This homemade iced vanilla latte combines espresso, vanilla syrup, plant milk and ice in a 16-ounce glass. It is creamy, refreshing and ready in around five minutes - perfect when you fancy a Starbucks-style coffee without leaving the house.
💫 How to Make a Starbucks Iced Vanilla Latte at Home
This copycat Starbucks Iced Vanilla Latte uses similar ratios and ingredients you’d find in-store - espresso, vanilla syrup, milk, and ice. The exact amount in the Starbucks drink varies by country, drink size, milk and any customisations.
☕ My 16-Ounce Iced Vanilla Latte Ratio
For one Grande-sized homemade latte, I use 2 shots of espresso, 2 tablespoons of vanilla syrup, ¾ cup of plant milk and around 1 cup of ice.
Iced coffee is simply great all year round, but especially on hot summer days! For me, it's a much welcome refreshment when I'm out and about and I see myself heading to Starbucks more often than I'd like to admit for a cold coffee drink.
I love replicating my favorite Starbucks drinks at home, such as this Iced Matcha Latte, Vanilla Matcha Latte or Matcha Lemonade and an Iced Vanilla Latte is simply a must-have for your coffee recipes to make at home.
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❤️ What Makes this Recipe Special
- this recipe is a copycat version of the famous Starbucks favorite!
- it's made with homemade vanilla syrup, but you have the option to use a store-bought version too (see notes below!)
- it's sweet and refreshing - a perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer's day
- the latte is made with espresso, just like the Starbucks version
- you can enjoy this drink in the comfort of your own home
- the recipe makes a 16-oz (450 ml) drink, which is equal to a Starbucks Grande
- the homemade syrup used in this recipe is naturally dairy-free, making it easy to enjoy this drink with milk alternatives
Hi, I'm Romy 👋
I'm a vegan recipe developer & food photographer. I test recipes weekly and share what actually works (and what doesn't).
☕ Ingredients for Vanilla Latte
For this recipe you only need 4 ingredients:
Espresso
Starbucks uses its signature espresso for this drink. To replicate the delicious flavor at home, it's important to use espresso. I've used the Caprissimo Espresso from Coffee Friend for this recipe.
Swap for decaf if you want to enjoy the drink without the caffeine buzz.
PS: If you’re cleaning up coffee grounds afterward, avoid washing them down the drain - here’s why: Can Coffee Grounds Go Down the Sink?
Vanilla Syrup
Starbucks uses its Starbucks-branded vanilla syrup in-store. You can buy this syrup online or simply use homemade vanilla syrup.
Milk
In-store, a 2 % fat reduced milk is used to make this drink, but you can choose your favorite milk alternative!
My favorites are soya and oat, but you can also go for almond, coconut or your favorite alternative milk blend!
Ice Cubes
Big ice cubes work best for this iced drink! If you're making your own, make sure to use filtered water for the best overall flavor of your copycat drink.
| Ingredient | Starbucks Version | Homemade Version |
| Espresso | mostly Signature Blonde or Pike Place | Any espresso (freshly brewed) |
| Syrup | Starbucks Vanilla (e.g. by Fontana) | Homemade or Fontana Syrup |
| Milk | 2% Reduced Fat | Any milk or plant-based |
| Ice | Cubed | Cubed |
See the recipe card for quantities.
🥛 The Best Plant Milk for an Iced Vanilla Latte
- Oat milk: Creamy and slightly sweet; probably the closest café-style option.
- Soy milk: Creamy, neutral and higher in protein.
- Almond milk: Lighter, with a subtle nutty flavour.
- Coconut milk drink: More noticeable in flavour, so it changes the vanilla-coffee balance.
🧰 Equipment
You don't need any complicated equipment for this recipe, but I recommend you use:
- a coffee grinder, I've used many throughout the years, but this one from Cuisinart is by far my favorite and has never let me down
- an espresso maker, I like to use my stove-top Moka pot to make espresso
- an ice cube tray, I always use silicone ice cube trays, they are the easiest to remove the cubes once frozen
- a 16-oz glass or tumbler (450ml) to serve your drink
🧾 Ingredient Preparation
- Grind the coffee beans and make freshly brewed espresso using an espresso maker
- Make ice cubes ahead of time
- Make homemade vanilla syrup if you're not using store-bought
🧑🍳 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Here's how to make this simple recipe:
Step 1: Prepare the espresso. Brew two fresh shots and leave them to cool for a few minutes so they do not immediately melt the ice.
