Kat's Kitchen

If you love tiramisu and coffee, you’re going to love this homemade Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew!

Inspired by Starbucks’ tiramisu-flavored coffee creation, this delicious iced coffee combines smooth cold brew, sweet vanilla syrup, rich mocha sauce, and the star of the show: a thick, creamy Velvet Mascarpone Cold Foam!

And of course, we can’t forget the chocolate cookie dusting on top!

The combination of chocolate, vanilla, espresso-inspired coffee flavors, and mascarpone creates a delicious dessert-inspired coffee that tastes like tiramisu in a cup.

The best part? You can make this coffee shop-worthy drink right in your own kitchen, customize the sweetness, and even make it dairy-free or sugar-free!

I’m also sharing how to make a Tiramisu Velvet Latte using espresso and milk instead of cold brew, plus a large-batch version of the mascarpone cold foam so you can enjoy it all week long. Let’s get started!

Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew

• Inspired by Starbucks! Recreate this delicious tiramisu-flavored cold brew without leaving your kitchen.
• That mascarpone cold foam! Rich, creamy, and slightly tangy, just like the mascarpone filling in traditional tiramisu.
• Easy to make. No complicated equipment or barista experience required.
• Customizable. Make it dairy-free, sugar-free, or adjust the sweetness to your liking.
• Two delicious ways to enjoy it. Make the original cold brew version or a creamy espresso-based latte.
• Perfect for meal prep. Prepare a large batch of the cold foam base and froth individual servings throughout the week.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Mocha Sauce — For Drizzling

Mocha sauce adds a rich chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with the coffee and mascarpone cold foam. Drizzle it around the inside of your glass for that delicious chocolate flavor in every sip! You can use homemade mocha sauce or your favorite store-bought chocolate sauce.

Vanilla Syrup — 1 Tablespoon

Vanilla syrup adds sweetness to the cold brew and complements the chocolate and mascarpone flavors. You can use homemade vanilla syrup, store-bought syrup, or sugar-free vanilla syrup if preferred.

Unsweetened Black Cold Brew — 10 Ounces

Cold brew creates the smooth, bold coffee base for this drink. I recommend using an unsweetened black cold brew so you can control the sweetness with the vanilla syrup, mocha sauce, and cold foam.

You can use homemade cold brew or your favorite ready-to-drink cold brew from the grocery store.

Ice Cubes — As Needed

Ice keeps everything cold and refreshing! Use enough to fill your glass while leaving room for the mascarpone cold foam.

Velvet Mascarpone Cold Foam — 1 Serving

THIS is what makes this recipe so special! The cold foam combines vanilla syrup, mascarpone cheese, 2% milk, and heavy cream to create a thick, velvety topping inspired by traditional tiramisu.

I’ll share the exact measurements and instructions below!

Cocoa Cookie Dusting — For Topping

To finish the drink, sprinkle crushed chocolate Teddy Grahams or chocolate graham crackers over the mascarpone cold foam.

This adds a little chocolate flavor and texture, just like the cocoa-dusted finish of traditional tiramisu!

How to Make Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew at Home

Making this Starbucks-inspired cold brew is surprisingly simple!

Step 1: Prepare your glass.

Grab a 16-ounce glass and drizzle your homemade or store-bought mocha sauce around the inside.

Step 2: Add the vanilla syrup and cold brew.

Pour 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup into the glass, followed by 10 ounces of unsweetened black cold brew.

Step 3: Add ice.

Fill the glass with ice, making sure to leave enough room at the top for the cold foam.

Step 4: Make the Velvet Mascarpone Cold Foam.

In a separate container, combine the vanilla syrup, mascarpone cheese, 2% milk, and heavy cream. Froth with a handheld milk frother until thick, creamy, and smooth.

Step 5: Assemble and enjoy!

Slowly pour the mascarpone cold foam over your cold brew.

Finish with a sprinkle of crushed chocolate Teddy Grahams or chocolate graham crackers.

Grab a straw, give it a stir if you’d like, and ENJOY!

Large-Batch Velvet Mascarpone Cold Foam (5 Servings)

Want to make enough cold foam for multiple drinks? This large-batch recipe is perfect for prepping your coffee drinks ahead of time!

