So you want to go a little different with your coffee today? How about a tinge of vanilla flavor to spice up your morning Joe? There are several ways to get that vanilla flavor without having to buy coffee grounds that are already pre-made with the vanilla flavor. So when you get the urge for a taste of vanilla, try this quick and easy method.
Fill your coffee maker as usual--with ground beans and 6 oz. of water to every tablespoon of coffee. (Use filtered water for the best-tasting coffee.) If you want your vanilla-flavored coffee to be a little more robust, add heaping tablespoons.
Drizzle pure vanilla extract on the coffee grounds in your filter----about 1/2 tsp. for every 4 tbsp. of coffee--or more--depending on how strong you want the vanilla flavor to be. Try to distribute the extract around as much as possible.
Brew your coffee as you would normally. Wait for the entire batch to finish before pouring to get the full vanilla flavor. Add a dash of vanilla non-dairy creamer to your cup along with your sugar and half-and-half or low-fat milk.
For iced vanilla coffee, turn off your coffee pot and let it sit and cool for a while. Fill your glass with ice, add cream and sugar (add vanilla beans in the cup if you'd like) and pour your coffee on top of the cubes. Mix thoroughly.
Tips
You can also add a few drops of the vanilla extract to your coffee mug before pouring your coffee, but the filter method heats the extract more thoroughly to bring out the full flavor. You can also just purchase French vanilla-flavored milk, vanilla syrup (which contains the vanilla extract already) or liqueur to add to your vanilla coffee once it's in your cup. Only add a dash of either of these choices so that you won't be overwhelmed with the vanilla. To create a true coffee house-style cup of coffee, top your vanilla-flavored coffee with whipped cream. Sprinkle a few crushed vanilla beans or cinnamon on top.