These are my “most frequently used” flavors. There are more in my kitchen though!

There are three questions I get asked pretty often about sugar-free syrups:

1. What do you use them for?
2. What’s the difference between Torani, Davinci, and other syrups?
3. If I’m gonna try Torani syrups, what flavor should I try first?

Call me ambitious…but I’m going to try to answer all these questions in one (hopefully not too long) blog post!

What do I (Nik) use sugar-free syrups for?

Left: Mocha Toffee Twist Hot Protein Drink, Top: Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Pecan Topping, Bottom: S’mores Protein Pudding Pie

The better question is what don’t I use them for. And the answer to that would be very few things! I use them in protein shakes, in yogurt, in pudding, in coffee, in baked stuff, in dessert. They can even be used as an addition to savory sauces! (Sorry I haven’t memorialized those recipes yet but soon!)

Here are a few helpful tips when using sugar-free syrups in general:

• If you are baking using sugar-free syrups, remember that it would be considered a wet ingredient and, thus, you’d need to either adjust your other wet ingredients accordingly OR adjust your cook time (usually longer cook time, possibly lower temperature depending on what it is). In general, the syrups don’t have a big impact on the final texture of a baked product. 
• Be sure to use a flavor that stands out from whatever you are using. So if you are making…say…chocolate protein pudding, a nice Salted Caramel or S’mores flavored syrup would work well with that. Don’t use flavors that blend into each other. You won’t taste them and it will seem like a waste!

What’s the difference between Torani, Davinci and other syrups?


The main difference is their flavor offerings. Davinci makes some flavors that Torani does not (like sugar-free Kahlua and sugar-free Buttered Rum) and Torani makes some flavors Davinci does not (such as my absolute FAVORITE, sugar-free S’mores and sugar-free Salted Caramel). There are many other brands of sugar-free syrups, including those carried at your local Starbucks. There can also be differences in how syrups are sweetened. Both Torani and Davinci are generally sweetened with Sucralose (the main ingredient in Splenda). There are other syrups sweetened with other things such as aspartame, xylitol and stevia. 

If I’m gonna try Torani syrups, what flavor should I try first?


Valid question. Many of us don’t have the budget for an unlimited supply (but we can dream…sigh…) so investing in the right bottle is important. Here are a few suggestions (all sugar-free flavors):

• Nik’s All-Time Faves (of the moment): S’Mores, Hazelnut, English Toffee
• If you’re #TeamFruity: You might like Orange, Lime or Strawberry
• If you’re #TeamVanilla: there’s Vanilla, French Vanilla and Vanilla Bean
• If you’re #TeamChocolate: There’s Chocolate but also flavors that enhance chocolate like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Peanut Butter flavors!