Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Latte
Make your own delicious Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Latte at home with a few simple ingredients and save some money at the same time!
Why We Love Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Latte
- Delicious vanilla flavor in a warm drink that you can enjoy anytime you want. No more waiting in long lines for your favorite coffee drink.
- Save a lot of money making your own Vanilla Lattes at home. Sure there’s an upfront investment for the syrup, espresso, and former… but you’ll end up paying about $1 per latte vs around $6 at Starbucks.
- You can decide how much caffeine and sugar you want to have in your latte and make it exactly the way you like it.
Vanilla Latte Ingredients
VANILLA: You will need a vanilla-flavored syrup, like Torani brand, for this recipe. The syrup is thicker and sweetened so it is not the same as Vanilla Extract.
ESPRESSO: There are a few ways you can make this drink as you will see in the notes, but your favorite way to make espresso is needed.
MILK: Steamed milk is “latte” portion of this drink, I prefer to use whole milk as it is creamier and richer in texture, but you can use whatever type of milk and fat content you prefer.
How to Make a Vanilla Latte
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Start by adding the vanilla syrup to a 12-ounce mug.
STEP 2 Make your espresso using your preferred method. Pour the brewed espresso into the mug with the vanilla syrup nd give that a stir.
STEP 3 Steam your milk using the method you have available (see below). Use a spoon to hold back the foam and pour the hot milk into the vanilla-flavored espresso.
STEP 4 Use the spoon to layer the foamed milk onto our your latte. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Make an iced version by pouring the syrup, espresso, and cold milk over ice, you don’t need to steam the milk if you are going to serve it cold.
- You can make a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte by using low-fat or non-fat milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup.
- This is my go-to drink at Starbucks and I love this homemade vanilla latte recipe just as much as going into the store to get one
- Turn your iced vanilla latte into a Frappucino by running it through the blender and adding whipped cream on top
Milk options:
- If you have an espresso machine with a built-in steamer, this is the easiest way to make steamed milk for a latte. Simply fill your milk frothing pitcher with milk, place the steaming wand in the milk, and steam for about 30 to 45 seconds, then bring the wand just under the surface of the milk and continue to steam until the froth begins to build. The milk for a latte should reach 160 degrees F, I like using a beverage thermometer.
- If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can heat the milk up on the stovetop in a small saucepan until it reaches 150 to 160 degrees F. Do not let the milk simmer or boil. Remove from heat and froth with a handheld frother or pour into a clean French press and pump until frothy.
- If you really need to keep things basic, add the milk to a mason jar, cover it with a lid, and shake until super bubbly. Then take the lid off and microwave until the foam rises to the top and the milk reaches the desired temperature. Don’t let it bubble over!
Espresso options:
- Having an espresso machine will make this recipe the easiest. If you have a Nespresso machine, that will work too. Lavazza even makes espresso K-cups now so you can use your Keurig.
- The next best option is to use a bold roast in a French press. If you use brewed coffee this drink is actually a café au lait.
- If you’re really in a pinch, you can use instant espresso.
Vanilla Latte Recipe FAQ
What is a latte?
A latte is an espresso that is topped with steamed milk so it has foam on top.
What’s the difference between vanilla coffee and a vanilla latte
Vanilla Coffee is simply coffee with vanilla flavor added either during the roasting process or with syrup added to the finished brewed coffee. A Vanilla Latte is an espresso that has vanilla-flavored syrup added to it and then topped with steamed milk and foam.
How many calories are in a vanilla latte?
A tall (12 oz) vanilla blonde latte from Starbucks that is made with whole milk has 200 calories. This homemade version has 199 calories, so pretty on par.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Copycat Starbucks Gingerbread Latte
- Whipped Hot Chocolate
- Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Peppermint Mocha
- Hot Toddy
Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Latte
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce vanilla syrup (like Torani)
- 1 ounce espresso
- 8 ounces milk (2% or whole)
Instructions
- Add the vanilla syrup and espresso to a 12-ounce mug.
- Steam and froth the milk in a frothing pitcher then pour the milk into the mug using a spoon to hold back the foam. Then use the spoon to scoop the foam on top of the drink.
Notes
- If you have an espresso machine with a built-in steamer, this is the easiest way to make steamed milk for a latte. Simply fill your frothing pitcher with milk, place the steaming wand in the milk, and steam for about 30 to 45 seconds. Then bring the wand just under the surface of the milk and continue to steam until the froth begins to build. The milk for a latte should reach 160 degrees F. I like using a beverage thermometer to check the temp.
- If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can heat the milk up on the stovetop in a small saucepan until it reaches 150 to 160 degrees F. Do not let the milk simmer or boil. Remove from the heat and froth with a handheld frother or pour into a clean French press and pump until frothy.
- If you really need to keep things basic, add the cold milk to a mason jar, cover with a lid, and shake until super bubbly. Then microwave (without the lid) until the foam rises to the top and the milk reaches the desired temperature. Don’t let it bubble over!
- If you don’t have an espresso or Nespresso machine, you can use a Keurig! Lavazza makes espresso K-cups now.
- The next best option is to use a bold roast coffee in a french press. If you use brewed coffee this drink is actually a café au lait. If you’re really in a pinch, you can use instant espresso.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.