Make A Whole Pot Of Coffee Taste Better By Using A Pantry Staple You Already Own

For many of us, starting the day without a cup of coffee (or three) is almost unfathomable. While going out for a frothy, syrupy, whipped concoction may be alluring on occasion, the daily grind is likely fueled by a good old cup of joe. But what if you could easily, and inexpensively, give your morning coffee a hint of flavor and luxury? Magic, you say? It's actually just a splash of vanilla extract in your coffee pot, along with your favorite top-rated beans.

A concentrated liquid made from soaking vanilla beans in a mixture of water and alcohol over a long period of time, vanilla extract has a gentle, soothing scent that many associate with the smell of freshly baked goods. The sweet, warming notes of vanilla also pair extremely well with coffee. Depending on your beans, coffee can have a sharp or slightly bitter finish, and vanilla mellows out the equation. By adding a bit of vanilla extract to taste (always opt for real vanilla and not imitation), you set yourself up for a little dose of calming self-care along with your hit of caffeine. For a primo pot every time, follow Alton Brown's top coffee brewing tips, including grinding the beans right before brewing, using filtered water, and following the golden ratio.

Beyond the pleasant bump in taste and smell over your standard cup of coffee, vanilla may also bring some unexpected health benefits to the party. Vanillin, a compound found in vanilla beans and vanilla extract, has been linked in limited animal-based studies to everything from being an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory to even being anticancer and neuroprotective. That alone is compelling enough to try a tablespoon or two of vanilla extract in your next pot. You could even up the vanilla notes by storing a scraped vanilla bean in the canister with your coffee beans.

If you're ready to hop on the vanilla train, you may be wondering which variety of vanilla extract to choose. The vanilla plant assumes different flavor qualities based on its growing region, and you can buy extracts hailing from everywhere from Madagascar to Mexico or Indonesia; it might prove interesting to try a few to settle on your favorite. Some people gravitate towards Mexican vanilla for its earthy, spicy notes, for example, while others lean creamy, classic Madagascar. No matter your choice, you may just find yourself hooked on this hack that levels up the flavors of your morning brew and your mood, too — without the sugar bomb of flavored syrups.