Kat's Kitchen

Get ready to elevate your Valentine’s Day with a drink that’s as stunning as it is delicious: the Viral Starbucks Valentine’s Drink! Combining the rich flavors of an iced blonde vanilla latte with the sweetness of strawberry cold foam, this beverage is a true showstopper. Best of all, you don’t need an espresso machine to whip up this viral sensation—just a few simple ingredients and a whole lot of love. Let’s dive into creating this irresistible concoction that’s sure to impress!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 2-3 shots blonde espresso
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
• 6-8 ounces 2% milk
• Ice
• 1 tablespoon strawberry syrup
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• crushed freeze-dried strawberries optional, for garnish
• Cake Pop optional, for garnish

Instructions:

Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte

1. Start by brewing your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. If using Instant Espresso, combine the powder with warm water and mix until dissolved using a spoon or milk frother.
2. In a cup, combine the vanilla syrup and espresso, then stir to combine.
3. Pour in the milk over the espresso mixture, and then add ice.

Strawberry Cold Foam

1. In a separate small cup, combine strawberry syrup, 2% milk and heavy cream. Froth the mixture using a handheld milk frother until it becomes thick and creamy.
2. Once the cold foam is thick, pour it over the iced blonde vanilla latte.
3. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle crushed freeze-dried strawberries over the top of the cold foam and pair the drink with a pink cake pop!

What Makes It Blonde?

The term “blonde” in a coffee sense simply means the beans are a light roast. Oftentimes, you will see darker roast coffee used for espresso since a darker roast tends to have a deeper, bolder coffee flavor. This is usually good since with espresso, you dilute the coffee with milk for a latte or water for an americano.

A blonde roast is a lighter roast coffee which tends to have less intense flavor, which many people, myself included, actually prefer! I will always opt for the blonde roast espresso at Starbucks no matter which espresso drink I order – latte, macchiato, mocha, shaken espresso, americano, etc!

So this drink is a Blonde Vanilla Latte since it is a latte with vanilla syrup, and uses “blonde” or a light roast espresso.

How Can I 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!

Best Blonde Roast Espresso To Use?

My absolute favorite blonde espresso is the Laka Java Wahine Blonde Roast Espresso. Use code: katerinafaith for 10% off your order!

These beans are absolutely delightful. They’re sweet with caramel, citrus and floral flavor notes. Also, they are roasted to order, so you get them at peak freshness. I guarantee, if you are a Starbucks blonde roast lover, you will fall in love with these beans/grounds. They are worth every penny!

The Laka Java Wahine Blonde Roast Espresso are great if you have an espresso machine, an Aeropress, or a Moka Pot to make espresso!

Best Blonde Roast Nespresso Pods

If you’re a Nespresso user, my favorite Nespresso pods for this recipe are the Nespresso Double Espresso Dolce Pods. **Note, these are for the Vertuo line.

I find these pods are sweet and light, and very similar to a blonde roast espresso. Note, these are a double espresso pod so they are TWO shots of espresso each. I recommend using 2 pods for this recipe, and keeping everything else the same for a perfect Blonde Vanilla Latte at home!

Do They Have Blonde Instant Coffee Powder?

Yes they do! My favorite blonde instant espresso is the Nescafe Gold Roast Instant Coffee Powder. For a double shot of espresso, mix together:

• 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2.5 ounces warm water

Once you have your double shot of espresso, add your vanilla syrup and milk!

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 blonde vanilla latte, follow these ratios:

ICED BLONDE VANILLA 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.

Shop JavaSok Valentine’s Day Styles

If you’re not familiar with JavaSoks, they’re sleeves that go on the outside of your iced coffee/tea/soda/etc to keep your drink colder longer! They also help keep the condensation inside the sleeve and off your desk, off your counter, and out of your car cup holders. I use one every day, and I genuinely believe they make the iced beverage experience better. Shop their fun Valentine’s Day styles at Sok-it.com and get 20% off any style! off your order!

How To Make This Drink Dairy Free?

• Use your favorite dairy free or plant based milk instead of 2% milk in the blonde vanilla latte.
• Use barista style oat milk instead of the 2% milk in the strawberry cold foam.
• Use soy milk instead of the heavy cream in the strawberry cold foam.

How To Make This Drink Lower Sugar/Lower Calories?

• Use a Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup and Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup Strawberry Syrup in this recipe
• Use an unsweetened milk like unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or soy milk instead of the 2% milk in this recipe
• Skip the cold foam and use a sugar free whipped topping

With this Viral Starbucks Valentine’s Drank, you can spread love and sweetness with every sip. Whether you’re celebrating with your significant other, friends, or treating yourself, this delightful beverage is sure to make hearts flutter. So, gather your ingredients, channel your inner barista, and let the magic of this viral sensation sweep you off your feet. Happy Valentine’s Day! 💗🍓💌🌹

Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte with Strawberry Cold Foam

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Course: Drinks

Keyword: Coffee, Cold Foam, Latte, Starbucks, Valentines

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1

Author: katerinafaith

Equipment

• Handheld Milk Frother

Ingredients

Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte with Strawberry Cold Foam

• 2-3 shots blonde espresso for instant, use 1/2 tablespoon of Nescafe Gold Blonde Instant Espresso + 2.5 ounces warm water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup store-bought or homemade
• 6-8 ounces 2% milk
• Ice
• Strawberry Cold Foam recipe below

Strawberry Cold Foam

• 1 tablespoon strawberry syrup
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• crushed freeze-dried strawberries optional, for garnish
• Cake Pop optional, for garnish

Homemade Vanilla Syrup

• 1 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Start by brewing your espresso shots using your preferred espresso making method. If using Instant Espresso, combine the powder with warm water and mix until dissolved using a spoon or milk frother.
• In a cup, combine the vanilla syrup and espresso, then stir to combine.
• Pour in the milk over the espresso mixture, and then add ice.

Strawberry Cold Foam

• In a separate small cup, combine strawberry syrup, 2% milk and heavy cream. Froth the mixture using a handheld milk frother until it becomes thick and creamy.
• Once the cold foam is thick, pour it over the iced blonde vanilla latte.
• OPTIONAL: Sprinkle crushed freeze-dried strawberries over the top of the cold foam and pair the drink with a pink cake pop!

Homemade Vanilla Syrup

• Combine sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan and stir to combine.
• Bring the mixture to a roaring boil.
• Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat, add in the vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
• Use the syrup in any drink right away, or let the syrup cool completely before transferring to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.