Starbucks holiday syrups are back, and my favorite is the sugar cookie syrup. I can’t get enough—give me an iced latte in the middle of winter any day. When Starbucks rotates its menu after the holidays, the syrup disappears, so I developed an easy homemade version so you can enjoy it year-round.
Flavored syrups are remarkably simple to make at home. You don’t need to buy expensive bottled syrups—most recipes use a simple sugar-and-water base plus flavoring extracts. That means you can customize sweetness and flavor and avoid unnecessary additives.
There are many extracts available—vanilla, butter, almond, peppermint and more. Some specialty extracts, like cake batter, can be harder to find locally and may require an online order, but they’re worth it for authentic flavor. For this sugar cookie syrup, the blend of cake batter, butter, and almond extracts creates that nostalgic homemade sugar cookie taste.
If you enjoy copycat Starbucks recipes, you might also like other homemade coffee treats on my site, such as pumpkin cream cold brew, salted caramel cream cold brew, cranberry bliss bars, and a strawberry funnel cake frappuccino.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]
Reasons why you will love this Syrup
This syrup stores easily in a jar or glass bottle, so you can keep it handy through the holidays and beyond.
Use it to flavor iced or hot lattes all year.
Make a batch, tie a ribbon around the bottle, and give it as a thoughtful gift to coffee-loving friends.
Beyond coffee, drizzle the syrup over baked goods or use it to add a sweet, cookie-like note to desserts and treats.
Ingredients Needed
- Brown sugar – adds depth and a touch of molasses flavor.
- White sugar – balances sweetness and helps create the syrup base.
- Water – the liquid base for the syrup.
- Note: The next three extracts may be harder to find in local grocery stores and sometimes require ordering online.
- Cake batter extract – gives that signature sweet, cakey note to mimic sugar cookies.
- Butter extract – found in the baking aisle; adds rich buttery flavor.
- Almond extract – a small amount gives a warm, nutty cookie aroma.
- See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Syrup
Step 1: In a small saucepan, combine the sugars and water.
Step 2: Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and stir in the cake batter, butter, and almond extracts.
Step 3: Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
Step 4: Transfer the cooled syrup to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate. Properly stored, it will keep for up to one month.
Having the Perfect Coffee Bar at Home!
These items make it easy to brew and serve great coffee at home:
Espresso machine – a reliable machine with consistent temperature control produces better espresso for lattes and other drinks.
Flavored syrups – if you prefer store-bought options, look for quality brands and the right bottle size; syrups are versatile for sodas, smoothies, and coffee.
Pumps – high-quality pumps make dispensing syrup quick and mess-free.
Fun glasses – choose jars or glasses that suit your style; lids can help keep drinks covered.
More Great Recipes to Try:
- Pumpkin Spice Syrup – No Puree
- DIY: Homemade Almond Extract
- Iced Sugar Cookie Latte
- Teddy Graham Latte
- Cookie Butter Latte (Copycat)
If you try this sugar cookie syrup or any other recipe on my site, please leave a star rating and share your experience in the comments—I love hearing from readers. Follow along on TikTok @jennarecipediaries.
Sugar Cookie Syrup Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
No reviews
Author: Jenna
Prep Time: 3 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 18 minutes
Yield: 8 1x
Category: Easy
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Description
A simple homemade sugar cookie–style syrup to flavor lattes, drinks, and desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp cake batter extract
1 tsp butter extract
½ tsp almond extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, and water.
- Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in cake batter, butter, and almond extracts.
- Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate for up to one month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 26g
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g