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup vanilla syrup
• ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup 2% milk
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), mix until thick and velvety. It should look like pancake batter consistency.
3. Transfer to a clean, airtight container and refrigerate.
4. When ready to use, shake well, and pour 2-3 ounces over your cold brew.

Storage: Keep the prepared cold foam base refrigerated and use within 5 days. Always check the original use-by dates of your dairy products.

How to Make a Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Latte

Prefer a creamy iced latte instead of cold brew? GOOD NEWS! You can use the exact same ingredients and mascarpone cold foam to make a delicious homemade Tiramisu Velvet Latte.

The main difference is that instead of using 10 ounces of cold brew, we’re using 2 shots of espresso and 6–8 ounces of milk.

The result is a creamier, milk-forward drink with all those delicious chocolate, vanilla, and mascarpone flavors!

Tiramisu Velvet Iced Latte Ingredients

• Mocha sauce, for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
• 2 shots freshly brewed espresso (approximately 2 ounces)
• 6–8 ounces 2% milk
• Ice cubes
• 1 serving Velvet Mascarpone Cold Foam
• Crushed chocolate Teddy Grahams or chocolate graham crackers, for topping

How to Make a Tiramisu Velvet Iced Latte

1. Drizzle mocha sauce around the inside of a 16-ounce glass.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup into the glass, followed by 2 freshly brewed shots of espresso.
3. Stir to combine.
4. Pour in 6–8 ounces of 2% milk, or your favorite milk alternative.
5. Fill the glass with ice, leaving room for the cold foam.
6. Combine 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup, 1 tablespoon mascarpone, 2 tablespoons 2% milk, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Froth until thick and creamy.
7. Pour the mascarpone cold foam over your iced latte and finish with a sprinkle of crushed chocolate cookies.

And just like that, you have a homemade Tiramisu Velvet Latte!

Cold Brew vs. Latte: What’s the Difference?

Both versions use the same vanilla syrup, mocha sauce, mascarpone cold foam, and chocolate cookie topping.

The biggest difference is the coffee base!

Tiramisu Cold Brew	Tiramisu Latte
10 oz black cold brew	2 shots espresso
No additional milk in the coffee base	6–8 oz milk
Bolder, more coffee-forward flavor	Creamier, milkier flavor
Topped with mascarpone cold foam	Topped with mascarpone cold foam

Which should you make?

If you love bold iced coffee with a creamy topping, go with the cold brew!

If you prefer a sweeter-tasting, creamier coffee shop-style drink, I recommend the latte.

Either way, you really can’t go wrong!

How to Make Dairy-Free Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew

You can absolutely make a dairy-free version of this recipe!

The cold brew itself is naturally dairy-free, so the main ingredient swaps happen in the mascarpone cold foam.

For a dairy-free version:

• Vanilla syrup: Most vanilla syrups are already dairy-free!
• Mascarpone: Substitute a dairy-free mascarpone alternative or a plain, dairy-free cream cheese.
• 2% milk: Replace with your favorite barista-style oat milk, almond milk, or other plant-based milk.
• Heavy cream: Use dairy-free heavy cream or use chilled coconut whipping cream.
• Mocha sauce: Use a dairy-free chocolate or mocha sauce.
• Cookie dusting: Choose dairy-free chocolate graham crackers or another dairy-free chocolate cookie.

Combine your dairy-free cold foam ingredients and froth until thick and creamy.

Keep in mind that dairy-free mascarpone alternatives can vary in texture and flavor, so you may need to adjust the amount of milk or cream to achieve your preferred consistency.

For the latte version: Simply replace the 2% milk with your favorite plant-based milk!

How to Make Sugar-Free Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew

One of my favorite things about making coffee shop drinks at home is being able to control how much sugar goes into them!

For a no-added-sugar version, you can make a few easy substitutions.

1. Use sugar-free vanilla syrup.

Replace the regular vanilla syrup in both the coffee and mascarpone cold foam with your favorite sugar-free vanilla syrup.

2. Choose a sugar-free mocha sauce.

Use a store-bought sugar-free chocolate sauce or make your own using unsweetened cocoa powder and your favorite sugar-free sweetener.

3. Adjust the cookie topping.

Skip the chocolate cookie dusting or replace it with a light sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa powder.

4. Choose your preferred milk.

For the latte version, you can use unsweetened almond milk or another unsweetened milk alternative.

