Kat's Kitchen

If you’ve tried the Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brew, you know how delightfully sweet and nutty this drink is! I’m sure you’re also well aware of how pricey this thing could be, especially if you’re ordering it multiple times each week. To help you save some dough, while also enjoying this tasty cold brew as often as your heart desires, I’ve created this at home version that is sure to blow your mind! I use a Homemade Pistachio Syrup that is so unbelievably easy to make, and a perfect Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Foam recipe that tastes just like the real thing. Let’s dive into the ingredients you’ll need to make your own Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brews at home!

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.

Pistachio Syrup: Since this is a Pistachio Cream Cold Brew, you’ll need a pistachio flavored syrup! I have a Homemade Pistachio Syrup that is only 4 ingredients and comes together in under 15 minutes, but you could also use a store-bought version like the Torani Pistachio Syrup.

Vanilla Syrup: Yes, you also need a vanilla syrup to make this drink since Starbucks adds vanilla syrup into the cold brew itself. You can use a Homemade Vanilla Syrup or a store-bought option like the Torani Vanilla Syrup or even the Starbucks Vanilla Syrup.

Cold Brew: For a convenient store-bought cold brew option, I like Stok Cold Brew! You can find Stok at most grocery stores. I prefer the unsweetened option since we’re adding extra sweetener to it. You could also make your own homemade cold brew if you prefer a more affordable route.

Ice: Since this is a cold brew, you’ll need ice! If you’re a hot coffee fan, I recommend checking out my Hot Starbucks Pistachio Latte!

2% Milk: You’ll need 2% milk to make the Pistachio Cream Cold Foam.

Heavy Cream: You’ll need heavy cream to make the Pistachio Cream Cold Foam.

Brown Butter Topping: I recently stumbled across this McCormick Brown Butter Seasoning on Amazon and it is a perfect store-bought dupe for the Starbucks Brown Butter Topping! If you prefer to make a homemade topping, you’ll need: Butter Powder, Light Brown Sugar, and Salt.

Equipment Needed For At Home Cold Foam

• A small cup
• A handheld milk frother

That’s it! With a cup and a handheld milk frother, you can create the most perfect, creamy, fluffy textured cold foam at home.

Now that we know the ingredients and equipment needed to make a Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brew at home, let’s chat a bit about the different cold brew options you can choose!

How to Make Cold Brew at Home:

If you prefer to make your own cold brew at home, this is the process I recommend:

• Add 1 1/2 cups medium roast coffee grounds to a French Press.
• Add 3 cups room temperature water to the French press and gently stir to saturate the grounds.
• Place the plunger on top of the French Press to cover, but don’t plunge down.
• Set the French Press on the counter and let brew for 18 hours.
• After 18 hours, plunge down and pour the cold brew concentrate into a mason jar or a pitcher with a lid.
• This is a concentrate, so I like to do 1 part concentrate to 2 parts cold water (1/2 cup concentrate to 1 cup cold water, or 1 cup concentrate to 2 cups cold water)
• Then add your vanilla syrup, ice, pistachio cream cold foam, and brown butter topping.

What’s The Best Coffee For at Home Cold Brew?

My two favorite ground coffees for at home cold brew are:

• Bizzy Smooth & Sweet Organic Cold Brew Coffee
• Laka Java Sleeping Volcano Organic Cold Brew (get 10% off with code: katerinafaith)

Best Store Bought Cold Brews

• My personal favorite store bought cold brew is the Stok Unsweet Black Cold Brew. It’s not too bold, but still has a pleasant coffee flavor. They have a new decaf cold brew option too that tastes great!
• For a stronger, extra bold cold brew that’s very similar to Starbucks cold brew, I like:
  • Wandering Bear Straight Black Cold Brew
  • Stok Extra Bold Cold Brew
  • Stumptown Original Nitro Cold Brew

How To Make Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Foam

• 1 tablespoon Homemade Pistachio Syrup (or Torani Pistachio Syrup)
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Combine the pistachio syrup, 2% milk, and heavy cream in a small cup, and froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick and foamy (about 15-30 seconds) and then pour the cold foam over cold brew (or any drink you’d like).

How To Make Starbucks Dairy Free Pistachio Cream Cold Foam

• 1 tablespoon Homemade Pistachio Syrup (or Torani Pistachio Syrup)
• 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk
• 3 tablespoons vanilla soy milk

Combine the pistachio syrup, oat milk, and soy milk in a small cup, and froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick and foamy (about 15-30 seconds) and then pour the dairy free cold foam over cold brew (or any drink you’d like).

