Refreshing vanilla flavored cold brew with sweet cream, this Starbucks copycat recipe recreates this delicious and easy drink so you can make it at home to save money and time!

CONTENTS
Recipe Highlights
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is a Starbucks iced coffee menu item that’s made with vanilla flavored cold brew coffee and sweetened with a vanilla sweet cream.
- I’ve taken Starbucks’ Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew exact recipe and recreated it so it can be made at home. It takes only 4 ingredients and 5 minutes.
- Cold brew coffee and sweet cream can easily be made from scratch.
RELATED: How to Make Chocolate Cold Foam
Ingredient Notes

- Cold brew
Use store-bought or homemade cold brew coffee for this recipe. - Vanilla syrup
I’m using my homemade vanilla syrup which is super easy to make at home with just 3 ingredients, but you can always use Starbucks vanilla syrup by purchasing it directly at a Starbucks location. (If they have enough in stock, they can sell it to you for about $14.) The vanilla syrup is used in the cold brew and the sweet cream. - Half & half
Starbucks uses heavy cream and 2% milk to make their sweet cream but I’m using a shortcut by using half & half.
Step-by-Step Instructions

For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Stir together half & half and vanilla syrup to make sweet cream.
- Pour vanilla syrup, cold brew, then ice into a cup.
This drink makes 16 ounces (a grande Starbucks size). - Add sweet cream.
Expert Tips
- The vanilla syrup and the cold brew can be made ahead of time but keep them separate until the drink is ready to be assembled.
- Add as much sweet cream you like to make it creamy and sweet.
- Cold brew can be made using any kind of coffee you like from light to dark roast, but stick with the one by Starbucks if you want the flavor as close to the original.
- To make homemade sweet cream using the recipe Starbucks uses, make it with 6 ounces of heavy cream, 3 ounces of 2% milk, and 1 ounce of vanilla syrup. I use a shortcut of using half & half (equal parts heavy cream and milk) instead of heavy cream and milk.
- At Starbucks, it’s common to order this drink with extra sweet cream, extra vanilla syrup, or both.
Questions You May Have
Sweet cream is Starbucks’ add-in that creams, sweetens, and flavors their drinks. It’s vanilla flavored.
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee in cold water for hours in the refrigerator. Iced Coffee is made by brewing hot coffee then cooling it down. Cold brew is smoother and mellower than iced coffee.
A grande is made with Starbucks cold brew coffee, 2 pumps of vanilla syrup, ice, and a splash of sweet cream.

Related
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- How to Make Cold Foam
- Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Copycat
- 47 Best Starbucks Drinks
- 52 Popular Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks & How to Order Them
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Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Cold Brew
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- 1 cup cold brew
- 1 cup ice
Sweet Cream
- ¼ cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Stir together half & half and vanilla syrup to make Sweet Cream.Set aside.
- Pour vanilla syrup, cold brew, then ice into a cup.
- Add sweet cream.
NOTES
- The vanilla syrup and the cold brew can be made ahead of time but keep them separate until the drink is ready to be assembled.
- Add as much sweet cream you like to make it creamy and sweet.
- To make homemade sweet cream using the recipe Starbucks uses, make it with 6 ounces of heavy cream, 3 ounces of 2% milk, and 1 ounce of vanilla syrup. I use a shortcut of using half & half (equal parts heavy cream and milk) instead of heavy cream and milk.
- I’m using my homemade vanilla syrup which is super easy to make at home with just 3 ingredients, but you can always use the Starbucks vanilla syrup by purchasing it directly at a Starbucks location. (If they have enough in stock, they can sell it to you for about $14.) The vanilla syrup is used in the cold brew and the sweet cream.
- At Starbucks, it’s common to order this drink with extra sweet cream, extra vanilla syrup, or both.
I’ve been on a Vanilla sweet cream cold brew kick but I needed to stop because I’m doing low carb and well you can’t drink it on low carb haha. So I took your recipe but did all heavy cream (about 2-3 Tb) and skinny syrup and now I have the same thing but low carb! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for explaining things so clearly. Great recipe!
How do I make vanilla fraps?! I bought the coffee machine…wife say’s that’s not it! She buy’s vanilla fraps by the box 16 per box 2 per week!!! Please help lol
Hi Christopher, Vanilla Frappuccino recipe will be up soon!
Sound good will try this summer for sure,except decaffeinated coffee