Starbucks Pistachio Latte (Copycat Recipe)

We’re back with another copycat recipe: the Starbucks Pistachio Latte! This milk-based nutty brew is smooth, creamy, deliciously sweet, and infused with the flavour of pistachios. It’s time you learned to make this Starbucks Pistachio Latte at home and added some novelty to your coffee routine.

Extra Notes:

• Use store bought pistachio syrup or make your own with the optional ingredients.
• Use oat milk, coconut milk, or any other milk of choice for a dairy-free option. Use vegan butter to make this recipe a plant-based coffee drink.

How To Make The Copycat Starbucks’ Pistachio Latte Recipe

Just follow these quick steps to make a homemade version of the Starbucks’ Pistachio Latte. You’ll be enjoying this easy recipe in no time!

1. Brew The Espresso

To make the Pistachio Latte, start by brewing one or two shots of espresso with an espresso machine, depending on the desired intensity of your personalized copycat Starbucks version of this latte. If you don’t have an espresso machine, use instant espresso or strong brewed coffee made with a French Press or strong coffee from any other brewing method like an Aeropress or Moka pot.

2. Brown The Butter For The Pistachio Syrup

For the ambitious ones, use the time while the espresso or coffee is brewing to brown butter, we think it adds great nutty flavour to this Starbucks copycat Pistachio Latte recipe.

To do so, cut the 1/4 cup of butter into similarly-sized cubes in a small saucepan—heat butter over low-to-medium heat or medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts and slightly darkens to a golden-brown hue. Wait until the milk solids and foam settle, then remove the rich brown butter from the heat.

Add a pinch of salt to the browned butter for salted brown butter if you use unsalted butter. Extra brown butter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

3. Prepare The Pistachio Syrup To Combine With The Butter

You don’t need Starbucks’ pistachio syrup to get that characteristic pistachio flavouring for coffee. If you want to make your own pistachio sauce for coffee, you need to:

• Boil 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar
• Lower to a simmer
• Add 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios
• Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Cool
• Strain
• Add 1 tsp almond extract and stir

Once you finish this, combine your store-bought or homemade pistachio syrup with butter or with the browned butter you made in Step 2.

4. Froth The Milk

Use the steam wand on your espresso machine (a milk steamer) or a milk frother to froth the whole milk to a creamy consistency.

5. Assemble The Pistachio Latte, And Enjoy!

Stir 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tsp of brown sugar into the coffee or espresso. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of pistachio syrup. Pour coffee and syrup in the steamed milk.

Voila! You’ve now got a homemade Starbucks Pistachio Latte! Enjoy this as a hot pistachio coffee, or make it an iced Pistachio Latte Starbucks copycat by pouring it over ice in a chilled mason jar. For an iced latte, regular cold milk works, but if you still want froth milk, use the cool milk frother setting for frothed milk. Top your hot or iced coffee with whipped cream and pistachio syrup for more visual and tasty pizazz!

For more Starbucks holiday drinks to make at home, check out some of our favourites, starting with the Chestnut Praline Latte and the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Starbucks copycats or following a simple Almond Milk Cold Brew Coffee recipe.

Final Thoughts

All you need to make a copycat Starbucks Pistachio Latte at home is espresso, milk, sugar, butter, and pistachio syrup. But true coffee connoisseurs who pride themselves on taking on challenges can make pistachio syrup from scratch using simple syrup, browned butter, pistachios, almond extract, and salt. The flavour is out of this world!