This thick and lightly sweet cream can be made with dairy or plant-based coconut cream. And you can layer in any flavor your later-summer dreams throw at you.

I’m a black coffee girl, and 95 percent of the time, it’s cold brew cut with a little water. Summer, fall, winter, morning, or 2 pm—doesn’t matter. When I’m in the mind for a kick of coffee, I like the bite of an unadorned brew.

Mostly. Usually. But not always.

On some afternoons, the call of coffee runs right up against a yearning for something sweet and creamy. And while my favorite chocolate peanut butter cold brew smoothie might fit the bill, sometimes I want to keep it simple.

Enter this easy-to-make sweet cream. It’s ready in minutes and a healthy dose stirred into a few ounces of cold brew hits just the right note.

This recipe is the perfect platform for play. Add cinnamon, cardamom, maple syrup, or your favorite go-to flavors for a choose-your-own-adventure treat. 

Gather your ingredients

• 2 tsp simple syrup (recipe below—it’s just sugar and water)

• ½ cup half-and-half or coconut cream (the thick cream and not the watery milk)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Optional extras: ¼ tsp of ground spices; 1 tsp or maple syrup; or 1 tbsp of cocoa powder

Make the simple syrup, if needed

Don’t have simple syrup on hand? It’s a fuss-free way to sweeten iced tea or cold brew without a bunch of undissolved bits floating around the glass. In short, it’s a game changer.

This quick recipe will make more than you need for your sweet cream. You can store the extra in a mason jar, a squeeze bottle, or a fancy glass decanter with a pour spout. Leave it right on the counter for easy sweetening. 

• Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Give it a stir to combine. 

• Heat the pan over medium until, stirring just until all the sugar dissolves. No need to boil or simmer here. Just dissolve the sugar. 

• At this point, you can add in any of the optional extras mentioned above if you want your sugar to be flavored. You can also not do that and add the flavorings to individual glasses later. 

• Allow the syrup to cool and pour it into your container of choice. 

Make the sweet cream

• Combine the cooled simple syrup, coconut cream or half and half, vanilla, and any extras to a small bowl.

• Beat with a whisk or hand mixer until it thickens and all ingredients are incorporated. 

• Taste and adjust the sweetness and flavors to your liking. 

• Store your cream in an airtight container in the fridge and scoop it out a dollop at a time. It should stay fresh and tasty for about 5 days.