Step 2: Fill the glass. Add around one cup of ice to a 16-ounce glass.
Step 3: Add the coffee. Pour the espresso over the ice, followed by the vanilla syrup.
Step 4: Add syrup. Add the vanilla syrup.
Step 5: Finish with milk. Pour in the cold plant milk, then stir thoroughly so the syrup is evenly distributed.
To serve the drink, give it a good stir and enjoy!
And while you're at it, why not serve this refreshing drink alongside a sweet treat like Vegan Pistachio Cheesecake, Vegan S'mores Cookies or Blueberry Oat Crumble Bars?
🌈 Latte Variations
There are a couple of great ways to adjust the recipe and make it your own:
- Sweet - adjust the amount of vanilla syrup you add to the recipe and add more or less depending on your personal preference.
- Frothed Milk - froth your milk in a cold milk frother, a blender or a french press
- Spices - add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger, if you want to spice it up
If you love Starbucks drinks, then please check out my recipes for Pumpkin Spice Syrup, Matcha Latte and Iced Matcha Latte.
❄️ How To Store
This drink is best served ice cold and right away, but if you want to prepare for busy mornings, simply mix the espresso, syrup and milk and place the iced vanilla latte into the fridge overnight without ice.
In the morning, just add the ice cubes right before serving.
💡 Top Tip
If you're looking to keep your drink cool whilst out and about, I can recommend getting an insulated thermal travel cup.
Mine keeps the drink cool for a long time and I can still hear the ice cubes move about after a few hours!
⚙️ Can I Make This Without an Espresso Machine?
Yes! Espresso gives this iced vanilla latte the strongest coffee flavor, but you can still make a great version without an espresso machine.
The key is to use coffee that is more concentrated than a regular mug of filter coffee, so the flavor does not get lost once you add the milk and ice.
A Moka pot is probably the closest alternative. Brew the coffee as usual and use around 2 fluid ounces in place of the espresso.
You can also use an AeroPress to make a small amount of concentrated coffee. Use a little less water than usual, then let the coffee cool briefly before pouring it over the ice.
A pod coffee machine works well too. Choose the espresso or ristretto setting and brew two pods or two short shots, depending on how strong you like your latte.
For the quickest option, dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the glass.
Regular brewed coffee will also work in a pinch, but make it stronger than usual and use slightly less milk so the latte does not taste watery. Cold brew concentrate is another good option, although it will give the drink a smoother, less roasty flavor than espresso.
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The standard iced vanilla latte at Starbucks uses their signature blend espresso, their own brand vanilla syrup, 2% milk (skimmed) and ice cubes. Roughly half of the drink is ice cubes.
Starbucks uses its own branded vanilla syrup in its drinks, but some of its syrups are made by Fontana. You can purchase it online, or by asking in-store if they have stock to spare.
Starbucks usually uses 3 pumps of syrup in a tall latte (12oz), 4 pumps in a grande (16oz), and 5 in a venti (20oz). Standard syrup pumps usually dispense ¼ ounce of syrups, so ½ tablespoons each. 4 pumps are the equal amount to 2 tablespoons of syrup.
There are 15g of sugar in a tall order, 20g sugar in a grande, and 25g sugar in a venti size latte.
To get the typical flavor of this Starbucks drink, it's vital that you use espresso for this recipe, not cold coffee. For best results, should be freshly brewed on the day.
🔜 More Latte Recipes
Want to try another copycat Starbucks drink? Check out my Iced Matcha Latte or Pumpkin Spice Syrup next.
📖 Recipe Card
Iced Vanilla Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 16-oz tumbler (450 ml)
Ingredients
- 2 shots fresh espresso (2 oz, 60 ml)
- 2 tablespoon vanilla syrup (30 ml, 4 pumps) homemade or store-bought
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk (180 ml) e.g. oat, almond etc.
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Add the ice cubes to a 16-oz glass.
- Pour in the espresso.
- Add the vanilla syrup.
- Fill up with milk.
Notes
- This drink is best enjoyed ice cold. So refreshing on a hot summer day!
- You can prepare the drink the night before by mixing the espresso, syrup and milk in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply top with ice cubes before serving.
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the drink to your personal taste by adding more or less vanilla syrup.
- I highly recommend making your own homemade vanilla syrup for these kinds of drinks! My syrup recipe is created with high quality vanilla pods, giving the syrup a gorgeous vanilla flavor!
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Mandy says
This is so delicious and refreshing! Just what I need this summer 😍
Juliana Serapio says
It worked out perfectly! Thank you!