Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew (Taste, Ingredients, Caffeine, Calories, Copycat Recipe & More information)
Enjoy your favorite Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold brew from the comfort of your home. Save money by trying this simple recipe that replicates the drink perfectly, you won’t know the difference.
As a student on a limited budget, halfway through the year is when I have to start going on what I call a financial diet. No more splurging on my favorite Starbucks drinks or other pricey things I buy on impulse. But it is also the time when summer is just starting and I would do anything for a nice cool refreshing glass of one of Starbucks’ cold beverages on a hot afternoon.
Because, I couldn’t spend my money on Starbucks around this time, until the holidays, I started looking for recipes that would allow me to recreate my favorite Starbucks cold drinks. My favorite one so far is the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew.
It is so easy to make and doesn’t require fancy equipment. Plus, making it at home means I’m saving money and I don’t have to walk to the Starbucks store on those hot afternoons. But, before I share with you my amazing and simple recipe, I think there is some valuable information you may want to know about this drink.
Table of Contents
Brief History Of The Drink
I have a curious habit of always wanting to find out more about the products I consume. For some reason, it always intrigues me to find out the history behind the Starbucks menu items. What inspired the drink? How long has it been around? And other fun and interesting facts. So, I did my digging for the Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew as well.
Sadly, there wasn’t much to find. Although, I noted that there was a close resemblance between the Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew and the Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew. It is possible that the two are the same drinks and that the names changed with the recent change in its original recipe.
Originally, the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew was made by mixing cold brew coffee with caramel syrup and then topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and a sprinkle of salt. This is the same as the composition of the Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew, which is described as a rich class of string cold brew, with hints of caramel and topped with salted sweet cream cold foam. Coincidence? Maybe.
Regardless, the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew is believed to have been released in the Summer of 2018 along with a line-up of other delicious cold brew options. This was thanks to the increasing popularity of the cold brews at Starbucks. The best part is, that this drink option is on the permanent menu so you can enjoy it all year round if you have the budget for it.
Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Overview
What’s In A Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew – (Ingredients)
As I mentioned before the original recipe was changed not too long ago. As I had described the original recipe comprised of cold-brewed coffee mixed with caramel sauce, topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam, and sprinkled with two sachets of salt. The new recipe now mixes vanilla syrup in the cold brew instead of the caramel, and the cold foam is now called salted caramel cream cold foam.
The salted caramel cream is a combination of vanilla sweet cream, with caramel syrup, milk, vanilla syrup, and salt. In other words, instead of the caramel being mixed in the cold brew, it is been mixed in the cream. If you ask me the change doesn’t have that much of an impact, other than being slightly less sweet. This is due to the cream masking a bit of the caramel sugar. But all the same, the drink is just as heavenly and delicious as it was the day, I took my first sip.
Although for those with lactose intolerance, you may want to avoid this drink, because it does contain dairy products. But you can ask the barista if there is a plant-based milk alternative for the cream cold foam.
Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew: Sizes, Nutrition, Caffeine & Calories
What Sizes Are Available
If you are in a Starbucks store and think of ordering this drink after reading this, you should know that it comes in 4 different size options. You can choose from the tall size (12 fl oz), grande size (16 fl oz), venti size (24 fl oz), and Trenta size (30 fl oz). These are the common glass sizes for most cold brews. As a first-timer, maybe start with a tall size and see if you’ll enjoy it. I mostly order a grande size, since it’s my go-to standard size for most of my favorite drinks. It’s a sufficient amount of goodness at an affordable price. You can, however, splurge on a Venti or Trenta size if you don’t mind the extra coins, and can’t get enough of the drink.
Nutritional Facts
What I love about Starbucks cold brews is that they are not only delicious but moderately healthier than most cold coffee beverages like their Frappuccino. You can enjoy a nice cold drink without worrying too much about the number of calories. Starbucks, however, has not expressly labeled it as a healthy drink, so I won’t either. But if you ask me, healthy is a subjective concept. So, how about we take a look at the nutritional facts so you can come up with your verdict. Before we go into it, though, note that these facts are based on the grande size of the beverage and the calculations are based on a standard diet of 2,000 calorie intake per day.
Let’s start with the calorie count. The grande size of this drink offers 220 calories. It is a moderate amount, compared to Fraps that have much higher calories because of using more milk content. The total carbs of 14g, which is from the caramel sugar, and 9% of what your daily intake should be, is what makes up most of the calories. The rest comes from the total fat (12g) most of which is 8g of saturated fat which is 40% of what you should be getting daily. Being almost half the percentage is slightly alarming, but it’s mostly coming from the cream cold foam. Other than that, the sodium is also significant at about 300mg, but that is still way below an alarming level. Otherwise, you barely get any proteins (2g), and 40mg of cholesterol which makes 13% of what you should take in a day. If you have high cholesterol, though, I’d advise you to take the drink in moderation at the very least.
Overall, I wouldn’t say that the drink is unhealthy, all the nutrients are below an alarming level. Aside from the saturated fat, of course. But you can always reduce the amount of cold foam you add to your order if you can substitute the foam for something healthier.
