Buzzing for more coffee recipes? Try my coffee protein shake, nitro cold brew, bulletproof coffee, and peanut butter coffee next. There was a time when I only drank coffee black or with a dash of cream. Then, my friend introduced me to Starbucks cold foam, and I couldn’t believe what I had been missing. After many cold foam coffees, I’m finally ready to cut ties with Starbucks and start making my favorite signature Starbucks drinks at home. Today, we’re tackling my current obsession: salted caramel cold brew!
Why I love this recipe
Affordable. I can’t believe people willingly fork out over $8 for a grande. My homemade version? Less than 40 cents a pop! Diet-friendly. Effortlessly cut the dairy and or carbs with simple swaps. Low-calorie. A traditional Starbucks version has close to 350 calories in it. This homemade version has just 60 calories, making it a fantastic low-calorie Starbucks drink. A quick and easy recipe. It’s ready in under a minute, so you can whip it up the moment you crave it.
Ingredients needed
Caramel syrup. I used store-bought caramel syrup, but you can make your own. Half of the syrup will be blended into the cold brew and the other half will be blended with the cream for the rich cold foam topping. Cold brew. Skip the expensive bottled cold brew you can find at some grocery stores and make your own with ground coffee, cold water, and vanilla. Ice. This is NOT the coffee beverage you should enjoy warm. Cold foam. A mix of heavy cream, caramel syrup, and salt.
How to make salted caramel cream cold brew
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. “Just made this and it is SO much better than Starbucks.” – Suzanne Step 1- Make the caramel cold brew coffee. In a glass mason jar, whisk together half the caramel syrup and the cold brew. Pour the mixture into two glasses filled with ice. Step 2- Make the cold foam. Add the caramel syrup and cream to a bowl. Using a handheld milk frother, beat together until smooth and fluffy. Pour the cold foam over each large glass, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.
Arman’s recipe tips
Save time. Make the caramel cold brew and the cold foam ahead of time and store each separately in airtight containers. Before serving, re-blend the cold foam until fluffy. Don’t have cold brew? That’s okay! You can use cold coffee. Just know the flavor won’t quite be the same since iced coffee doesn’t have the same flavor as a super-smooth cold brew. Taste as you go, and adjust sweetness as needed.
Frequently asked questions
More Starbucks copycat recipes you’ll enjoy
Caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino Almond milk hot chocolate Keto pumpkin spice latte Peppermint mocha
Originally published August 2022, updated and republished July 2024
Make it vegan. Use coconut cream and vegan caramel. Cut the carbs. Use sugar-free caramel syrup. Make it decaf. Use decaffeinated coffee in your cold brew coffee recipe. Substitute the caramel. If you have other types of syrup around (like vanilla syrup or chocolate syrup), you can easily swap the caramel syrup for a different flavor.
