Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew: Starbucks Recipe + Overview

Last updated on October 8th, 2023 by Garret Jacob

Whether your favorite coffee spot is Starbucks or Dunkin, you probably have tried a salted caramel cream cold brew. If not, you are missing out. 

The salted caramel cream cold brew is recently exploding in popularity as we transition into spring and summer. The rich and delicious caramel cream flavor, combined with the highly caffeinated and bold cold brew, and then poured over ice is just too hard to ignore. The flavor combinations are incredible.

So, although you can stop by any number of coffee shops and order one, what if you want to make one at home? 

What ingredients would you need to pick up from the grocery store?

Let’s talk all things salted caramel cream cold brew. What is it? How many calories does it have? How do you make one? Can you substitute some ingredients to make it with less calories? 

We are going to cover all of these questions and more, and at the end, I will share with you one of my favorite recipes that you can use to make your own salted caramel cream cold brew at home. 

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What is salted caramel cream cold brew?

The salted caramel cream cold brew is a Starbucks creation that is made with cold brew coffee, ice, vanilla sweet cream, and salted caramel syrup. Dunkin Donuts has its own version of it called salted caramel cold foam. 

Aside from these two mega coffee giants, any coffee shop that has a cold brew on tap can most likely make its own version of the salted caramel cream cold brew. 

Is the salted caramel cream cold brew sweet?

Yes, the rich caramel and vanilla flavors make the salted caramel cream cold brew extra sweet. However, many coffee lovers enjoy this drink the most because of the added salted flavor. The way the salty tones mixes with the sweet flavors makes for the perfect balance of sweet and salty. 

Is the salted caramel cream brew good?

The salted caramel cream brew is a favorite among the many coffee consumers who frequent Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. This is especially true in the warm summer months. Many people rave about this drink because it has a wonderful balance between sweet and salty and it comes with a significant amount of caffeine. 

The caramel flavor mixed with the vanilla is incredibly delicious. The fact that the drink is cold makes it the perfect little “pick-me-up” on a hot summer day. So yes, if you like salted caramel, vanilla, and cold brew coffee, then the salted caramel cream brew is more than good. 

How do you order a salted caramel cream cold brew from Starbucks?

If you are ordering a salted caramel cream cold brew from Starbucks, the first thing you will need to do is select a size. Choose from tall (12 oz), grande (16 oz), venti (24 oz), or trenta (30 oz). Then ask for the drink by name. For example, “I would like a grande salted caramel cream cold brew”.

Next, the barista will fill a cup with ice, add two shots of vanilla syrup, and then fill the cup with cold brew coffee. Last, the salted caramel cream cold foam is added at the top. The foam will slowly spread from the top to the rest of the cup. 

The average cost of a salted caramel cream cold brew from Starbucks can range from $3.49 to $5.49 depending on the size of the drink and the store’s location. 

Salted caramel cream cold brew nutritional information

Here are the nutritional statistics for a grande (16 oz) salted caramel cream cold brew from Starbucks.

• Calories: 240
• Calories from fat: 130
• Total fat: 14 grams – 18%DV
• Saturated fat: 9 grams – 45% DV
• Trans fat: 0 mg
• Cholesterol: 45 mg – 15% DV
• Sodium: 350 mg – 15% DV
• Total Carbohydrates: 26 grams – 9% DV
• Dietary Fiber: 0 grams
• Sugars: 26 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Caffeine: 185 mg

Full ingredient list

ICE, BREWED COFFEE, SALTED CARAMEL CREAM [VANILLA SWEET CREAM (CREAM (CREAM, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CARRAGEENAN), MILK, VANILLA SYRUP (SUGAR, WATER, NATURAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CITRIC ACID)), CARAMEL SYRUP (SUGAR, WATER, NATURAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE), SALT], VANILLA SYRUP [SUGAR, WATER, NATURAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CITRIC ACID]

How to make salted caramel cream cold brew at home

So, if you love the salted caramel cream cold brew coffee but you want to save some money, you can always make your own at home. Here are some step-by-step instructions for making your own salted caramel cream cold brew at home.

Before you start, you are first going to need to secure all the ingredients you are going to use to make this drink

1. Favorite coffee: You can use any type of coffee you like to create the cold brew.
2. Caramel sauce: You can either make your own caramel sauce by melting caramels or you can buy a premade caramel sauce at your local grocery store. 
3. Vanilla syrup: For the vanilla syrup, you may want to simply buy a premade vanilla syrup that is specifically for coffee.
4. Half & half: Just a small carton of half & half from your local grocery store. 
5. Sea salt: Just a little sea salt for flavor. You do not need a lot.
6. Ice: You can purchase a bag of ice at the store or use the ice from your freezer. Either one is great.

Aside from the ingredients, you are also going to need a cold brew steeping kit and a French press.

Once you have all of your ingredients and equipment ready, the next thing you need to do is steep your cold brew. For a good strong cold brew, it is recommended to steep the coffee in the refrigerator for a minimum of 20 hours. 

Once the cold brew is ready, then you are ready to make your own salted caramel cream cold brew drinks at home. Here are the steps you will need to follow.

1. Using the French press, you are going to make creamy foam. Put inside the French press some half & half, vanilla syrup, and a little salt.
2. Pump the French press plunger slowly to aerate the cream and create foam.
3. Put some caramel sauce into your glass.
4. Pour the cold brew into your glass.
5. Add some of the creamy foam.
6. Let the drink sit for a few minutes as the creamy foam spreads throughout the entire drink. Feel free to mix it with a spoon or stirring stick if you prefer.
7. Enjoy.

Now that you know how to make one of America’s favorite drinks, the salted caramel cream cold brew, you can save money by making your own at home as well as impress your friends and family when they visit by serving these delicious drinks on a hot summer day. Good thing about this is you can heat this up if you prefer to drink a hot coffee.

Another thing you can try is Nitro cold brew, which is a cold brew coffee with Nitrogen gas.

Looking for a different kind of cold drink? You may check Starbucks’ Frappuccino Roast, Iced Shaken Espresso or this Starbucks drink list for more choices.

Sources:

• https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog/salted-caramel-cold-foam
• https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/2122795/iced/nutrition

Chief Editor