Flavored coffee isn’t just coffee for people who don’t like coffee. It is massively popular, and not just at Halloween and Christmas time. People are adding flavor to their coffee all year round, but many only try it at the coffee shop. There are some awesome and simple ways to get more flavor into your coffee at home, and here is a list of our top five.
Add Your Own Spices
You may already have everything you need to add some extra flavor to your coffee; spices are a common addition to coffee all across the world. Just an eighth or a quarter of a teaspoon of spice can give your cup of coffee some extra flavor and an added kick. Adding some ginger is a popular choice, or add some cinnamon as they do in Mexico. You can brew your coffee with cardamom pods like they do in many middle eastern countries, or add your own nutmeg or pumpkin pie spices for a seasonal coffee.
Use Cooking Extracts for Extra Flavor
You can use cooking extracts like peppermint, orange, or vanilla to give your coffee some extra flavor but be aware; a little goes a long way. For a lighter flavor, add the extract to your coffee grounds before brewing, but if you want a big hot of flavor, put a couple of drops in your coffee after pouring. There is a huge range of flavors to try using this method. You can also mix and match flavors, such as using vanilla and orange for a creamsicle flavored coffee, or adding chocolate and hazelnut extract for a Nutella style morning coffee.
Switch to a Coffee Pod Machine
Coffee pod machines have become a popular way for people to enjoy coffee, as they are so convenient and make it easy to try different flavors and strengths of coffee.
There is a huge variety of pods available, with lots of different flavors and even seasonal styles of coffee like pumpkin spice for Halloween. Not only are pods convenient to use and cut down on mess, but you can also get k-cups and Nespresso compatible pods right to your door! This makes trying different flavors of coffee even easier, and many of the pods are biodegradable, and some are even compostable too.
Try a Homemade Coffee Syrup
Syrups are often used in coffee shops to create flavors, and you can make your own syrup at home quickly and easily so you can enjoy flavored coffees in the comfort of your own kitchen.
These do contain a lot of sugar, so they are only recommended for people who like their coffee sweet. This is convenient for them, however, as they add sweetness and flavor all-in-one! Begin your syrup with equal parts water and sugar, or half the sugar content if you want a lighter syrup. Add flavorings like extracts or spices, or even natural flavors like orange or fruit peel, and simmer over a low boil for about 20 minutes and make sure the sugar has fully dissolved.
Make Your Own Flavored Creamers
This approach is similar to making homemade syrup, but has a much lower sugar content and is easier to take with you so you can take flavored coffee wherever you go. By mixing equal parts of condensed, sweetened, and whole milk you can add extracts or spices to create your own flavored creamer to add to your coffee. You can make a greater variety of flavors too, as it is easier to combine extracts in a creamer. You can make a peppermint mocha creamer to turn any cup of black coffee into your favorite, luxurious peppermint-flavored coffee.
With these five quick and easy ways to add flavor to your coffee, you can enjoy your favorite coffee flavors where ever you go, just how you like them!