Keep in mind that regular mascarpone, milk, and heavy cream contain small amounts of naturally occurring sugar, so these substitutions make the recipe lower in sugar or free of added sugar rather than necessarily completely sugar-free.

Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew: Tall, Grande, Venti & Trenta Sizes

Want to make your homemade Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew in your favorite Starbucks size?

Use this guide to customize the ingredients for a Tall, Grande, Venti, or Trenta iced drink.

Ingredient	Tall (12 oz)	Grande (16 oz)	Venti (24 oz)	Trenta (30 oz)
Mocha sauce	To taste	To taste	To taste	To taste
Vanilla syrup	1/2 tbsp	1 tbsp	1 1/2 tbsp	2 tbsp
Unsweetened cold brew	6 oz	10 oz	16 oz	20 oz
Ice	As needed	As needed	As needed	As needed
Mascarpone cold foam	1 serving	1 serving	1 serving	1 serving
Cocoa cookie dusting	To taste	To taste	To taste	To taste

Tips for the Best Homemade Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew

Use cold brew you actually enjoy. Since cold brew makes up the majority of the drink, choosing a smooth, flavorful coffee makes a big difference!

Don’t skip the mascarpone! This is what gives the cold foam its distinctive tiramisu-inspired flavor. Regular cream cheese has a tangier flavor and won’t taste quite the same.

Mix the mascarpone thoroughly. Mascarpone can be thick, so make sure it’s fully incorporated into the milk and cream before frothing.

Don’t overfroth your cold foam. You’re looking for a thick, creamy, pourable consistency, not stiff whipped cream.

Adjust the sweetness. Between the vanilla syrup, mocha sauce, and cold foam, this drink has several sources of sweetness. Feel free to reduce the syrup if you prefer a less sweet coffee.

Add the cookie dusting last. This keeps the chocolate cookie crumbs from immediately sinking into the drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mascarpone cheese?

Mascarpone is a rich, creamy Italian cheese commonly used in desserts like tiramisu. It has a smooth, buttery texture and a mild, slightly tangy flavor.

Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?

Yes, although the flavor will be different! Regular cream cheese is tangier and firmer than mascarpone. If substituting, soften it first and blend thoroughly to prevent lumps.

Can I make the mascarpone cold foam ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can prepare the unfrothed cold foam base ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

When ready to serve, portion out the amount you need and froth until thick and creamy.

Can I use regular iced coffee instead of cold brew?

Yes! You can substitute strongly brewed, chilled coffee if you don’t have cold brew on hand.

The flavor may be slightly different, but it will still be delicious!

Do I need a milk frother?

A handheld milk frother is my favorite tool for making cold foam, but you can also use an electric milk frother with a cold foam setting or a small blender.

Can I make this recipe without espresso?

Of course! The cold brew version doesn’t require espresso at all.

If you’re making the latte version but don’t have an espresso machine, you can use instant espresso powder mixed with warm water.

More Starbucks Holiday Drinks to Make at Home

If you love recreating your favorite Starbucks drinks at home, here are a few more delicious holiday-inspired recipes to try!

Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte

A delicious combination of sweet sugar cookie flavors, espresso, and creamy milk. Perfect for making your favorite holiday sugar cookie latte right at home!

Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte

Rich caramel flavor, espresso, and creamy milk come together for a delicious coffee shop-inspired holiday latte.

Starbucks Iced Gingerbread Chai

Warm gingerbread spices, creamy oat milk, and chai create a cozy holiday drink that’s just as delicious iced as it is hot.

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

Chocolate, peppermint, and espresso combine for one of the most recognizable holiday coffee flavors!

Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte

A sweet, nutty, and cozy holiday latte inspired by the flavors of caramelized chestnuts and warm spices.

Final Thoughts

If you love tiramisu, cold brew, or delicious homemade coffee shop drinks, you HAVE to try this Starbucks-inspired Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew!

The combination of smooth cold brew, rich chocolate, sweet vanilla, and creamy mascarpone cold foam makes this such a fun dessert-inspired coffee.

And whether you prefer the bold cold brew version or the creamy iced latte, you can easily customize the ingredients to make it exactly how YOU like it.

Because you know what I always say: The BEST coffee shop is inside your own kitchen!