17 Best Starbucks Caramel Drinks (Including Secret Menu)

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Caramel is more than just Caramel Macchiatos at Starbucks. See 19 delicious caramel drinks, including customized drinks on the secret menu.

Six photo grid showing five Starbucks caramel drinks.

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Caramel Drinks at Starbucks

From the classic Caramel Macchiato to the popular Caramel Frappuccino, caramel is in a number of different drinks on the Starbucks menu.

Caramel is blended into Frappuccinos, pumped into iced and hot coffees, drizzled on top of drinks, and made into cold foam.

Because caramel and coffee go well together, it’s easy to be adventurous with caramel. It can be added or substituted into almost any drink.

If you love caramel, you’ll want to bookmark this!

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RELATED: Strawberry Starbucks Drinks

5 Ways to Add Caramel to a Drink

1. Dark caramel sauce

Made with condensed milk and dark caramel sauce, it has a deeper, sweeter taste than the other caramel sauces and syrups. It’s in the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino.

2. Caramel sauce/drizzle

Used as a topping, the caramel drizzle is also used to line the insides of a cup when requested. Caramel sauce and caramel drizzle are the same thing.

3. Caramel syrup

The caramel syrup is dairy-free and thinner than the sauces, so it’s great for cold drinks since it dissolves easily.

4. Caramel sugar topping

These are crunchy pieces of caramel-sugar that can be added to the top of drinks.

It’s on the top and layered at the bottom of the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino.

5. Salted caramel cream cold foam

Vanilla sweet cream cold foam is blended with caramel syrup and salt to make this sweet and salty topping.

RELATED: 13 Starbucks Pumpkin Drinks (Including Secret Menu)

Tips on Ordering Caramel Drinks

  • Substituting caramel for any of the sauces or syrups can be done free of charge, but adding caramel to a drink might cost extra.
  • Ask for an espresso-based caramel drinks to be made with blonde espresso if you want your drink to have less of a coffee taste.
  • To avoid dairy, try ordering the caramel syrup since it’s made with sugar and water. 
  • If you are looking for a great food pairing to go with your caramel-flavored drink, consider getting a cinnamon coffee cake. The melted sugar is a great combination with the caramel flavor.
  • For secret menu drinks, it’s best to order it in-person, and during a time when they’re not so busy. Tipping is always appreciated by the baristas.
  • The following are customized caramel Starbucks drinks that gained popularity on social media and they’re considered to be on the secret menu. Order these drinks by providing the recipe (components that make up the drink) instead of by name, since baristas aren’t trained to make items on the secret menu.

RELATED: Best Starbucks Iced Coffees

17 Best Starbucks Caramel Drinks

17. Caramel Pumpkin Macchiato [Seasonal Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Caramel Macchiato

Customizations
Substitute vanilla syrup with pumpkin sauce

How to Order 
“Can I get a grande Caramel Macchiato with pumpkin sauce instead of vanilla?”

This drink is only available during pumpkin spice season, so get it when you can.

16. Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

Ice + Brewed Coffee + Salted Caramel Cream + Vanilla Syrup

Caffeine in a grande: 275 mg
Calories in a grande: 270
Sugar in a grande: 31 g

The richness and boldness of cold brew cuts pairs perfectly with the sweet and salty flavors in the salted caramel cream cold foam. 

RELATED: Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Copycat

15. Fall Breeze [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Iced Chai Latte

Customizations
Add 2 pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup
Add caramel drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Iced Chai Latte with 2 pumps cinnamon dolce and caramel drizzle on top?”

Ring in the flavors of fall with chai, cinnamon, and caramel.  

14. Caramel Apple Spice

Apple Juice + Cinnamon Dolce Syrup + Whipped Cream + Caramel Sauce

Caffeine in a grande: 0 mg
Calories in a grande: 380
Sugar in a grande: 70 g

Another longtime menu item, the Caramel Apple Spice is a mix of apple juice and caramel, slightly warmed to perk up any chilly fall day. 

Order it in the kid’s size, which costs less than the short, which is the exact same size.

13. Butterbeer Latte [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Latte

Customizations
Add 2 pumps of caramel syrup
Add 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup
Add 1 pump of cinnamon dolce syrup
Add whipped cream and caramel drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a hot grande Latte with 2 pumps caramel, 2 pumps toffee nut, 1 pump cinnamon dolce, whipped cream and caramel drizzle?”

Butterbeer Latte has warming spices that are perfect for fall. 

12. Caramel Mocha [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Mocha

Customizations
Add 2 pumps of caramel syrup

How to Order
“Can I get a hot grande Mocha with 2 pumps caramel?”

Starbucks has both mochas and caramel macchiatos on their menu, and it’s easy to combine them to make something truly delicious. 

11. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino

Ice + Whole Milk + Creme Frappuccino Syrup + Dark Caramel Sauce + Whipped Cream + Caramel Sauce + Caramel Sugar Topping

Caffeine in a grande: 0 mg
Calories in a grande: 420
Sugar in a grande: 46 g

If you love caramel and Frappuccinos but don’t love coffee, try this caffeine-free frozen drink.

10. Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Iced Caramel Macchiato

Customizations
Upside down
Add 2 pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Iced Caramel Macchiato with 2 pumps cinnamon dolce?”

Snickerdoodles are cookies with cinnamon, and this drink adds Starbucks’ signature cinnamon dolce syrup that tastes like the cookie.

This drink is based on a soy Caramel Macchiato, but you can order it with any kind of milk.

9. Caramel Brulee Latte [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Caramel Macchiato

Customizations
Add 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Caramel Macchiato with 2 pumps toffee nut?”

Technically, this is a seasonal drink, but there are ways to order it year-round as long as toffee nut syrup is available at your location. 

8. Butterbeer Frappuccino [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Caramel Frappuccino

Customizations
Reduce caramel to 2 pumps
Add 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup
Add 1 pump of cinnamon dolce syrup
Line cup with caramel drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Caramel Frappuccino with 2 pumps toffee nut, 1 pump cinnamon dolce, and only 2 pumps caramel. And can you line the cup with caramel drizzle?”

These customizations are what makes the Butterbeer Frappuccino taste like butterscotch.

7. Caramel Macchiato

2% Milk + Espresso + Vanilla Syrup + Caramel Sauce

Caffeine in a grande: 150 mg
Calories in a grande: 250
Sugar in a grande: 33 g

A classic Starbucks drink that was introduced in 1996, Caramel Macchiato is basically an upside down vanilla latte with caramel drizzle since the milk is a the bottom and the espresso is on top.

People commonly order caramel macchiatos “upside down,” meaning the espresso is on bottom, like a latte.

Caramel Macchiatos get one less pump of syrup than other drinks of the same size because the caramel drizzle adds extra sweetness.

6. Twix Frappuccino [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Caramel Frappuccino

Customizations
Reduce caramel syrup to 2 pumps
Add 2 pumps of hazelnut syrup
Add java chips
Add mocha drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Caramel Frappuccino with 2 pumps hazelnut, only 2 pumps caramel, java chips blended in, and mocha drizzle on top?”

It’s a drinkable candy bar!

5. Caramel Macchiato Frappuccino [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Vanilla Bean Frappuccino

Customizations
Add 1-2 shots of espresso (“affogato-style”)
Add caramel drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, affogato-style, with caramel drizzle?”

Affogato-style (adding shots of espresso) can be added to any Frappuccino for an extra caffeine boost.

4. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino 

Ice + Whole Milk + Coffee Frappuccino Syrup + Coffee + Dark Caramel Sauce + Caramel Sauce + Whipped Cream + Caramel Sugar Topping

Caffeine in a grande: 85 mg
Calories in a grande: 470
Sugar in a grande: 60 g

A layered frozen drink with caramel sugar pieces, whipped cream, and dark caramel at the bottom of the drink, then dark caramel in the blended part, and finally, caramel drizzle, whipped cream, and caramel sugar pieces on top. 

3. Caramel Frappuccino

Ice + Whole Milk + Coffee Frappuccino Syrup + Coffee + Caramel Syrup + Whipped Cream + Caramel Sauce

Caffeine in a grande: 90 mg
Calories in a grande: 380
Sugar in a grande: 54 g

This is like a frozen Caramel Macchiato and it’s the perfect combination of rich coffee and sweet, buttery caramel. 

RELATED: Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Copycat

2. TikTok Iced White Mocha [Secret Menu]

Base Drink
Iced White Chocolate Mocha

Customizations
Vanilla sweet cream cold foam and extra caramel drizzle

How to Order
“Can I get a grande Iced White Mocha with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and caramel drizzle on the sides of the cup?”

Wildly popular, this customized white mocha drink has caramel added to the walls of the cup.

1. Iced Caramel Macchiato

Ice + 2% Milk + Espresso + Vanilla Syrup + Caramel Sauce

Caffeine in a grande: 150 mg
Calories in a grande: 250
Sugar in a grande: 34 g

The vanilla syrup in the Iced Caramel Macchiato brings out the buttery sweetness of the caramel. 

RELATED: Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato Copycat

Questions You May Have

What makes a drink a secret menu drink at Starbucks?

Any customized Starbucks drink that is popular on social media can be a secret menu item. There is no official secret menu and baristas aren’t trained to make them.

What’s the difference between caramel sauce and caramel drizzle?

They’re the same thing! They call it drizzle since it’s usually added to tops of drinks.

What’s in Salted Caramel Cream?

Vanilla sweet cream, caramel syrup, and salt are combined to make the salted caramel cream.

Related

Starbucks Secret Menu

Must-have list of 91 secret menu drinks and how to order each one!
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Have a caramel drink you like to order at Starbucks that’s not on this list? Add it in the comments section!

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