Autocrat Coffee Syrup Recipe – Make Rhode Island’s Iconic Drink

If you know Rhode Island, then you would also know how good their coffee milk is. In their coffee milk, they use Autocrat Coffee Syrup. 

Which is sweet, smooth, and gives you a nostalgic New England vibe instantly. 

In fact, Rhode Island officially made coffee milk their state drink, so yes, it’s that important.

However, outside Rhode Island or Massachusetts, it’s not always easy to grab a bottle of Autocrat. And because I’m not from there, I made this drink at home.

 

How to Make Autocrat Coffee Syrup

Autocrat Coffee Syrup is a sweet, concentrated coffee extract mixed with sugar. And it’s the key ingredient behind Rhode Island’s official state drink: coffee milk. 

If I had to define it simply, I would say it’s a coffee version of chocolate syrup — instead of stirring Hershey’s into milk, Rhode Islanders stir Autocrat.

Ingredients:

This will yield about 2 cups of syrup. Enough to make a dozen or more glasses of coffee milk.

• 2 cups of strong brewed coffee: dark roast will work best, but medium roast like Dunkin’ is fine too; if you want inspiration, see Dunkin Blueberry Muffin Coffee Recipe.
• 2 cups granulated sugar: Classic Autocrat is sweet, so don’t skimp here unless you want it lighter.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: Optional, but I recommend; it adds depth.
• Pinch of salt: Balances out the sweetness.

Optional:

• Brown sugar: Replace half the white sugar for a caramel tone.
• Molasses: Just ½ tsp to mimic the depth of old soda shop syrups.

Instructions

This process is very easy, but each step is important if you want the right consistency.

Step 1: Brew Strong Coffee

Brew 2 cups of extra-strong coffee. You can also use double the grounds you usually would. 

Weak coffee will get lost under all that sugar.

Pro tip: If you want cold-brew vibes instead, you can even check Chameleon Cold Brew Recipe for how to make a concentrated base.

Step 2: Dissolve Sugar

In a saucepan, add your hot brewed coffee and 2 cups of sugar. Stir on medium heat until the sugar completely dissolves.

You’ll notice it starts to look glossy and slightly thick. This is your base.

Step 3: Simmer and Thicken

Lower the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Stir every few minutes so it doesn’t burn. 

Your goal here is a syrup consistency, something like maple syrup.

Don’t rush — too high heat will make it gritty or caramelize too much.

Step 4: Add Vanilla and Salt

Turn off the heat, stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. These little touches make a big difference.

Step 5: Cool and Store

Finally, you can cool fully before bottling. And then store in a glass jar or bottle. 

You can keep it for 3–4 weeks in the fridge.

 

Shelf-Stable Coffee Syrup Recipe

Want to make it last longer? Here’s how to turn this into a shelf-stable coffee syrup recipe:

1. Sterilize your jars by boiling for 10 minutes.
2. Pour hot syrup into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
3. Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Once done, you’ll have sealed jars good for up to 6 months unopened. Opened jars should go in the fridge.

This way, you can make a bigger batch and not worry about it spoiling quickly.

 

Autocrat vs Eclipse Coffee Syrup

Rhode Islanders often argue: Autocrat vs Eclipse. Which is better? Here’s my take:

• Autocrat Coffee Syrup: It’s more smooth, sweet, and classic in flavor. And really easy to mix.
• Eclipse Coffee Syrup: it has a much stronger coffee hit, less sweet, and a little bitter edge.

If you want kid-friendly, you can go for Autocrat-style. If you prefer bold, slightly grown-up, go with Eclipse. 

My recipe that I shared will let you swing either way, depending on how strong you brew the coffee and how much sugar you add.

You can also compare this sweet-bitter balance to desserts like Dark Chocolate Sweet Potato Chipotle Fudge, where both flavors work together.

 

How to Make Coffee Milk (Rhode Island Style)

This is what it’s all about — the Rhode Island coffee milk recipe. Once you’ve got the syrup:

• 1 cup cold whole milk (oat or almond milk also works).
• 2 tbsp coffee syrup (adjust to taste).

Mix and drink. That’s it. It’s creamy, sweet, coffee-flavored milk.

If you want to pair coffee milk with baked snacks, try it with Bakery Style Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins — the combo hits differently.

