About This Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
This vanilla sweet cream cold foam is a copycat recipe of Starbucks’ popular drink topping! If you’ve never tried it before, you’re in for a treat. Why?
Think of vanilla sweet cream cold foam as very similar to whipped cream. However, it is not whipped as much, making it softer and creamier than traditional whipped cream. As a result, it’s also much easier to stir into your drink! And doing so still leaves a layer of cream on top of the drink for you to sip on.
The cold foam is also spiked with vanilla syrup, boosting any coffee or drink recipe with sweetness and flavor!
Why You Should Make The Recipe
This recipe is a “Starbucks barista approved” copycat of Starbucks’ popular ingredient.
Full disclosure: I did not develop this recipe myself. Instead, I was inspired to search for it online after watching a TikTok in which a Starbucks barista ranted against the ingredient. He claimed that adding vanilla sweet cream cold foam to your drink was a rip-off. Why? It was basically whipped cream watered down with milk. He advised customers to skip the ingredient, and just ask for whipped cream instead (as whipped cream is free!).
Intrigued, I decided to Google the recipe to confirm if it was indeed just “watered down” heavy whipping cream and milk. This Reddit thread written by a Starbucks barista confirms it. The barista also shared their recipe for single serve vanilla sweet cream cold foam, which I’m sharing a modified version of below.
Making vanilla sweet cream cold foam at home will save you money!
I mentioned a TikTok earlier where a Starbucks barista ranted against people ordering cold foam. He specifically advised people to order whipped cream instead. Why? At Starbucks whipped cream is a free topping. But cold foam adds an additional $1.25 to your drink! And when you’re already paying $4 to $5 for the drink, that’s QUITE the markup.
So, I’d like to take that a step further. I’m a big fan of making creative coffee drinks at home (see: my recipes for Dalgona Coffee, Iced Pistachio Latte, and Vietnamese Egg Coffee) to save money. Because you can buy the ingredients for everything in bulk, it ends up much cheaper than spending the $5+ everyday to buy a drink at Starbucks!
Ingredients and Substitutions
The Best Kind of Milk For Making Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Starbucks typically makes their drinks with 2% dairy milk unless otherwise specified. If you’re looking to recreate more classic Starbucks drink experience, I recommend using 2% dairy milk!
That being said, I also found another TikTok in which a Starbucks barista claimed that Starbucks Cold Foam is made with nonfat milk. He claimed that nonfat milk foams better than 2% milk!
However, according to this Reddit thread, there’s a distinction between Starbucks Cold Foam and Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam. Baristas make Cold Foam with nonfat milk, and and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam with 2% milk.
The Best Kind of Vanilla Syrup For Making Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
According to Starbucks baristas, Starbucks uses Fontana Vanilla Syrup in their beverages. Which is confusing to me, because they also apparently sell this Starbucks Naturally Flavored Vanilla Syrup online? I’m pretty sure that it’s just repackaged Fontana Vanilla Syrup, though. In any case, if you want to stay true to the Starbucks experience, use Fontana Vanilla Syrup or Starbucks’ Naturally Flavored Vanilla Syrup!
I, on the other hand, am not that committed. I’ve used Monin, Torani, and even my own homemade simple syrup (spiked with Nielsen Massey vanilla paste) to make the cold foam in the past. All were delicious.
How To Make Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Watch the short video below to see the basic steps for making the recipe:
@hummingbirdhigh bc apparently this is one of the reasons why us millennials can’t buy houses #coffee #coffeetiktok #starbucks ♬ Betty (Get Money) – Yung Gravy
Best Recipe Tips
- Some recipes online instruct you to use a milk frother. However, I don’t recommend it. It’s easy to overwhip the cold foam with a milk frother. And doing so results in the cold foam separating, taking on an unpleasant texture similar to what happens when a custard splits.
So instead, I instruct you to mix the ingredients in a small jar with a lid (I used a cleaned out Bonne Maman jam jar, but you can also use a mason jar or whatever else you have on hand). Seal the jar tightly and give it a good shake, similar to what you would do when making a drink with a cocktail shaker. Although it’s a little bit of a workout, it results in a much creamier, softer vanilla sweet cream cold foam that won’t separate. - How do you enjoy vanilla sweet cream cold foam—do you stir it in to your coffee with a straw? Well, there’s a whole genre of TikTok dedicated to instructing you NOT to stir the cold foam into your drink (see: here and here). Instead, the cold foam is supposed to sit on top of your beverage, allowing you to taste it as you sip through Starbucks’ lidded cups. They claim that using a straw to drink a beverage with cold foam defeats the purpose of the topping, and doesn’t let you taste it at all.
But honestly, I like stirring the foam into my drink? And I find that doing so still leaves a thin layer of cream on top, allowing me to still taste that layered effect. So you do you, don’t listen to the kids on TikTok (lol).
Get the Recipe: Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam Recipe
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- 3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) cold heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce or 28 grams) cold milk (preferably 2%)
- 1 Tablespoon (.5 ounces or 14 grams) vanilla syrup
To Serve
- coffee or espresso beverage of your choice
Equipment
- a small (13-ounce) jar with a lid
Instructions
- Make the vanilla sweet cream cold foam. In a small jam jar with a lid, combine the cream, milk, and syrup. Seal with the lid and shake vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until thick, but soft and creamy.
- Serve immediately. Pour the vanilla sweet cream cold foam over the coffee or espresso beverage of your choice. Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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Weeknight Baking:
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Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
You are a culinary genius! I love your recipes, as every one that I tried came out GREAT and my family finished everything;, asking for more. But your recipe for cold vanilla foam is incredible.☕️🍶🥛
Tastes pretty good!
Can you make a bigger batch and store in the fridge?
No, if you store it the bubbles will disappear and it won’t be foam anymore, you have to serve immediately 🙂
Wow this is so good, thank you!! I really appreciate all the research you put into it!
Very nice and balanced taste. Thanks for the recipe
Worked great! Was delicious, the correct consistency (I used a mason jar), and easy! Thanks for sharing!
I just got home with Starbucks I ordered a grande iced shaken espresso, whole milk, 2 pumps white mocha and vanilla sweet cream cold foam. (Very good btw) But I’ve been wanting to make v.s.c.c.f at home for a while. I found this recipe and I made it. I DID use an electric milk brother because that’s what I had and it turned out very good still. I had some foam stuck to my lid from Starbucks and I compared the Starbucks version to this recipe and I have to say… This one tastes better! I topped the rest of my drink with it.. I’m happy, thank you for the recipe! 🙂 definitely give this a try!! Just as good IF NOT BETTER than Starbucks!!!
Having this recipe for single servings is great! I only know how to make massive batches at Starbucks, but the 3/2/1 ratio is accurate.
I will say that in my career we only ever use 2% milk, never nonfat, for cold foams unless it’s a milk substituted cold foam like oat milk or almond milk.
I tried this recipe, using whole milk cuz that’s what I had in the fridge. It turned out perfect! Great taste, perfect cold foam texture!
I used Equal parts heavy cream and whole milk and it turned out great!
I added Carmel syrup and salt, used frother …came out perfect. #saltedcarmelcoldfoam
For those of you who want an alternative sugar free version, omit the syrup for a 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract (use the real stuff for great flavor) and 1/2 to 1 tsp. of allulose or monkfruit or stevia. If you have a hand blender or a one of those ninja mini blenders those work well and give you cold foam in about 3-5 seconds (this way is much more unforgiving if you over “whip” it….no going back).
Great recipe its my go to now for cold brew!