Give your regular cup of coffee a bolder, sweeter flavor with molasses

Most people take their coffee a little easy, but sometimes the usual options can get a little boring. Luckily, sugar isn’t the only way to sweeten your morning cup of Joe. Molasses offers an earthy, cookie-like alternative to gingerbread, and its rich taste helps deepen the flavors in your cup of coffee without adding the calories that white sugar does. If you’ve tried adding coconut oil to your morning brew or experimented with a little ghee in your coffee, you might want to try molasses.

As with adding any new ingredient to your favorite cup of coffee, start slowly and adjust to taste. Since there are several types of molasses to choose from, you’ll want to experiment with flavors to find the combination that best suits your palate. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, look for light or Barbados molasses. Other types of molasses are boiled repeatedly, and darker molasses such as blackstrap molasses can lean toward the bitter end of the flavor spectrum, turning your cup of coffee into something much less sweet than what you probably had in mind.

Read more: 26 Coffee Hacks You Need to Know for a Better Cup

Coffee this good should be called dessert

Once the molasses has been mixed into your cup, you can experiment by adding milk, your favorite milk alternative, or creamer to create a luscious cup that tastes like an instant treat. Touches of vanilla, hazelnut, or maple extract can transform your morning coffee into a drink that could be mistaken for dessert. If you prefer a sweeter sip than molasses can provide, brown sugar can also be added to your brew. And to turn your coffee into an even sweeter affair, top your molasses pour with homemade honey whipped cream.

A pumpkin pie spice topping can make you feel like you’re on vacation before heading to the office, while dustings of cocoa powder can be the perfect afternoon treat after a long day. For a warming drink that evokes memories of winter festivities, pinches of ground cinnamon or ginger can transform your cuppa into an instant celebration – or you can serve your molasses-spiked cups of coffee with gingerbread cookies. After trying molasses coffee, you can replace your morning coffee rituals with this gentler, more nuanced approach. This is exactly how a great day begins!

Read the original article on the tasting table.