The Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte is one of the most loved holiday drinks, but let’s be real—those daily trips to Starbucks add up fast. This year, skip the drive-thru line and cozy up with a homemade version that’s every bit as delicious (if not more!) than the original. This Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte recipe includes a Homemade Caramel Brûlée Sauce option, which is not only cost-effective but lets you enjoy all the rich, buttery caramel flavor with all the festive deliciousness.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Caramel Brûlée Sauce: See my Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce for a perfect homemade option that requires only five ingredients. If you prefer a store bought option, I recommend a combination of the Torani French Vanilla Syrup and the Torani Caramel Sauce.

Espresso: All lattes require espresso as one of the ingredients. 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 hot or iced Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte at home!

2% Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever milk you like.

Ice: For an Iced Caramel Brûlée Latte, you’ll need ice cubes. For a hot version, no ice is needed.

Whipped Cream: Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Lattes all come with whipped cream on top! It’s a perfect creamy topping that adds an extra layer of texture and sweetness to the drink. Opt for a sugar free whipped topping to lower the sugar, or use a dairy free whipped topping if you are dairy free. Or you could make a Holiday Cold Foam for a little extra fun holiday flair!

Granulated Sugar: For the Caramel Brûlée Topping, I like to bake sugar and salt together on a baking sheet until melted, then let cool and break apart to make a homemade topping. If you prefer to skip this step but still enjoy a festive topping, crush up a butterscotch candy and sprinkle that over the whipped cream.

Salt: The salt is for the Caramel Brûlée Topping. You can skip this ingredient if you’d rather crush up a butterscotch candy for an easy but similar tasting topping.

Why Make Your Own Caramel Brûlée Latte?

Save Money – Starbucks holiday drinks can cost $6 or more per drink. By making your own latte, especially if you create a batch of Homemade Caramel Brûlée Sauce, you’re looking at major savings.
Enjoy Customization – You’re in control of the flavor! Prefer it extra caramel-y? Add more sauce. Want it less sweet? Use less sugar or try sugar-free options.
Holiday Comfort at Home – Make this drink part of your holiday routine from the comfort of your home. Plus, homemade lattes make great additions to cozy family gatherings or as part of a coffee bar setup for friends!

How To Make Espresso At Home

There are five ways to make espresso at home:

Instant Espresso Powder
Nespresso Machine
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!

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine

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 triple shot is roughly 3.75 ounces of liquid.
A quad shot is roughly 5 ounces of liquid.

How To Steam Milk For a Hot Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte

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

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!
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.
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 Caramel Brûlée Latte!

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

Do You Have a Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce Recipe?

Yes I do! See my Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce
recipe to make your own sauce from scratch with only five ingredients!

Caramel Brûlée Topping Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt

Preheat oven to 425.
Combine sugar and salt on a silicone lined baking sheet and stir to combine. Spread the mixture evenly over the baking sheet in a thin layer.
Bake at 425 for 4 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and stir the sugar and salt mixture with a nonstick spatula.
Place the baking sheet back in the oven for another 4 minutes, and then remove and stir again.
Bake for 1-2 more minutes or until the sugar is 90% melted and the edges turn an amber brown color.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and stir one last time until all the sugar has fully melted.
Let the mixture cool completely and then break into small pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

How To Make A Hot Caramel Brûlée Latte:

Brew your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso blog post for various espresso making methods.
Add Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce (or equal amounts of the Torani French Vanilla Syrup and the Torani Caramel Sauce) to a mug, and pour the espresso over the top. Stir together the espresso and sauce until fully combined.
Next, steam your 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. Pour the steamed/frothed milk over the Caramel Brûlée-espresso mixture.
Top with whipped cream and Caramel Brûlée Topping (or crushed butterscotch candy), and enjoy your homemade Hot Caramel Brûlée Latte!

How To Make An Iced Caramel Brûlée Latte:

Brew your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso blog post for various espresso making methods.
Add Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce (or equal amounts of the Torani French Vanilla Syrup and the Torani Caramel Sauce) to a drinking cup or glass, and pour the espresso over the top. Stir together the espresso and sauce until fully combined.
Next, pour in the 2% milk (or your choice of milk), and fill the cup up with ice. Stir everything together to combine the flavors and chill the entire drink.
Top with whipped cream and Caramel Brûlée Topping (or crushed butterscotch candy), and enjoy your homemade Iced Caramel Brûlée Latte!

What Ratios Does Starbucks Use?

I like my lattes to be a bit more coffee tasting than milky tasting, so my ratios are a slightly different from Starbucks. If you want to most accurately replicate the Starbucks ratios for a Caramel Brûlée Latte, follow these ratios:

ICED CARAMEL BRULEE LATTE

	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI
SAUCE	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMPS (2 TBSP)	6 PUMPS (3 TBSP)
ESPRESSO SHOTS	1	2	3
MILK	8 OUNCES	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES
ICE	TO TOP OF CUP	TO TOP OF CUP	TO TOP OF CUP

HOT CARAMEL BRULEE LATTE

	SHORT	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI
SAUCE	2 PUMPS (1 TBSP)	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMPS (2 TBSP)	6 PUMPS (3 TBSP)
ESPRESSO SHOTS	1	1	2	2
MILK	6 OUNCES	8 OUNCES	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES

This holiday season, take a few minutes to make your own Caramel Brûlée Latte at home. You’ll love the satisfaction of skipping the Starbucks line, saving money this holiday season, and enjoying rich caramel-y deliciousness every morning.

Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte

This rich and creamy latte, featuring a homemade Caramel Brûlée Sauce, combines bold espresso and buttery caramel flavors for a cozy, festive drink. Perfect for gatherings or quiet mornings by the fire.

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Keyword: Coffee, Holiday Drinks, Latte, Starbucks

Prep Time: 7

Servings:

Author: katerinafaith

Equipment

Espresso Machine/Maker

Ingredients

Iced Caramel Brûlée Latte

1-2 tablespoons Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce OR 1/2 – 1 tbsp each of the Torani French Vanilla Syrup and the Torani Caramel Sauce
2 shots espresso
8 ounces 2% milk or whatever milk you like
Ice
Whipped cream
Caramel Brûlée Topping or Crushed Butterscotch Candy

Hot Caramel Brûlée Latte

1-2 tablespoons Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce OR 1/2 – 1 tbsp each of the Torani French Vanilla Syrup and the Torani Caramel Sauce
2 shots espresso
8 steamed 2% milk or whatever milk you like
Whipped cream
Caramel Brûlée Topping or Crushed Butterscotch Candy

Caramel Brûlée Topping

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt

Instructions