Love Coffee Shop Drinks Made With Sugar-Free Skinny Syrup? Here’s How to Enjoy Them for Less

Skinny caramel macchiato, skinny vanilla latte, skinny iced chai — these sugar-free versions of classic drinks are more popular than ever at coffee shops. Not only are they a deliciously lighter way to indulge, they’ve got benefits for your health too since limiting sugar intake is linked with lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and weight gain. The hitch? Those coffeehouse treats can pack a punch to your wallet and often come with additional chemicals you’re better off skipping. Luckily, we’ve got the sweet solution: The secret to making your own skinny syrup so you can easily — and healthily — flavor coffee or tea drinks. Keep reading for the quick recipe that starts with just one ingredient plus water.

What are skinny syrups?

Skinny syrups are typically made using an artificial sugar substitute called sucralose. Others are made with stevia, which is a sugar substitute derived from the leaves of the stevia plant. Skinny syrups also come in a variety of flavors that complement a range of recipes. And they’re an easy way to add sugar-free sweetness to any coffee or tea drink. When it comes to calories, skinny syrups often contain none while 1 tablespoon of white sugar has 49 calories. These syrups are also diabetic-friendly since both sucralose and stevia are unlikely to trigger blood sugar spikes.

How to make skinny syrup at home

The process of making skinny syrups is simpler than you may think. It involves simmering the sucralose with water until a transparent syrup forms. The syrup mixture is then cooled before being poured into a bottle or airtight container for storage. Here’s FoodCity.com’s recipe for plain skinny syrup using sucralose along with three flavor variations.

Skinny Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sucralose sweetener like Splenda
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Boil water over medium heat, then remove from stove.
2. Add sweetener to water and mix until fully dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Strain mixture through coffee filter to remove sediment. Pour into container.
4. Note: Keep skinny syrup in airtight container in fridge for no longer than 2 weeks if flavored, and up to 1 month if unflavored.
5. Bonus: Experiment with adding ginger, cocoa powder or other ingredients to flavor the syrup.

There’s a growing body of research that suggests that sucralose can have adverse effects on your “good” gut bacteria. If that’s a concern for you, make your skinny syrup with stevia instead. Simply follow the recipe above, substituting 2 tablespoons of stevia like Truvia Stevia Leaf for the sucralose.

2 recipes to use skinny syrup for

Our First for Women test kitchen enjoys adding skinny syrup to all sorts of satisfying sips. Here, they share two drink recipes that are perfectly sweet, delicious and feel-good thanks to skinny syrup.

Matcha-Latte Magic

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. matcha powder
• ½ cup light coconut milk
• 2 tsp. skinny syrup
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

• Yield: 1 serving

1. Stir together matcha powder and 1 Tbs. hot water.
2. In ice-filled glass, combine matcha mixture, coconut milk, skinny syrup and vanilla. If desired, garnish with mint. Enjoy!

Creamy Almond Contentment

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 tsp. skinny syrup
• ½ cup chilled coffee
• 2 Tbs. heavy cream
• ¼ tsp. cocoa powder

Directions:

• Yield: 1 serving

1. Mix almond milk and skinny syrup; pour into ice-filled glass. Add coffee.
2. Whisk cream and cocoa until frothy; spoon over drink. Enjoy!

---

Read on for more coffee-related stories!

How to Make Iced Coffee at Home That Tastes Just Like It Came From a Fancy Coffee Shop

Love Hot Drinks? Try This Coffee Drink That’s Traditionally Cooked in a Clay Pot

Cacao Coffee: You Won’t Believe Something This Delicious Can Be So Nutritious!

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.