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Are you a coffee lover who wants to enjoy your iced coffee recipes at home without breaking the bank? Look no further than this blonde latte to quench your thirst on a hot summer day!
Making coffee drinks, like this Starbucks iced blonde vanilla latte at home can be easy and just as delicious as buying them at your local coffee shop, at a fraction of the price.
I'm going to show you how to make this cold coffee drink in the comfort of your own kitchen, with accessible and simple ingredients. No fancy french press or espresso maker is required!
Say goodbye to long lines and expensive menu items, and hello to your own homemade café creations.
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Get ready to be impressed by the rich unique flavor and creamy taste of this recipe, and the money you will save in the long run. So, let's get started and discover the art of homemade coffee drinks!
This iced vanilla latte recipe pairs well with these chocolate chip cookies or this bakery-style cranberry bread.
🛒Ingredients
For this iced latte recipe, you will need
- Starbucks instant blonde roast - Starbucks' instant blonde roast is a type of instant coffee that is made from 100% arabica beans. This particular blend is a light roast, meaning that it is less intense and has a milder flavor than other roasts. It has a smooth and balanced taste with subtle hints of nuts and cocoa. In the iced blonde vanilla latte recipe, the instant blonde roast is used to provide the base of the drink, providing a rich coffee flavor that is not too overpowering.
- Vanilla syrup -a sweet syrup that is made from sugar, water, and vanilla flavoring. It is commonly used in coffee shops to add a sweet and rich vanilla flavor to coffee drinks. In the iced blonde vanilla latte recipe, the vanilla syrup is used to sweeten and flavor the latte, adding a touch of sweetness and a smooth vanilla flavor. For convenience and simplicity, I use a storebought syrup, but it is very easy to make your own.
- Hot Water-helps to extract the flavor from the coffee grounds and provides the base for the latte. It is important to use hot water that is just off the boil to ensure that the coffee is properly dissolved.
- Milk-a key ingredient, adds a creamy and smooth texture to the drink and balances out the strong coffee flavor. You can use any type of milk you prefer, such as whole milk, skim milk, almond milk, or soy milk. For a creamier and richer latte, whole milk is a good choice.
- Ice- keeps your drink nice and cold and makes it refreshing.
- Whipped cream (optional)- can be added for some extra decadence.
See the recipe card for quantities.
☕How do I make an iced blonde vanilla latte without an espresso machine?
Froth your milk using a handheld wand or a milk frother on the cold foam setting.
The next step to making this starbucks blonde vanilla latte is to prepare the instant coffee by adding hot water to dissolve it. I used the instant version of the starbucks blonde espresso roast for this drink because I don't have a keurig or nespresso machine. If you have one, then you can use the pods with blonde roasted coffee beans in them.
Add your ice and vanilla syrup, then frothed milk to the glass and stir. Enjoy your starbucks iced vanilla latte!
👩🏾🍳Substitutions
If you know how to make the recipe fit a certain diet, let the reader know here. Don't fake it - only provide guidance on topics you have actual experience with.
- Blonde roast coffee - instead of using blonde roast, which is a lighter roast coffee, you can use dark roast or regular espresso. You can even use cold brew coffee if that is what you have on hand.
- Vanilla Syrup - I used store-bought vanilla syrup, but you can use homemade vanilla syrup if you have vanilla beans and a few more ingredients that you probably have in your pantry. This sweet vanilla syrup recipe from fellow blogger Ashley will work in this recipe. There are also sugar-free syrup options that you can use if you are trying to cut back on sugar.
- Milk - the milk can be replaced with almond milk, soy milk or just about any plant-based milk. Keep in mind, that if you like a layer of foam on top of your copycat Starbucks drink, that some kinds of "milk" don't froth well.
- Ice- I use regular ice cubes from my ice maker in this recipe, but if you want a strong coffee flavor and don't want your drink to get watered down you can use previously brewed blonde roast espresso to make ice cubes.
📝Variations
Coffee lovers can turn this sweet vanilla latte into a frozen drink or make it as a hot drink.
- Frozen iced coffee - add a scoop of ice cream instead of the ice to make an easy frozen iced coffee.
- Hot drink - Ditch the ice and heat up the milk before you froth it to make a beloved espresso classic drink
💭Is the iced blonde vanilla latte sweet?
This drink does have a lightly sweet flavor, but the best part of making it at home is that you can control the sugar content. Play around with the amount of vanilla syrup you use to find your perfect level of sweetness.
Everyone has their preference, so if you usually order your drinks with 2 pumps of vanilla syrup, use 2 Tablespoons and adjust from there. One pump of syrup is approximately 1 Tablespoon if you are using storebought syrup without a pump. You can always add more syrup if you want a super sweet drink.
🍳Equipment
I have this super affordable milk frother that I love. You can also get a handheld frother for less than $10 from a housewares store or order one online.
Other than the frother, you don't need any other equipment to combat your coffee cravings at home.
❄️Storage
This starbucks copycat recipe makes 1 serving, but if you want to quadruple it, just leave out the ice and store it in a covered pitcher for up to five days. That way you can just add some of the prepared latte to your to-go cup and add some ice and keep it moving!
👩🏾🍳Top tips
A top tip for making a successful homemade iced blonde vanilla latte is to use high-quality ingredients. Using freshly brewed coffee or espresso, cold and fresh milk and good quality vanilla syrup will make a big difference in the taste of your final drink.
The vanilla syrup is the key ingredient that gives the latte its sweet and vanilla flavor, so it's important to use good quality syrup. You can even make your own vanilla syrup at home with vanilla extract, sugar, and water.
If you want to make your latte more creamy, you can try using whole milk instead of skim or low-fat milk.
Make sure your glass is chilled and the ice is fresh, this will make the latte more refreshing, and the coldness of the glass and ice will make the latte last longer before it starts to get warm.
🎥Video
📖Printable Recipe Card
Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte Recipe
Equipment
- 1 milk frother can also use a wand style frother
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon instant coffee
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Froth the milk with a frother on the cold foam setting or use a wand-style frother.
- In a 16 oz glass, add the instant blonde roast and the hot water. Stir to dissolve.
- Add the ice, vanilla syrup and milk. Stir and serve with a straw.
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