Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte (Taste, Ingredients, Caffeine, Calories, Copycat Recipes & More Information)
What is a holiday without the phenomenal Starbucks chestnut praline latte? This drink has special powers to release the holiday spirit into the festive season.
Some things are not intended for the day-to-day use. They are preserved for special times and occasions due to their ability to make lasting memories. If you have been around for some time, you would know that chestnuts are seasonal nuts. They are the ultimate Christmas treat. Starbucks being a market leader in the coffee industry knows exactly how to enchant its customers during the holiday season with its seasonal Starbucks chestnut praline latte.
Table of Contents
Brief History of the Drink
These gems are what I would like to call the festive season ushers. Starbucks introduced the chestnut praline latte to its holiday menu in 2012. The birth of this drink was orchestrated by Amy Dilger, the leading Starbucks research and development manager. It first hit the stores in the winter of 2012.
Starbucks Chestnut Praline latte Overview
Let us break down everything we need to know about this holiday special latte.
What’s in a Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte? (Ingredients)
In case you are wondering what the fuss is all about, the drink is made with steamed milk, caramelized chestnuts, espresso, spices, spiced praline crumbs, and a topping of whipping cream. Most of the chestnut praline latte is made of two shots of espresso and four pumps of chestnut praline syrup. Let us try to break down the name of this holiday latte.
The name praline means a confession of culinary nuts coated in sugar and cream. They are a customized version of the southern pecan candies prepared with butter and brown sugar. A vanilla flavor is added, but it’s optional. Chestnuts are seasonal nuts that are prevalent in the temperate Northern hemisphere. A latte is basically a coffee beverage made with espresso and steamed milk. This is what the name chestnut praline latte means.
Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte: sizes, nutrition, caffeine, and calories.
What sizes are available?
The Starbucks chestnut praline latte is available in tall, short, venti, and grande sizes. The short cup contains 8 fluid ounces, the tall cup carries 12 fluid ounces, the Grande contains 16 fluid ounces, and the venti contains 20 fluid ounces. These sizes cater to all types of coffee drinkers. If these terms are new to you, they refer to coffee serving sizes in the United States.
Nutritional facts
The nutritional value can be disintegrated according to the size of the serving cup. Below is a table showing the nutritional facts of a grande serving. The table shows the fat content of lattes made using whole milk. The fat content changes significantly with nonfat milk.
| Calorie count (out of 2000 daily calorie intake) | 290 |
| Nutrient content (per grande serving) | % of daily Value |
| Total fat (10g)
Trans fat (0g) Saturated fat (6g) | 15%
30% |
| Total Carbohydrates (39g)
Sugar (36g) Dietary fiber | 13% |
| Proteins (11)g | 22% |
| Cholesterol (30mg) | 10% |
| Sodium (135mg) | 6% |
Caffeine information
The Starbucks chestnut praline latte contains 150mgs of caffeine. This stems from the espresso content. Espresso is made by extracting syrup from coarsely ground coffee in an espresso machine. The filter basket in the machine is filled with coffee. Hot water of over 90 degrees Celsius is added to the filtration basket at high pressure. If you compare the caffeine content of a ristretto and espresso, you will find that espressos are highly caffeinated as they take more extraction time than the ristretto. The result is smooth, mildly concentrated syrup commonly known as espresso.
So, What Does Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte Taste Like?
The taste can be defined as nutty, buttery, and smoky. The nutty taste comes from the chestnuts, the buttery taste comes from the butter used to make pralines ad the smoky taste is from the roasted chestnuts and pecans. As we had mentioned earlier, there are spices and crumbs added to the drink. The spicy praline crumbs have ginger, toffee, clove, and cinnamon spices.
The whip cream topping is the icing on the cake. It gives the latte a smooth and delicious finish. If you have never had a chestnut praline latte, this is what it tastes like. Great caution should be taken if is allergic to any of the spices mentioned. Someone might wonder how the latte balances the nutty taste with the coffee. The nuts are not overbearing at all. You can still have a taste of the coffee inside.
Ways to Customize a Chestnut Praline Latte at Starbucks
Some people like to play with various ingredients to achieve a custom-made taste. It can be boring to be conformed to just one way of doing things. It’s fun to spice things up a little bit and show-case one’s creativity. It can also be a good way to get rid of what you do not like and add the things that you prefer.
The good news is that there are ways you can juggle things around to get your exact preference. If you are sweet-toothed, you can add one or two stevia. Note that the chestnut praline latte is already sweet as it is. This is for the extra sweetness. The milk content is also modifiable. You can ask for almond, soy, oat, skimmed, or whole milk. The milk content is mostly 2%, you can ask for a half and half. Keep in mind that milk and nuts are allergens. If you have a known allergy to the above ingredients, it’s best to stay away from this latte.
How to make Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte at home- Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Coffee maker/ Espresso machine
- Milk steamer/ milk frother
- Latte Glass
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chestnut praline syrup
- 2 Shots espresso
- 8 oz milk
- Well chopped pralines
Instructions
- The first step is to steam the milk. This is done using a milk steamer. Using your steam wand, froth the milk until hot and bubbly. If you do not have a steam wand, pour your milk into a pan and heat it on a stove. Whisk the milk after it boils until it makes small bubbles.
- Extract two shots of espresso. This is done by filling your espresso machine with coarsely ground coffee and adding hot water of over 90 degrees Celsius. The water is then passed on to the coffee at high pressure. The extract is what is to be used.
- Pour two shots into your latte glass. Add your steamed milk and follow with the chestnut praline syrup. Sprinkle the chopped pralines on top. You can customize it further by adding brown sugar and cinnamon syrup.
Notes
- If you prefer to make your chestnut syrup, start by roasting your chestnuts and pecans. Chop them together and cook with brown sugar and water in a saucepan. Strain out the mixture and you have your homemade syrup.
- The chestnut praline latte is most made during winter. This doesn’t mean that this drink is prohibited in summer. All you need to do is follow the steps above, but add cold milk over ice.
- You can still enjoy a great Starbucks chestnut praline latte using strong coffee. This is suitable for those who don’t have an espresso machine.
Informative Section
Is the Starbucks chestnut praline latte seasonal?
Yes, it is. This drink is available on the Starbucks holiday menu only.
What syrup is in the Starbucks chestnut praline latte?
Starbucks uses the chestnut syrup made of roasted chestnuts and pecans also called Marron and brown sugar cinnamon syrup.
Is Starbucks’ chestnut praline latte healthy?
Yes, it is healthy. It is made of nonfat milk, making it a healthy option.
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