Caramel will always be the holy grail of condiments, whether as a topping or blended into coffees. There’s no middle ground with caramel – you either love it or despise it. We happen to love caramel, and our newest obsession is any Caramel Iced Coffee Starbucks offers.
Why? The vast selection of drinks allows you to mix and match until you get to that sweet spot.
Topics Explored
- What Are Caramel Iced Coffees?
- Caramel Iced Coffee Starbucks (Full List of Drinks)
- How To Make An Iced Caramel Macchiato At Home
- Caramel Sauce vs Caramel Syrup
- More Questions
What Are Caramel Iced Coffees At Starbucks?
An iced caramel coffee at Starbucks is any coffee with added caramel flavor. The flavor comes from caramel syrup or sauce, depending on the recipe.
It’s one of the most popular ingredients at Starbucks and is often requested as an add-on.
Caramel frappuccino put the spotlight on caramel flavoring in iced coffees. For reference, frappuccinos were introduced back in the 1990s.
Many new drinks that included caramel ensued, but most of them were hot versions. Frappuccinos traced the path for the iced coffee and caramel cross. Today you can experiment with caramel shots in any iced coffee.
Caramel Iced Coffee Starbucks (Full List of Drinks)
If you’re not keen on experimenting, you should try some Caramel Iced Coffee Starbucks already offers.
The choice can be overwhelming, so we explain what goes into each and what to expect. If you’re a caramel fan, you’ll go through the list quickly!
Iced Caramel Macchiato
The iced caramel macchiato is one of Starbucks’ best sellers! It starts with vanilla syrup, milk, ice, and two espresso shots for a Grande size.
It’s finished with a rich caramel drizzle but I like it with even more drizzle!
How To Order:
“Can I get an Iced Caramel Macchiato with extra drizzle, please?”
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
This drink combines iced cold brew with vanilla syrup and salted caramel cold foam. If you like this flavor combination, you’ll probably enjoy the coffee.
When the two parts combine, you end up with a creamy, slightly sweet drink. But it’s not for all taste buds as the salt can be overpowering, defeating the caramel flavor.
I like pairing my salted caramel cold brew with caramel desserts (take a look at this homemade caramel recipe); this combination really pumps up the depth of its flavor.
How To Order:
“Just the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, thanks!”
Caramel Frappuccino
The Caramel Frappuccino is caramel flavor in a cup. It includes frap roast, milk, caramel syrup, caramel drizzle, and whipped cream.
This blended iced drink packs a lot of caramel flavor but lacks coffee. If you want it more caffeinated, ask to have it affogato style with an espresso shot on top.
Or if you want it aesthetic, you can always ask the barista to line the cup with drizzle.
How To Order:
“Hey, I’d love a Caramel Frappuccino, line the cup with caramel, please?”
Iced Caramel Brûlé Latte
If you have a sweet tooth, you’d love the iced caramel brulée latte. It brings together 2 espresso shots, milk, and 4 pumps of caramel brulée sauce.
The best is saved for last – whipped cream topped with caramel brulée bits! You can also ask to get it in a frappuccino version.
How To Order:
“Could I get an Iced Caramel Brulee Latte with whip, please?”
Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
Get all the caramel with the caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino.
The frap roast gets blended with caramel syrup, milk, and ice. Then it’s topped with dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and caramel sugar.
Taste-wise it comes close to the classic caramel frappuccino. However, the dark caramel gives it a bitter note.
How To Order:
“I’ll have a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, line the cup, thanks!”
Iced Shaken Espresso With Salted Caramel (Secret Menu)
This iced shaken espresso is a secret drink. It includes espresso shots, classic & toffee nut syrup, caramel drizzle, a touch of milk, and salted caramel cold foam.
It’s a very sweet coffee with an intense caramel flavor and creamy texture. The high caffeine content combined with the sugar is a guaranteed pick-me-up.
How To Order:
“Can I get a grande Iced Shaken Espresso, with 2 pumps toffee nut, 2 pumps classic syrup, add salted caramel cold foam and caramel drizzle, please.”
Upside Down Caramel Macchiato (Secret Menu)
The Upside Down Caramel Macchiato is a fun little twist on a classic favorite!
By asking for it “upside down,” the caramel drizzle gets poured into the bottom of the cup, the espresso next, followed by milk and vanilla syrup.
You get an interesting balance of flavors from start to finish.
How To Order:
“May I have an Upside Down Iced Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel drizzle?”
Salted Caramel White Mocha (Secret Menu)
What’s to know about the Salted Caramel White Mocha Cold Brew from Starbucks?
It’s a mashup of every perfect autumn taste—there’s the dark, bitter twist of cold brew underneath a layer of white mocha, and on top of that, salted caramel layers.
If you’re on the hunt for something beyond the ol’ dependable pumpkin spice, this is what you want to give a chance.
How To Order:
“I’d like a grande Cold Brew with 3 pumps white mocha, add salted caramel cold foam & caramel drizzle, please.”
