learn more about how to store simple syrup.