For a Lower Sugar Pistachio Cream Cold Foam:

• Use the Nutpods Pistachio Creamer instead of a pistachio syrup OR
• Use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make the Homemade Pistachio Syrup recipe!

For a Lower Calorie Pistachio Cream Cold Foam:

• Use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make the Homemade Pistachio Syrup recipe! Then use half the amount of milk and heavy cream. Instead of 2 tablespoons of milk and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream, simply use 1 tbsp of milk, and 1.5 tbsp of heavy cream. This will take the calories from 215 to 83 calories!
• Use 3 tablespoons of the dairy free Nutpods Pistachio Creamer. Note, the texture will not be the same, but it will still taste delicious with significantly less calories!

What Should I Do If My Cold Foam Won’t Get Thick?

1. Get a better milk frother! No, not all milk frothers are created equal. The best one I have tried is the BonsenKitchen handheld milk frother. It’s around $7 on Amazon, and is essential for great at home cold foam!
2. Add more heavy cream! The syrup, milk, heavy cream ratios I use in this recipe is fool proof, but if you steer away from it too much, you’ll notice your cold foam won’t get as thick. If you try to substitue with half & half or almond milk, your cold foam will not be the same texture as Starbucks, so keep that in mind. Be sure your heavy cream amounts are higher than your milk amounts!
3. Change the batteries in your milk frother! Sometimes you may notice your cold foam doesn’t get as thick as it used to and you didn’t change anything! Simply swap out the old batteries with new ones, and I guarantee you’ll have thick cold foam again!
4. Make sure to use BOTH 2% milk AND heavy cream (or for the nondairy version: barista style oat milk AND soy milk)! Opting for just one or the other will not give you the same texture as Starbucks. You can always make substitutions to fit your diet/lifestyle/preference, but not all substitutions will achieve the exact same texture as the original recipe ingredients, so keep that in mind.

Do You Have More Starbucks Cold Foam Recipes?

I do! See ALL my cold foam recipes on my Starbucks Cold Foam Recipes blog post!

How To Make Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brew

1. In a cup, add vanilla syrup, unsweetened cold brew, and ice. Stir well and set the cup aside.
2. In a separate cup, combine pistachio syrup, 2% milk, and heavy whipping cream. Using a handheld milk frother, froth the mixture for 15-30 seconds until the mixture is thick and creamy, then pour over the top of your cold brew mixture.
3. Top with store-bought Brown Butter Seasoning or for a Homemade Brown Butter Topping: In a small cup or bowl, combine butter powder, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients well and sprinkle over the top of the Pistachio Cream Cold Foam, and enjoy!

What Ratios Does Starbucks Use?

For the different sized Starbucks drinks, follow these ratios then add the cold foam and the brown butter topping on top:

	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI	TRENTA
VANILLA SYRUP	1 PUMP (1/2 TBSP)	2 PUMPS (1 TBSP)	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMS (2 TBSP)
COLD BREW	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES	16 OUNCES	20 OUNCES

Can I Use Iced Coffee Instead of Cold Brew?

Absolutely! Keep everything in the recipe the exact same, simply swap the cold brew for iced coffee! See my How To Make Iced Coffee Using Nescafe Ice Roast post for an easy way to make iced coffee at home!

How Would I Make This as a Latte?

See my Starbucks Pistachio Latte recipe for full details on the hot and iced latte recipes!

How Would I Make This as a Frappuccino or Blended Coffee?

See my Starbucks Pistachio Frappuccino Recipe!

How Can I Make This With a Keurig?

It’s important to note that Keurig coffee and cold brew are two different types of coffee that are made differently and taste differently. So while you can’t technically make a Pistachio Cream Cold Brew with a Keurig machine, you can still make a delicious and enjoyable Pistachio Cream Coffee:

• Brew your favorite kpod (I recommend 10-12 ounces).
• Add 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup .
• Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream/half & half or whatever milk/cream you usually prefer.
• For an iced version add ice to fill the cup, leaving some room for the toppings.
• Top with Pistachio Cream Cold Foam and a sprinkle of homemade or store-bought Brown Butter Topping.

More Pistachio Recipes To Try:

• Starbucks Pistachio Latte
• Starbucks Pistachio Frappuccino