Caramel Nutella Iced Coffee (Secret Menu)
I’m not joking, but the Caramel Nutella Iced Coffee from Starbucks is one of those dream drinks for Nutella fans.
It starts with a Café Misto, and then you add chocolate syrup and hazelnut syrup with a little caramel on top. Imagine taking that creamy, hazelnut-chocolate Nutella spread and turning it into an iced drink.
Oh, and it can also be made with cold brew if you’re in the mood for something punchier!
How To Order:
“I’d love an Iced Cafe Misto with 1 pump mocha, 1 pump hazelnut, and 1 pump caramel.”
Pumpkin Caramel Macchiato (Secret Menu)
Pumpkin Caramel Macchiato is a treasure in the secret menu chest that has pumpkin spice and a macchiato working together to make something special.
Start with milk, pumpkin spice syrup, and a shot of espresso, then dress it up with a caramel drizzle on top or pumpkin cold foam.
Watch that espresso cascade down the layer of milk. It’s an unmistakable mix of pumpkin spice but with dark, grown-up tastes to it.
How To Order:
“Hey, can I grab an Iced Caramel Macchiato with pumpkin sauce instead of vanilla syrup, add pumpkin cold foam, please?”
How To Make An Iced Caramel Macchiato (Elevated Version)
Take your love for caramel drinks to the next level and learn how to make an iced caramel macchiato with our foolproof recipe. It includes simple ingredients, an easy process, and a glass full of deliciousness.
Elevated Iced Caramel Macchiato (Starbucks Copycat)
This twist on the Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato recipe will have you sinking your lips into pillowy milk foam at every sip.
Ingredients
- Ice
- Whole Milk: ½ cup
- Espresso: 2 shots
- Vanilla Syrup: 1 oz
- Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Get your favorite Vanilla syrup. Since it's one of the most popular syrups, Starbucks sells it at almost all of their locations and online.
- In a tall glass pour 1 oz of the vanilla syrup. Then add the ice. Fill up ¾ of the cup leaving enough space for the liquids.
- Get your milk and a handheld frother (or a french press* in our case). You're going to froth the milk cold. Frothed milk gives a creamier texture to the drink.
- Transfer the milk to the glass with ice and vanilla syrup. Now brew your espresso shots. You can use a moka pot, regular espresso machine, or even capsules.
- Pour the espresso shots gently over the milk. If you frothed the milk well, the espresso would fall to the bottom of the glass.
- It's time for the final touch. Take your favorite caramel sauce and drizzle a good amount on top. Drop a reusable straw in and enjoy!
Notes
* To froth your milk in a french press, simply pour in the milk and pump the plunger vigorously.
Caramel Sauce vs Caramel Syrup
| Caramel Sauce | Caramel Syrup |
|---|---|
| Flavor & decorative purposes | To flavor drink |
| Higher viscosity Less runny |
Low viscosity Runny |
| Ingredients: – Butter – Heavy Cream – Sugar – Water |
Ingredients: – Sugar – Water |
Caramel Sauce
Caramel sauce and syrup often get confused.(1) Caramel sauce is thicker and adds more body to the drink. But it also clumps up in iced drinks.
You can use it to coat the glass walls before pouring the drink. Unfortunately, the sauce is harder to find as Starbucks doesn’t sell theirs. But you can find other brands online or do it yourself.
Caramel Syrup
Caramel syrup is more fluid since it’s made of sugar, water, and flavoring.(2) Due to its low viscosity, it blends well in iced and hot drinks.
You can’t use it for decoration, but it finds many uses around the kitchen, such as baking. When you order a flavored coffee in Starbucks, the flavor most likely comes from syrup.
Final Words
You know that coffee and caramel are a winning duo. But, until the introduction of caramel frappuccino, the flavor was reserved for the warm, comforting drinks.
Today, the frappuccino is not the only caramel iced coffee Starbucks offers. The vast list provides choices for all taste buds. You can even ask for a shot in your regular iced coffee.
More Questions
Does Starbucks have caramel iced coffee?
Starbucks has a long list of caramel iced coffees. The caramel frappuccino and the iced caramel macchiato are among the most popular choices.
Depending on your liking, you can get a more caffeine-rich option like the iced shaken espresso. If you prefer a sweeter choice, go for the iced caramel brulée latte.
What is in Starbucks caramel iced coffee?
It’s hard to answer with certainty as there are many caramel iced coffees. However, they all have some common ingredients: ice, coffee or espresso, and caramel syrup or sauce.
The coffees can contain regular or alternative, plant-based milk. Some of them are topped with whipped cream and toppings like caramel bits.
How to order a caramel iced coffee at Starbucks?
The simplest way is to read our list and choose some options. If you don’t find something you like, you can make your own iced caramel drink.
Order an iced coffee, like cold brew, as a base. Ask your barista to add caramel syrup instead of classic. Ask for a caramel drizzle on top.
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