 

Variations You Can Try

Here are some fun twists to play around with:

• Mocha Coffee Syrup: You’ll add 2 tbsp cocoa powder while simmering.
• Caramel Version: Use half brown sugar + add 1 tbsp molasses.
• Holiday Spice: Drop in a cinnamon stick or 2 cloves, strain after cooking.
• Dunkin Coffee Milk: Chill your milk, add syrup, and top with whipped cream. Kinda like Coffee Milk Dunkin.
• Vegan: Swap sugar for coconut sugar, pair with oat milk.

 

What to Serve with Coffee Milk

Coffee milk is versatile. You can drink it alone or pair it with snacks:

• Cookies: Crumbl Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Brownies: Rice Flour Brownies with Cocoa Powder.
• Savory Snacks: Cheese platter, salty pretzels.
• Ice Cream: Pour over vanilla ice cream for a Rhode Island affogato.

 

Storage Tips

• Fridge: 3–4 weeks once opened.
• Pantry (sealed jars): Up to 6 months.
• Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays and drop into cold milk or iced coffee.

Glass jars are always best. Plastic can mess with the flavor over time.

 

Nutrition Information for Coffee Syrup & Coffee Milk

When you make this Autocrat coffee syrup recipe, the nutrition will vary a little depending on how much sugar you use, but here’s a rough idea:

Per 1 tablespoon of homemade coffee syrup

• Calories: ~50–55
• Sugar: ~13g
• Carbs: ~13g
• Fat: 0g
• Protein: 0g

This is almost the same range as the store-bought Autocrat Coffee Syrup, since that one is also mostly sugar + coffee extract.

Coffee Milk (1 cup milk + 2 tbsp syrup)

• Calories: ~180–200 (based on whole milk)
• Sugar: ~25–28g
• Protein: ~8g
• Fat: ~8g

It’s the same ballpark as a glass of chocolate milk — sweet, creamy, but with coffee flavor instead of cocoa.

If you want it lighter, you can:

• Use low-fat or almond milk instead of whole milk.
• Reduce sugar (it will make a less sweet syrup).
• Try coconut sugar or maple syrup for a natural sweetener alternative.

For reference, commercial syrups like Eclipse Coffee Syrup are slightly less sweet, so they’ll cut down sugar per serving.

 

Where to Buy Autocrat Coffee Syrup

If making it feels like too much work, you can buy it. Where to buy Autocrat Coffee Syrup? In Rhode Island and nearby states, most grocery stores carry it. 

For everyone else, Amazon and online New England shops stock it.

If you like exploring nostalgic chocolate-coffee items, I recommend checking Costco Bouchard Dubai Chocolate Recipe. 

It’s another cult-favorite sweet that’s hard to find outside certain areas.

 

Conclusion

This was my Autocrat Coffee Syrup Recipe that you can make at home whenever you want the real Rhode Island coffee milk. 

You don’t need to drive around searching for a bottle or pay extra online; you can make it with just coffee, sugar, and a few easy steps. 

The best thing about this homemade coffee syrup is that you can control the taste, make it sweeter like Autocrat or stronger like Eclipse, and even give it your own twist with cocoa, molasses, or spices.

 

FAQs About Autocrat Coffee Syrup Recipe

Here are some questions with their answers about this recipe.

What do you do with Autocrat Coffee Syrup?

The classic way is mixing it with cold milk to make Rhode Island coffee milk. 

But you can also drizzle it over ice cream, use it in baking (brownies, cakes), stir it into iced coffee, or even add it to cocktails for a sweet coffee flavor.

What are the ingredients in Autocrat Coffee Syrup?

The commercial Autocrat uses high-fructose corn syrup, coffee extract, caramel color, and preservatives. 

My homemade version is cleaner: brewed coffee, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Simple but still authentic.

Coffee milk syrup recipe

This is just another way to describe the same thing — coffee syrup you stir into milk to make coffee milk. 

The recipe I shared here is the easiest way to get that result at home without needing the store-bought bottle.

How do you make Autocrat coffee milk?

You only need 1 cup of cold milk and 2 tbsp of coffee syrup. Stir them together and drink immediately. 

That’s the official Rhode Island way. You can adjust the syrup based on the sweetness you like.

How to make coffee syrup homemade?

Brew strong coffee, add equal parts sugar, simmer until thick, then stir in vanilla and salt. That’s the homemade coffee syrup base. 

You can make it shelf-stable by bottling and sealing it in sterilized jars.