In a medium saucepan over medium/high heat, add sugar and 1 ½ cups water. 🍲

Stir to dissolve the sugar and stir occasionally until it comes to a rolling boil. 🔥

Stop stirring and let the syrup continue to boil at a rolling pace until it begins to turn an amber color. This can take 20-45 minutes, so start checking at 15 minutes and watch closely. ⏳

When the syrup is almost done, heat the remaining water and set aside. You can use a microwave with a glass measuring cup for this. 🌡️

As soon as the syrup turns caramel-colored, remove it from heat. ⚠️

Carefully add the hot water while stirring (be mindful of splattering). If the syrup hardens, reheat slightly and stir until it dissolves, then remove from heat. 🌪️

Add the vanilla and sea salt, stirring until the salt dissolves. 🌿🧂

Let the syrup cool for about 30 minutes. 🕒

Store the cooled syrup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a month. 🧊