Made using 3 ingredients and in 5 minutes, Starbucks Copycat Caramel Latte is a breeze to make at home at a fraction of the cost. Make this espresso-based beverage (hot or iced) at home using my easy recipe (gluten-free).
Here are some more coffee drinks recipes that you may like – Dalgona Coffee, Vietnamese Coffee, Beaten Coffee, Nutella Coffee, Turmeric Coffee, and Filter Coffee.
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About This Recipe
I am a big coffee fan! A good cup of coffee can really cheer me up and thus my craze for trying new coffee recipes at home is never-ending. The latest coffee drink that I tried my hands on is this Starbucks Copycat Caramel Latte.
Making homemade caramel latte is super easy. Comforting, sweet, and smooth, this espresso-based beverage is made using just 3 simple ingredients and it comes together in just 5 minutes. This Starbucks copycat recipe is also much more economical to make at home.
The best part is that you can use your comfortable brewing method to make this homemade latte.
Make it hot on chilly fall and winter mornings or sip it chilled on warm summer days.
So next time, if you feel like sipping on this classic drink, make your own caramel latte and enjoy!
Ingredients
Espresso – Use an espresso maker to make the espresso. But if you don’t have an espresso machine, then brew strong coffee in your Normal Coffee Pot, French Press, or Moka Pot. You can also use Instant coffee powder dissolved in water.
Cold Brew Coffee also works great in this recipe. Bring it to room temperature or heat it a little before adding it to the cup to keep your coffee drink hot.
We need ½ cup of espresso (or strongly brewed coffee) to make 2 cups of coffee. ½ cup espresso is approximately 3 shots of espresso.
Milk – Use any milk of your choice – whole, skim, or low fat, all works fine. I personally use whole milk as it makes my coffee super creamy.
To make it vegan, you can use any plant-based milk (non-dairy milk) like almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk. Keep in consideration that plant-based milk does not froth well.
Caramel Syrup – Use homemade caramel sauce or get a store-bought one. To get the most authentic taste, buy it directly from Starbucks. It is available online and in stores like Walmart, and Target. You can also get it from a Starbucks shop.
Microwave the caramel syrup for a few seconds if it has hardened after storage.
Sweetener – Add any sweetener like brown sugar, white sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or sugar-free substitutes like stevia or monk fruit. Adjust the amount as per your liking.
How To Make Hot Caramel Latte
Start by preparing the espresso or strongly brewed coffee using the method that you prefer. We will need ½ cup espresso (3 shots) or strongly brewed coffee to make 2 cups of caramel latte.
Combine 2 cups of milk, 2 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ cup caramel syrup in a medium saucepan and heat on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Stir frequently while heating.
Once the mixture starts to bubble, remove the pan from the heat and froth it immediately using an immersion blender or a milk frother. If you have a coffee machine at home, you can also use its frother to froth the milk.
Pour the foamy milk into 2 serving mugs. You can scoop the milk foam using a spoon if it’s not pouring on its own. Divide the hot espresso between the two mugs and give the coffee a gentle stir.
Top with whipped cream (optional) and more caramel sauce and serve hot.
How To Make Iced Caramel Latte
Add 2 cups milk, 2 teaspoon sugar, ¼ cup caramel syrup, and ½ cup espresso (or strongly brewed coffee) to the jar of a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Pour the coffee into serving mugs. Keep some space in the mug for the ice cubes.
Add a few ice cubes to the mug. Top with whipped cream, sprinkle some instant coffee powder on top and serve chilled. You can also sprinkle some toffee bits for a nice crunch.
Tip – You can freeze some brewed coffee in ice cube trays and use them in place of regular ice cubes. Your coffee will not dilute as the cubes melt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both these coffees are made using the same ingredients – espresso, caramel syrup, and milk but they still differ from each other. Cappuccino has more foam by volume than the Latte. It is 50% milk and 50% foam while the Latte is 90% milk and 10% foam.
So if you want to make a light and foamy coffee, go for a cappuccino. Froth the milk until it is very foamy and then use it.
“Macchiato” means “Marked” in Italian. To make caramel macchiato, foamy milk and vanilla syrup are stirred together in a mug and then espresso is poured over it. It makes a mark on the foamy milk. Finally, caramel syrup is drizzled on top.
White, to make a Latte, milk and caramel syrup are heated and then frothed. Finally, espresso is poured over the milk.
You can froth the milk by heating it up and then shaking it vigorously in a jar. But if you make cappuccinos or lattes at home frequently, I suggest you invest in a milk frother. Milk frothers can be manual or electric.
My favorite manual milk frother is Bellemain Stainless Steel Hand Pump Milk Frother (14 oz) and if you are looking for an electric frother, then go for Milk Boss Handheld Milk Frother.
If you have an immersion blender, it also works great to froth the milk.
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Recipe Card
Starbucks Copycat Caramel Latte
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk (whole, skim, or plant-based.)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
- ¼ cup caramel syrup (plus more for garnishing)
- ½ cup espresso (3 shots of espresso or use ½ cup strongly brewed coffee.)
- whipped cream (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Combine milk, sugar, and caramel syrup in a medium saucepan and heat on medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
- Stir frequently while heating.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, remove the pan from the heat and froth it immediately using an immersion blender or a milk frother. If you have a coffee machine at home, you can also use its frother to froth the milk.
- Pour the foamy milk into 2 serving mugs. You can scoop the milk foam using a spoon if it's not pouring on its own.
- Divide the hot espresso between the two mugs and give the coffee a gentle stir.
- Top with whipped cream (optional) and more caramel syrup and serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!