Kat's Kitchen

Dutch Bros Coffee shops now offer a whole line of protein drinks! Each protein coffee has protein, calcium, and no added sugars! If you’re a fan of their protein coffees and you want to make them yourself at home, or you’re simply someone looking for a great protein coffee recipe, this Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte is perfect for you. Let’s dive into what you’ll need to make your own homemade version.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Please note, full measurements are listed on the recipe card at the bottom of the recipe. Scroll to the end, or click the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the page.

Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup: Dutch Bros uses the Torani Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup in this recipe, but you could use any brand you’d like! Note: You could use a Quest Salted Caramel Protein Shake instead, and then you wouldn’t need any Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup.

Espresso: Since this is a latte, you need espresso. See my 5 Ways to Make Espresso at Home blog post for all the different ways you can make espresso at home. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, simply follow the espresso making steps to get your espresso shots, and then use that to make your own Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte.

Protein Milk: Dutch Bros is reallllll secretive about which brand of protein milk they use but I’ve found the fairlife Lactose Free 2% Reduced Fat Ultra Filtered Milk is a very similar comparison. The Fairlife milk is a bit lower in protein than the Dutch Bros one (13g versus 20g), but it’s the highest protein milk you’ll find at the grocery store that still tastes like regular milk. Note: You could use a Quest Salted Caramel Protein Shake instead, and then you wouldn’t need any Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup, AND it would be about 21-22 grams of protein instead of 13.

Ice: For the iced version of this drink, you’ll need ice! If you’re making a hot coffee, no milk is needed.

Sugar Free Caramel Sauce: Dutch Bros uses the Torani Sugar Free Caramel Sauce as the topping for this recipe. Feel free to use any brand you’d like!

How To Make Espresso At Home

Espresso is an essential ingredient in all lattes, and it’s a type of coffee that you cannot buy from the store, but rather, you need to make it yourself at home. There are five ways to make espresso at home:

• Instant Espresso Powder + water
• Nespresso Machine + espresso pods
• Moka Pot
• Aeropress
• Espresso Machine

See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home blog post for step by step instructions of each espresso making method!

What’s The Best Coffee For Espresso?

The best coffee to buy depends on which espresso making method you choose at home. For example, if you have a Nespresso machine, you’d need espresso pods. For an espresso machine like a Breville or Delonghi, you’d need whole beans or ground coffee rather than pods.

See My Favorite Coffees To Buy based on the different espresso making methods so you can select the best possible coffee for you and your Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte!

What is a “Shot” of Espresso?

A common espresso term you’ll see a lot is a “shot” of espresso. When you brew espresso using an espresso machine, the liquid that comes out of the machine is considered a shot, since the machine pushes out the liquid at high pressure.

• A single shot or one shot of espresso is roughly 1.25 ounces of liquid.
• A double shot is roughly 2.5 ounces of liquid.
• A tripe shot is roughly 3.75 ounces of liquid.
• A quad shot is roughly 5 ounces of liquid.

This recipe calls for a double shot of espresso, so you’ll need about 2.5 ounces of espresso liquid. Feel free to add more or less shots of espresso depending on your preference.

How To Steam Milk For a Hot Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte

All hot lattes require steamed milk as one of the ingredients. To steam milk at home, you have a few options:

1. Steam Wand: If you have an espresso machine with a steam wand attached to it, watch this Milk Steaming Video Tutorial for how to steam milk! You simply add milk to a milk frothing pitcher, insert the tip of the steam wand into the milk, and create air bubbles, heat and texture to create perfect, velvety steamed milk at home!
2. Electric Milk Frother: Add your milk to an electric milk frother, and select the hot setting. The milk frother will heat the milk as well as create a thick and foamy texture. The texture will be a little different than a typical steam wand, but it’s very similar and pleasant, and a great option if you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand.
3. Handheld Milk Frother: Add cold milk to a large coffee mug and place the mug in the microwave for 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can heat up milk in a pot on the stove until warm, just make sure to constantly stir it so it doesn’t burn. Once your milk is warm, insert a handheld milk frother into the warm milk. Froth the mixture until the milk doubles in size and becomes bubbly and frothy, and you have steamed milk for your hot Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte!

Note, for an iced latte, you do not need to warm or steam the milk. Simply skip this step, and use cold milk straight from the fridge.

How To Make An Iced Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte

1. Brew your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso blog post for all the ways to make espresso at home.
2. To a cup add sugar free salted caramel syrup, espresso, protein milk and ice. Stir to combine and chill the drink.
3. Top with a drizzle of sugar free caramel sauce, and enjoy!

How To Make a Hot Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Latte

1. Brew your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso blog post for all the ways to make espresso at home.
2. To a cup add sugar free salted caramel syrup and the espresso and set aside.
3. Next, steam the protein milk using a steam wand, aerroccino, or warm the milk in a pot or in the microwave, and froth with a handheld milk frother until foamy.
4. Pour the steamed/frothed protein milk over the sugar free salted caramel-espresso mixture, and top with a drizzle of sugar free caramel sauce and enjoy!

How Would I Make This Into the Mocha Version?

For the Dutch Bros Salted Caramel Protein Mocha, follow the exact same recipe, just add the Torani Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Sauce alongside the sugar free salted caramel syrup in the recipe!

More Protein Coffee Recipes To Try: