This easy Starbucks copycat recipe for Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam has got you covered all Summer long. Creamy, airy, and lightly vanilla flavored, it’s the perfect addition to your favorite cup of cold brew or iced coffee!
I don’t know about you, but I need that first hit of coffee in the morning. The intoxicating smell of coffee just gets me excited to start the day. Along with a quick breakfast (like my 2 minute pancake in a mug and some greek yogurt), it fuels me for the first of those crucial morning hours.
Sometimes that first cup is a nice, hot mug of run-of-the-mill coffee, and sometimes it’s a cool and refreshing glass of cold brew. I like to switch it up and keep in interesting, and it really just depends on my mood and what my body is craving that particular day.
When I first tried the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam at Starbucks, I just knew I had to figure out how to make it at home. I figured it couldn’t be too hard, and boy was I right! All you need are 4 simple ingredients and it takes literal minutes to make. This has become a quick favorite, and I LOVE adding it to a glass of my favorite cold brew. Not only is it delicious and creamy, but the floating cold foam is totally fun too!
One of the most important tenants of intuitive eating is that food can be both nourishing and fun. Food doesn’t have to be either good or bad, nourishing or not, “healthy” or unhealthy. Food is just food, and we can be empowered to honor our cravings, all while keeping gentle nutrition in mind. This is my focus as an intuitive eating dietician, and we talk about this allll of the time inside of The SociEATy, so if you want to learn more about intuitive eating, check it out!
Ingredients
- Heavy cream: This helps form the “sweet cream” portion, and adds an amazing creaminess to your favorite cup of cold brew.
- Milk: Using a lower fat milk (in this case 2%) helps create an airy “foam” that floats on top of your coffee.
- Powdered sugar: Just a touch of powdered sugar whips together with the other ingredients to add a touch of sweetness. Using powdered versus granulated means there is no grainy texture whatsoever!
- Vanilla extract: Because you can’t have vanilla sweet cream cold foam without it!
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Start off by adding all of your ingredients to a large jar: heavy cream, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
Step Two: Mix everything together with a spoon until combined. Congratulations – you now have sweet cream!
Step Three: In order to get the “cold foam”, we need to froth the milk. I like to use a handheld frother to keep it quick and easy. You could use a traditional frother if that is what you have on hand.
Step Four: Add ice and coffee to a large glass and pour your vanilla sweet cream cold foam on top. The sweet cream will travel throughout the coffee, while the foam sits nicely on top.
Recipe FAQ’s
Cold foam is a whipped low fat milk that turns into an airy, cloud-like foam that floats on top of your cold brew or iced coffee. Vanilla sweet cream is a flavored heavy cream that adds both sweetness and flavor to your favorite cold brew coffees. The two come together to make vanilla sweet cream cold brew: the cold foam floating to the top, and the sweet cream cascading down into the coffee.
Vanilla sweet cream cold foam uses just 4 simple ingredients: heavy cream, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. They are whipped together until fluffy, and it is perfect for serving with your favorite cold brew and iced coffee beverages.
Cold foam is a fun, airy whipped milk that sits at the very top of your cold brew, and is perfect for adding a touch of coffee house flair. Its creamy, yet airy texture wins points for those who like their coffee not-quite-black, but don’t want to add heavy cream or creamers. There is also sweet cream cold foam, which combines heavy cream and the cold form portion so the coffee is creamy, sweet, and has a fluffy layer of foam on top.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to use milk that is 2% milk fat or lower, since lower fat milks tend to froth much more effectively than whole milk. If you only drink whole milk, it can totally work in a pinch!
- If you want to go for a really luxurious vanilla flavor, try adding a pinch of vanilla bean paste OR sub in some Madagascar vanilla extract. It’s absolutely amazing and I highly recommend.
- Store any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may need to go in with the frother to refresh the foam after it has stored for a few hours or so.
Ways to Serve Cold Foam
While you can serve your vanilla sweet cream cold foam with pretty much any style of coffee (or coffee house style beverage), the two most common are cold brew and iced coffee.
With cold brew: Pour your favorite cold brew into a large glass or tumbler, and add ice if desired. Top with your vanilla sweet cream cold foam and serve with a straw. Enjoy!
With iced coffee: Add ice to a large glass or tumbler until it is 2/3 full with ice. Pour hot coffee on top, and stir until the coffee is cooled by the ice cubes. Top with your DIY vanilla sweet cream cold foam. OR you can use store bought iced coffee if preferred!
More Coffee Inspired Recipes
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a jar.
- Mix until just combined- you’ve just made sweet cream!
- When you're ready to froth it, if desired, simply pour the desired amount into a cup.
- Froth with a handheld frother for 90 seconds.
- Add ice to a glass and pour iced coffee over it.
- Pour over iced coffee and enjoy!
Notes
Extra vanilla flavor: If you want to go for a really luxurious vanilla flavor, try adding a pinch of vanilla bean paste OR sub in some Madagascar vanilla extract. It's absolutely amazing and I highly recommend.
Storage: Store any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may need to go in with the frother to refresh the foam after it has stored for a few hours or so.
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