Blueberry Coffee Syrup
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.
I was convinced fruit and coffee just didn’t belong together. Turns out, I was missing one simple trick. This Blueberry Coffee Syrup makes a perfect latte, but it’s also delicious in tea, lemonade, cocktails, pancakes, and more.
I’m a Mainer, so of course I’m going to try and find a way to get blueberries into my coffee. But the truth is, fruit in lattes and coffee has always kind of turned me off. Espresso is already acidic, and adding a tart fruit on top was enough to make my face pucker. Until I learned the secret from one of my favorite Portland coffee shop’s blackberry latte: add a little vanilla.
It was simple and it was genius. Vanilla softens the acidity and takes the flavor from “sharp fruit in bitter coffee” to a milk-based latte that tastes like it could be an artisanal ice cream flavor. This blueberry simple syrup has been tested and tweaked until it’s perfectly balanced. It’s subtly sweet, deeply blueberry-forward, and just enough to make every iced or hot latte feel like it came from your favorite coffee shop.
Why You’ll Love Blueberry Syrup for Coffee
- This homemade blueberry syrup has been tested and tweaked to be versatile in all kinds of drinks from iced coffee and lattes to matcha and more.
- It’s a basic simple syrup method. All the ingredients are simmered together and you don’t need a blender or special equipment.
- This recipe has been developed to be year-round, where you use fresh in season berries in the summer, and swap in frozen in the winter.
Blueberry Syrup Ingredients
- Fresh blueberries – I used big fresh berries, but in the winter, swap fresh berries for frozen. If using frozen berries, opt for wild Maine blueberries.
- White sugar – I like white sugar, just so it doesn’t compete with the blueberries.
- Water – helps the consistency of the simple syrup
- Fresh lemon juice – From fresh lemons, not the bottle. Don’t use the zest in this recipe. I tried it, and it tasted weird.
- Vanilla extract – the KEY to making this blueberry syrup work in a ton of different drinks. It tones down the tartness coming from the blueberries and coffee. I like it to warm up the “earthy” flavor of matcha too.
How to Make Blueberry Syrup
Step 1
Bring the blueberries, sugar, and water to a boil over high heat in a 2-quart saucepan.
Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, mashing the berries as they cook.
Step 2
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
Step 3
Strain the mixture into a measuring cup, let the syrup cool, then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Add fresh mint leaves or a tiny, tiny bit of lavender to the pot as the blueberries are in the last minute of cooking.
- Frozen blueberries are a great swap for fresh blueberries in the winter months.
- Use a little brown sugar or a dash of cinnamon to make the syrup cozier. I like this combo in my banana bread syrup and brown sugar syrup recipe.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not add the vanilla during simmering, or the flavor will cook out.
- If you want a thicker syrup, simmer for 5 extra minutes, or until desired consistency is reached. Keep in mind the syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Frozen berries will take slightly longer than fresh blueberries to come to a boil.
- Leftover mashed blueberries (from the straining process) can be used on top of or in buttermilk pancakes, homemade waffles, or yogurt and granola bowls.
Ways to Use Blueberry Simple Syrup:
I love this blueberry syrup for drinks and even on rich vanilla ice cream! It’s best in iced coffees, sweet cold foam, mocktails, cocktails, hot or iced teas, and homemade lemonades. For hot beverages, I would use this syrup in lattes, mixed with warm milk of your choice.
How to Store Homemade Blueberry Syrup
You can store your blueberry syrup in the fridge in a sealed jar, container, or bottle for up to 2 weeks. My blueberry syrup is in my fridge right now in an oil and vinegar dispenser!
More Simple Syrup Recipes
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.
Blueberry Syrup For Coffee
Equipment
- Fine Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fresh blueberries (2 cups/1 dry pint). Note: I use big fresh berries in the summer and frozen wild Maine blueberries in the winter.
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the blueberries, sugar, and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat (frozen berries will take 5 minutes to come to boil, whereas fresh is faster).
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a steady simmer.
- Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring and mashing the berries as they cook, until they’re very soft.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer into a measuring cup, mashing the berries to extract all the liquid. Compost the solids, or save them to top pancakes, waffles, or yogurt and granola bowls.
- Let the syrup cool, then store in a jar or dispenser in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
