Kat's Kitchen

One of my favorite Starbucks holiday drinks is the Irish Cream Cold Brew. I love the sweet chocolatey-vanilla combo paired with bold cold brew and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. It has been on the “discontinued list” for a few years now, but that’s okay because I’m going to show you how to perfectly replicate it yourself at home! Let’s dive into everything you’ll need to make it at home.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Irish Cream Syrup: I love the Torani Irish Cream Syrup, and always use it for my at home Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brews! You could try making your own homemade syrup or opt for the sugar free version of this flavor for a sugar free option!

Vanilla Syrup: While the base of this drink combines Irish Cream Syrup and cold brew, Starbucks added a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam on top for a delicious layer of sweet vanilla goodness! You’ll need vanilla syrup in addition to the Irish Cream Syrup to make an exact Starbucks Copycat Irish Cream Cold Brew, but if you don’t want to buy or use two different syrups, simply use just Irish Cream inside the cold brew and the cold foam as well. Again, feel free to make your own homemade syrup or opt for the sugar free version of this syrup flavor for a sugar free option!

Cold Brew: This is a a cold brew recipe so you will need unsweetened black cold brew. Check the label on your store bought cold brew container to make sure there’s no sugar added. If you make your own cold brew at home, that’s perfect too! You could easily swap the cold brew for equal amounts of iced coffee if you prefer. If you want a latte version of this recipe, you will need espresso instead of cold brew, and I will share that full latte recipe later in this blog post!

2% Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk in all their cold foam recipes. To make it the same way at home, you will need 2% milk as well. For dairy free cold foam substitutions, please see the “For a Dairy Free Irish Cream Cold Foam:” section later in this recipe.

Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is another ingredient in the Starbucks cold foam, so I like to use it at home as well. For dairy free cold foam substitutions, please see the “For a Dairy Free Irish Cream Cold Foam:” section later in this recipe.

Cocoa Powder: Starbucks used to add a sprinkle of cocoa powder to top this drink. It gives the cold brew an extra touch of chocolatey goodness, but you could also do holiday sprinkles, cinnamon, chocolate sauce drizzle, or any other topping your heart desires!

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 Irish 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 syrup, ice, cold foam, and cocoa powder.

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.
• 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 Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Syrup
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Small cup
• Handheld milk frother

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

For a Lower Sugar Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:

• Use the Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup or use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make a homemade syrup recipe!

For a Lower Calorie Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:

• Use Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup and 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 unsweetened almond milk instead of 2% milk
• Use 3 tablespoons of dairy free half and half (instead of the milk and heavy cream). Note, the texture will not be the same, but it will still taste delicious with significantly less calories!

For a Dairy Free Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:

Here a few different options:

• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons soy milk (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons chilled coconut whipping cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup + 2 tablespoons plant based milk + 3 tablespoons dairy free heavy cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)

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 a Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew At Home:

1. To a cup, add Irish Cream Syrup, cold brew, and ice, then set aside.
2. In a separate cup combine the cold foam ingredients: vanilla syrup, milk, heavy cream, and froth together with a handheld milk frother for about 30 seconds to get a thick cold foam.
3. Pour the cold foam over the cold brew and top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

For a Lower Sugar Irish Cream Cold Brew:

• Use the Torani Sugar Free Irish Cream Syrup or use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make a homemade syrup recipe!
• For the Vanilla Sweet Cold Foam, use the Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup or use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make a homemade syrup recipe!

For a Lower Calorie Irish Cream Cold Brew:

• Make a lower calorie cold foam using Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup and 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 the Torani Sugar Free Irish Cream Syrup or use a sugar free substitute like monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to make a homemade syrup recipe!
• Use unsweetened almond milk instead of 2% milk in the cold foam
• Use dairy free half and half instead of the milk and heavy cream in the cold foam. Note, the texture will not be the same, but it will still taste delicious with significantly less calories!

For a Dairy Free Irish Cream Cold Brew:

You’ll need a dairy free cold foam! See all the dairy free cold foam options in the section above titled “For a Dairy Free Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:”

What Ratios Does Starbucks Use?

For the different sized Starbucks drinks, follow these ratios:

	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI
IRISH CREAM SYRUP	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMPS (2 TBSP)	6 PUMPS (3 TBSP)
COLD BREW	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES	16 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?

If you prefer to use espresso instead of cold brew:

• Brew a double shot of espresso. See my blog post titled 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home for all the ways you can make espresso!
• Add 1-2 tablespoons Irish Cream Syrup to a cup, and then add the double shot of espresso.
• Top with 8 ounces of milk (do steamed milk for a hot latte and cold milk PLUS ICE for an iced latte).
• Top with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

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 an Irish Cream Cold Brew with a Keurig machine, you can still make a delicious and enjoyable Irish Cream Coffee:

• Brew your favorite kpod (I recommend 10-12 ounces).
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of Irish Cream 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 Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam (or whipped cream) and a sprinkle of cocoa powder!

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

To a blender, add:

• 1-2 tablespoons Irish Cream Syrup
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2-3 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum powder
• 1 1/4 cups ice

Blend until smooth, then pour the blended coffee into a cup, and top with whipped cream and cocoa powder!

More Holiday Recipes to Try

• Starbucks Peppermint Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
• Starbucks Sugar Cookie Cold Foam
• Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte
• Homemade Starbucks Sugar Cookie Syrup
• Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce
• Homemade Gingerbread Syrup