During my senior year of college, I worked as a barista at a popular coffee shop. Several days a week I was tasked with opening the shop at 6 a.m. (which I considered tough back then, but now that I’m a parent to two young kids, this seems leisurely in comparison). My responsibilities included neatly arranging the pastries in the display case, setting up the espresso machine, and brewing pots of coffee. Back then, I was still figuring out what my go-to coffee order was: Was I a latte girl, an iced coffee person, or would I prefer to keep it simple with a cup of drip coffee?
After much trial and error (and way too many frozen coffee drinks), I realized I’m a straight-forward drip coffee drinker. I like it lightly sweetened with turbinado sugar and a splash of milk. But sometimes I like to liven up my morning cup. Rather than adding a flavored sweetener like hazelnut or caramel (and always making sure I have it on hand), I reach for a beloved pantry staple that’s more often found drizzled over breakfast than in a cup of Joe: maple syrup.
Why Maple Syrup Is the Perfect Addition to Coffee
I can’t honestly remember how I stumbled upon this discovery, so I’ll chalk it up to the many hours I spent tinkering with drinks before the bar. But after I tried it once, I made all of my coworkers try it too. And let me tell you — they were just as surprised as I was. The addition of maple syrup infuses each sip with a subtle buttery, vanilla-caramel flavor. It’s also somewhat nutty in flavor, and actually reminds me a bit of toffee. Just a tiny splash adds complexity to every single cup.
Tips for Adding Maple Syrup to Coffee
- A little goes a long way. For an 8-ounce cup of coffee, start with 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup. Take a sip, then add more if you like. Remember that this is your sweetener, so there’s no need to add any other sugar.
- Pair it with an autumnal spice. Because maple syrup is considered a fall flavor, try stirring a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or apple pie spice into the syrup first to dissolve it before adding it to your cup of coffee.