Below is a table that summarizes the facts I have just discussed:
| Calorie count (out of 2,000 calories daily intake) | 220 |
| Nutrient Content (per Grande serving) | % of Daily Value |
| Total Fat (13g)
Trans Fat Saturated Fat (8g) |
17%
40% |
| Total carbohydrates (24g)
Sugar (24g) Dietary Fiber |
9% |
| Proteins (2g) | – |
| Cholesterol (40mg) | 13% |
| Sodium (300mg) | 13% |
Caffeine Information
While I enjoy a good cup of strong coffee, I don’t like overdoing it with the caffeine levels. That is one more reason why I adore Starbucks cold brews, especially the Salted Caramel Cream cold brew. For a grande serving, you are only getting 185mg of caffeine. Compared to other coffee beverages at Starbucks, I’d say, the caffeine level on this drink is reasonable even though it may not be the lowest. Some drinks go to 200-300mg of caffeine. You get a nice kick of energy from this drink to take you through your morning, similar to your morning cup of regular coffee, only sweeter and cooling. Perfect for the hot and humid summer weather.
So, What Does Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Taste Like?
Let me just say, whoever came up with the idea of combining salt and caramel was a genius. Its result is a deliciously sweet yet savory taste. If you are not too much of a sweet tooth then you’ll enjoy the drink because, while the caramel flavor does shine through the combination of salt and cream cuts back a little of the sugar. And amidst all this caramel goodness, you still get a nice strong feel of your coffee that’s not overpowering or overpowered. Again, that is the beauty of cold brews. Given the brewing method, the resulting coffee is significantly stronger and bolder in flavor compared to normal hot-brewed coffee.
Ways to Customize a Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks
If there is something you don’t like or want to improve about your Salted Caramel Cream Cold brew, good news! You can. That is what I love about Starbucks. You can easily customize your drink and come up with something unique to even you. So, how can you make this drink even better?
For starters, you can play around with the sizes of the drink, depending on how much you are willing to spend and the number of calories you’re aiming for. The smaller the size the lower the overall calorie count. You can also vary the coldness of your drink by reducing or increasing the amount of ice. Or even add a shot of espresso if the drink is not strong enough for you.
Other customization, involves you possibly creating a whole new drink altogether. Try swapping out the salted caramel cream cold foam with a different topping, maybe whipped cream, or something healthier like canned coconut milk. If you feel like it is not sweet enough, you can add your choice of sweetener from the variety, or spice things up by adding a new flavored syrup or sauce, aside from the vanilla. How about chocolate maybe. If you’re a daredevil then take the chance. I’m not personally, plus I like the original recipe just the way it is.
How To Make Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew At Home - Starbucks Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- French press/milk frother.
Ingredients
For the salted vanilla sweet cream:
- ½ a cup of half & half
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup
- A pinch of salt
For the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- 1 cup of cold brew coffee
- ½ a cup of ice
- 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce
Instructions
- Start by prepping the salted vanilla sweet cream. You can do this ahead of time. Add the ingredients to your French Press and push the plunger up and down, until you get a nice froth foam.
- Combine the caramel sauce and cold brew coffee by stirring until they are properly mixed.
- Add the ice to your serving glass and pour the mixture of caramel and coffee over it.
- Top off with your salted vanilla sweet cream and your drink is ready to be enjoyed.
Notes
- I used the readymade, unsweetened bottled Starbucks cold brew coffee for this recipe. It's the easiest option, I always use it when I can find it. Sometimes, I use the bottled Cold Brew Signature Black concentrate. If you use the concentrate, ensure you mix it with equal parts of water (1:1). You can use Starbucks.
- An alternative cold brew option is the Starbucks Cold Brew Pouches that you can easily steep in cold water in a pitcher for 20 hours in the refrigerator. Play around with the amount of water you use to regulate the strength of the coffee. More water means milder coffee and vice versa.
- The last resort can be to brew normal hot coffee, but make it really strong, and refrigerate it until it is cold.
- You can use a milk frother if you have one, but I feel like the French press is the best way to create cold foam. You can, however, use a mason jar or cocktail shaker to shake up your contents until they are frothy enough. A whisk works too if you don't mind the manual labor.
- I prefer half and half because it brings out the best consistency. It also combines the cream and milk into one ingredient. But you are free to use the milk option that suits you best, including plant-based options. In my opinion, however, plant-based milk does not hold as well as heavy cream and half & half.
- If you want to reduce how sweet your overall drink is, you can reduce the amount of caramel sauce in your cold brew and the amount of vanilla syrup in your sweet cream.
- You don't have to use store-bought ingredients; you can create your own syrups and sauces at home. I wanted this recipe to closely replicate the Starbucks drink, so I aimed to use the exact products or similar products that they use.
- Try to use filtered water to make the best ice cubes. Alternatively, to avoid your drink being watered down over time, you can use coffee ice cubes instead, as Starbucks does for their cold beverage options.
- Usually, most recipes sprinkle the salt on top of the foam, but I prefer to mix it in for a more even taste.
Informative Section
Is the salted caramel cold brew sweet?
Yes, the salted caramel cold brew is sweet but not overly sweet. It is the perfect balance of savory sweetness.
Does the Starbucks salted caramel cold brew have milk?
Yes, the salted cream cold foam, used to top off the drink does contain cream and milk. So, if you are lactose intolerant, you should avoid this drink, unless you want to make a plant-based milk version of the cream at home.
How much is a salted caramel cold brew at Starbucks?
The price of a Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew depends on the size you order. It can range from as low as $3.95 to $4.95.
