Starbucks Sweet Cream Cold Foam

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Make this starbucks sweet cream cold foam at home to add on top of all your favorite Starbucks’ copycat drink recipes. Made with homemade vanilla syrup for the most authentic flavor.

There are lots of cold foam variations available at Starbucks, such as this pumpkin cold foam or this salted caramel cold foam. They are perfect for adding on to lots of Starbucks’ drinks, such as this iced chai tea latte or this iced mocha latte. 

Buying these drinks from Starbucks can be expensive, but it is easy to make these toppings at home for a fraction of the cost.

Jump to:

• Recipe Highlights
• Types Of Starbucks Toppings
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Methods For Frothing Sweet Cream Cold Foam
• Expert Tips
• Storage
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Highlights

• This recipe is made with homemade vanilla syrup made from vanilla bean. There are no artificial flavors and the taste is much more authentic than using a store bought vanilla syrup.
• You can add this sweet cream cold foam on top of any drink to add creaminess and a slightly sweet vanilla flavor.
• It is simple to make and there are a variety of methods to make this foam depending on what equipment you have available.

Types Of Starbucks Toppings

Cold Foam

Starbucks’ cold foam topping is made with milk that has been blended, or frothed up to create a layer of foam that sits on top of a drink.

Sweet Cream

Sweet cream Starbucks’ topping is made with vanilla syrup, milk and cream. It is not blended into a foam. Rather, it is like a thick liquid that immediately seeps into whichever drink it is poured onto.

Sweet Cream Cold Foam

Sweet cream cold foam is a combination of cold foam and sweet cream. It is made with vanilla syrup, milk and cream. However, it is blended or frothed up to create a foam-like consistency. Sweet cream cold foam has a layer of foam that will sit on top of your drink, but also a portion that sinks down and mixes into it.

Whipped Cream

Whipped cream is made completely with heavy whipping cream that is whipped to create stiff peaks. It is much richer, thicker and smoother compared to sweet cream and cold foam. It holds its shape as it sits on top of drinks and does not sink in at all.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Vanilla Bean: Using a real vanilla bean is what makes this syrup taste authentically “vanilla” without any artificial taste.
• Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar. If you want a richer, slightly caramel flavor, use brown sugar instead.
• Half and Half: This recipe uses half and half as an easy shortcut. However, you can easily replace this with ¼ cup of 2% milk and ¼ cup of whipping cream.

Equipment

• A saucepan to make the vanilla syrup in.
• A handheld frother, electric frother, or french press to make the sweet cream cold foam in.
• A mason jar to store leftover vanilla syrup in.

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the water, sugar, vanilla extract and split vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has fully dissolved. 

Step 2: Remove the vanilla syrup from the stove and strain out the vanilla bean. 

Step 3: Use a handheld frother (or one of the other methods described below) to froth the vanilla syrup and half and half until it has increased in volume and has a bit of foam on top.

Step 4: Prepare your iced coffee or iced tea drink.

 Step 5: Pour the sweet cream cold foam on top of your prepared iced coffee drink and serve immediately.

Methods For Frothing Sweet Cream Cold Foam

Starbucks uses a specially designed blender to make cold foam. For copycat recipes at home, there are several options to give the foam the frothy consistency depending on what equipment you have available.

Electric Frother

An electric frother is the most expensive option, but if you already have one, then you can make use of it. Add the vanilla syrup and half and half to the frother and choose the “cold froth” option.

Handheld Frother

A handheld frother is a cheaper alternative to the electric frother and does a decent job. However, the froth formed won’t be as long lasting. Froth on “high” with the frother head fully submerged in the mixture for about 30 seconds until it has doubled in volume.

Blender

Add the ingredients to a blender cup and blend on high for about 30 seconds. You can also use an immersion blender, but make sure the blender stays fully submerged in liquid.

French Press

For this method, you may need to double the quantity of sweet cream you are making as it requires more liquid to work properly. Add the half and half and syrup to the french press, then quickly move the plunger up and down, until the mixture has doubled in volume.

Mason Jar

This is the least effective method to make cold foam, but is still a decent option if that is all that you have on hand. Add the half and half and vanilla syrup to a mason jar, put on the lid and shake vigorously. Serve immediately as the foam will melt much more quickly than the other methods.

Expert Tips

• When making the vanilla syrup, don’t let it boil. Boiling the syrup can cause too much water to evaporate, leaving you with a sticky, thick goop.
• Before you begin, make sure your half and half, or cream and milk are very cold. Leave them in the fridge until you are ready to use them. Cold half and half will froth up much more easily.

Storage

• Sweet Cream Cold Foam: This is best used immediately after making as it will lose its volume and texture quickly. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days without it spoiling. It will still have the vanilla flavor, but will not be as thick.
• Vanilla Syrup: This recipe will make extra vanilla syrup. Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.

FAQ

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📖 Recipe