See how easy it is to make this refreshing cold brew topped with fluffy pumpkin spice flavored cold foam at home in just 5 minutes!
Recipe Highlights
- Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is a refreshing, caffeinated coffee drink sweetened with vanilla syrup and made creamy with pumpkin cream cold foam. Pumpkin spice topping is dusted on top of the the iced drink.
- Cold brew is ground coffee steeped in cold water for several hours. This homemade version is made using Starbucks Cold Brew Pitcher Packs but can be made with any kind of cold brew.
- Pumpkin cream cold foam is a frothy, milky foam that’s poured on top of cold drinks. It can be made at home using a French press.
- This easy recipe recreates a grande size (16 ounce) cup of Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew using 6 ingredients.
RELATED: Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Copycat
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks
Starbucks makes the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew with their signature cold brew coffee, ice, vanilla syrup, pumpkin cream cold foam, and pumpkin spice topping.
The pumpkin flavor is just in the cold foam and pumpkin spice topping, not in the cold brew.
Starbucks makes their cold brew in-house by steeping ground coffee in water for 20 hours in the refrigerator.
The pumpkin cream cold foam is made by blending together cream, milk, pumpkin spice sauce (pumpkin puree, sugar, and condensed skim milk, and flavoring), and vanilla syrup. Starbucks uses a special blender with a circular disc to make the cold foam.
Pumpkin spice topping contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, a blend of spices that usually go into flavoring a pumpkin pie.
This drink comes in 4 sizes: tall (12 ounces), grande (16 ounces), venti (24 ounces), and trenta (30 ounces).
RELATED: 8 Easy Cold Foam Recipes
Ingredient Notes
- Cold brew coffee: To make the cold brew taste as close to Starbucks’ use their Cold Brew Pitcher Packs. They’re simple to use but you do need at least 20 hours of steep time, so make the cold brew first, the day before. You can also use any kind of cold brew you like.
- Vanilla syrup: Store-bought or homemade vanilla syrup can be used. The cold brew and the cold foam are both sweetened and flavored with the vanilla syrup.
- Half & half: This is to make the cold foam. Starbucks uses cream and milk, but I like using half & half since it’s just 1 ingredient instead of 2. Half & half is half cream and half milk.
- Pumpkin sauce: You can purchase pumpkin sauce or use my homemade pumpkin spice sauce.
- Pumpkin spice: This is a blend of spices that flavor a pumpkin pie and it’s sprinkled on top of the cold foam. It’s also called pumpkin pie spice. If you want to make your own, see below to get the ingredients.
- Ice: Make ice using filtered water, if possible, for a better tasting ice.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Pour half & half, vanilla syrup, and pumpkin sauce into a French press.
Step 2: Place French press lid and move the plunger up and down to make cold foam.
Step 3: Put vanilla syrup, cold brew, and ice into a cup.
Step 4: Top drink with cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice.
RELATED: 13 Starbucks Pumpkin Drinks (Including Secret Menu)
Coffee Options
Cold brew is the foundation of this drink but if you don’t have cold brew, here are some other coffee options for you to try.
- Strong brewed coffee made in a coffee machine
Cold brew is usually stronger than regular coffee made a coffee machine so make a stronger cup than usual, using 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee and 1 cup of water to make ¾ cup of coffee. Quickly cool down the hot coffee by placing it in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. - French press
Combine 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee and 1 cup of hot water in a French press and steep for 4 minutes. Strain, then cool down the coffee in the freezer or refrigerator. - Keurig
Make coffee using 1 pod to make ¾ cup of coffee, then cool it down. - Espresso made in an espresso machine or Nespresso
Make espresso, then add cold water to make a ¾ cup of Iced Americano.
RELATED: Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Topping Recipe
Make your own pumpkin spice topping by combining:
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
RELATED: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Copycat
Expert Tips
- Make the cold brew ahead of time since it’ll take at least 20 hours. After removing the cold brew pouch, the coffee can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Instead of buying vanilla syrup, make it at home! It only takes 3 ingredients (sugar, water, and vanilla extract) and 5 minutes. Make a batch ahead of time and use to to flavor and sweeten drinks, cold foams, and whipped cream.
- Aside from a French press, cold foam can be whisked using a handheld milk frother but the foam won’t be as frothy and smooth.
- Cold brew is a concentrated coffee that’s typically stronger than regular brewed coffee. If the coffee is too strong, just add cold water to dilute it.
RELATED: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home
Questions You May Have
Yes, there’s usually more caffeine in cold brew than regular coffee. Cold brew is a stronger coffee using more ground coffee than regular iced coffee, which is coffee that’s made hot then chilled.
A grande Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks is made with iced, cold brewed coffee, 2 pumps of vanilla syrup, pumpkin cream cold foam, and pumpkin spice topping.
They’re slightly different since the sauce is made with dairy and syrup is not. Both the pumpkin spice sauce and pumpkin spice syrup contain pumpkin puree. You can use either to make this drink at home.
Related
- How to Make Chocolate Cold Foam
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Copycat
- Starbucks Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte Copycat
- Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Copycat
- Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato Copycat
- Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew Copycat
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Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Copycat
INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Cold Brew
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- ¾ cup cold brew coffee
- 1 cup ice
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- ⅓ cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin sauce
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour half & half, 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup, and pumpkin sauce into a French press.Make the cold foam first then set aside.
- Place French press lid and move the plunger up and down 40 times to make cold foam.The cold foam will double in size in the French press.
- Put vanilla syrup, cold brew, and ice into a cup.
- Top drink with cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- To make the cold brew taste as close to Starbucks’ use their Cold Brew Pitcher Packs. They’re simple to use but you do need at least 20 hours of steep time, so make the cold brew first, the day before. You can also use any kind of cold brew you like. Cold brew can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Instead of buying vanilla syrup, make it at home! It only takes 3 ingredients (sugar, water, and vanilla extract) and 5 minutes. Make a batch ahead of time and use to to flavor and sweeten drinks, cold foams, and whipped cream.
- Aside from a French press, cold foam can be whisked using a handheld milk frother but the foam won’t be as frothy and smooth.
- Cold brew is a concentrated coffee that’s typically stronger than regular brewed coffee. If the coffee is too strong, just add cold water to dilute it.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Topping Recipe
Make your own pumpkin spice topping by combining:- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Coffee Options
Cold brew is the foundation of this drink but if you don’t have cold brew, here are some other coffee options for you to try.- Strong brewed coffee made in a coffee machine
Cold brew is usually stronger than regular coffee made a coffee machine so make a stronger cup than usual, using 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee and 1 cup of water to make ¾ cup of coffee. Quickly cool down the hot coffee by placing it in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. - French press
Combine 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee and 1 cup of hot water in a French press and steep for 4 minutes. Strain, then cool down the coffee in the freezer or refrigerator. - Keurig
Make coffee using 1 pod to make ¾ cup of coffee, then cool it down. - Espresso made in an espresso machine or Nespresso
Make espresso, then add cold water to make a ¾ cup of Iced Americano.