This Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is the perfect sweet and delicious iced coffee drink! Easy-to-make cold brew coffee sweetened with a simple vanilla cream!
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is a coffee drink made popular by the coffee shop chain Starbucks that combines cold brew coffee with a sweet cream mixture flavoured with vanilla. It’s a delicious and cool coffee drink that’s perfect for summer!
If you’re a fan of this Starbucks drink like we are and you want to know how to make it at home for a fraction of the cost of the coffee shop, you’re going to absolutely LOVE this recipe!
The components of vanilla sweet cream cold brew coffee are simple to make at home. Here they are:
- Cold Brew Coffee: Cold brew is a coffee brewing method that involves steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold or room temperature water for an extended period of time, usually 12-24 hours. This brewing method results in coffee that tastes smooth, less bitter and less acidic.
- Sweet Cream: The sweet cream mixture is made by combining heavy cream, vanilla syrup, and a small amount of milk. The mixture is then shaken very well until it becomes extra frothy and creamy.
- Vanilla Syrup: Making your own vanilla syrup at home is so easy, or you can purchase a store-bought vanilla syrup used for making coffee drinks.
- Prepare it: To make vanilla sweet cream cold brew, add the sweet cream mixture to the cold brew coffee and ice. Stir it well and you’ll have a creamy and delicious coffee drink!
- Customize it: This drink can be customized to your personal preference. Add extra vanilla syrup to make the drink sweeter, go for a sugar-free syrup if you’re cutting carbs or calories, or make it dairy-free with non-dairy milk and cream, or even free of caffeine with decaf cold brew coffee.
To make this recipe, you’ll need (affiliate links):
- a small saucepan
- a pitcher or french press
- measuring cups and spoons
- liquid measuring cups
- a whisk
- mason jars
- cups of glasses for serving
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- coarsely ground coffee beans
- water
- sugar
- vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)
- heavy cream
- milk
Try out one of these sweet cream flavour variations:
- Salted Caramel Sweet Cream: Add a drizzle of caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt to the sweet cream mixture for a sweet and salty twist.
- Mocha Sweet Cream: Add a tablespoon of chocolate syrup to the sweet cream mixture for a delicious mocha flavour.
- Cinnamon Sweet Cream: Add a dash of cinnamon to the sweet cream mixture for a warm and cozy flavour for fall and winter.
- Coconut Vanilla Sweet Cream: Substitute the heavy cream in the sweet cream mixture with coconut cream and a dash of coconut extract for a dairy-free option with a strong coconut flavour.
- Hazelnut Vanilla Sweet Cream: Add a splash of hazelnut syrup to the sweet cream mixture for a nutty and sweet flavour.
- Pumpkin Spice Vanilla Sweet Cream: Try our Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew recipe!
Time needed: 12 hours
Follow these steps to make your own cold brew coffee at home!
- Start with high-quality coffee.
Choosing a high-quality coffee for cold brew is essential because the flavour in cold brew is much stronger than in regular coffee. Trust me, you’ll taste the difference!
- Use coarsely ground coffee.
Cold brew is made with a higher ratio of coffee beans to water. We like 3/4 cup of coarsely ground beans to 4 cups of water.
- Use cold water.
Pour cold water over the beans and stir well until all the beans are moistened.
- Let it sit overnight
Cover and let sit in the fridge for 12-18 hours.
- Filter and serve.
Pour the coffee through a filter to filter out all the grinds. Dispose of the grinds and enjoy over ice!
- Start with simple syrup. Follow the recipe directions to make your own vanilla-infused simple syrup to use in all your favourite homemade coffee shop drinks.
- Make it in a mason jar. The easiest way to make sweet cream cold foam is to add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine.
- Use heavy cream and milk together. This makes the cold foam nice and creamy. You can also use half and half in place of the cream and milk.
- Don’t forget the flavour. Add some vanilla extract, or use a flavour-infused syrup for flavour.
- Shake to foam. Shake well to create a nice thick and foamy cream.
What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?
Iced coffee is coffee made with hot water, then poured over ice. Cold brew is coffee made with cold water and brewed slowly over several hours to create a strong brew (usually 12-18 hours or so). Then it’s poured over ice and served.
What kitchen equipment do I need to make cold brew?
A french press is a helpful tool for making cold brew at home. You can also use a large pitcher or a large mason jar.
Can I make decaffeinated cold brew?
Yes! Simply prepare the cold brew coffee according to the recipe directions using your favourite decaf coarse grind coffee.
Can I sweeten my cold brew coffee drink with sugar instead of syrup?
No. Since cold brew coffee is cold sugar doesn’t dissolve in it easily. To sweeten your cold brew, use an easy homemade simple syrup (in the recipe directions below), or sweeten it with a touch of honey, some maple syrup, or a few drops of liquid stevia.
Can you make cold brew coffee without special equipment?
Yes! All you need for this recipe is a jug or pitcher with a coffee filter OR a french press, something for shaking the cold foam, and glasses for serving.
Is cold brew coffee stronger than regular coffee?
Cold brew is much stronger than regular coffee as it contains almost double the coffee to water ratio when compared to regular coffee.
How many calories are in a serving of cold brew coffee?
There are no calories in cold brew coffee, however adding cold foam, cream or milk to your cold brew will add calories.
How long does it take to make cold brew coffee?
Brewing cold brew coffee takes about 12 hours (overnight is best).
How long can you store cold brew coffee in the fridge?
We recommend enjoying your cold brew coffee in 2-3 days after brewing. Be sure to store it in the fridge in an airtight jug, pitcher or container of some kind (mason jars work well too).
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite coffee shop drink to make at home? We’d love to know!
Looking for more delicious drinks? You’ll love these!
- Healthy 3-Ingredient Lemonade
- Iced Chai Latte
- Watermelon Green Tea Refresher
- Healthy Strawberry Lemonade
- Dirty Chai Latte (Iced or Hot)
- Iced Vanilla Latte
- Healthy Cucumber Lemonade
- Healthy Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
- How to Make an Iced Latte
- Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte
- Healthy Homemade Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade
- Healthy Homemade Iced Tea
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Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Recipe: Equipment
- French Press or Pitcher & Coffee Filters
Recipe: Ingredients
For the simple syrup (makes 1/2 cup syrup):
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or high-quality vanilla extract)
For the cold brew:
- 4 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup coarsely ground coffee
For the sweet cream cold foam:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons simple syrup (recipe above)
- a dash or two of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
For serving:
- ice cubes
Recipe: Instructions
For the simple syrup:
- Add the water, sugar, and vanilla bean (slice it down the middle first) to a pot over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves.
- Let the mixture sit and cool to room temperature, and remove the vanilla bean before adding the syrup to a jar or bottle. Discard the vanilla bean.
For the cold brew coffee:
- Add the coarsely ground beans to a french press, pitcher or large mason jar.
- Pour the cold water over the beans and stir well to moisten all the beans.
- Cover and let it brew in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours.
For the sweet cream cold foam:
- Add the cream, milk, syrup and vanilla bean paste or extract to a mason jar and shake well to combine.
To serve:
- Pour the cold brew over ice into large glasses.
- Top with the vanilla cream mixture and serve.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.