Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew Recipe: So Easy To Make At Home!

Starbucks’ vanilla sweet cream cold brew recipe is a refreshing take on the smooth, chocolatey plain cold brew coffee. Topped by a pillow of homemade vanilla sweet cream, this slightly sweetened cold brew coffee is dangerously addictive.

But you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy it. With a little patience and time, you can make this delicious Starbucks copycat recipe at home.

Read on for Home Grounds’ take on this recipe.

Now, if you plan to DIY some of the ingredients, here’s a detailed list of what you’ll need.

For the cold brew concentrate:

• ½ cup dark roast, coarsely ground coffee beans
• ½ cup medium roast, coarsely ground coffee beans
• 32 ounces room-temperature water
• 32-ounce French press or 32-ounce mason jar
• Coffee filters, optional

For the vanilla syrup:

• 2 cups room-temperature water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract, or ⅛ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Cheesecloth, paper coffee filters, or fine mesh sieve

For the DIY vanilla cold foam:

• 4 ounces heavy whipping cream
• 2-3 teaspoons powdered sugar, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla syrup
• One 32-ounce French press, chilled
• Milk frother, optional

The Science Behind Cold Brew

Cold brew coffee is a fundamentally different drink than conventional, filter coffee. Everything — from the acidity to the balance of the cup profile — is drastically changed by the simple process of steeping coarsely ground coffee beans at room temperature for several hours.

Why? This is because the contact between hot water and coffee grounds extracts certain aromatic compounds at a faster rate. Some of these compounds are responsible for the bitter, astringent flavors we often associate with burned coffee (1).

In 2015, Starbucks wanted to develop a smoother cold coffee beverage. While it already had iced coffee on the menu, cold brew offered a unique, naturally sweet cup profile that could be combined with milder flavors (2).

How to Make Homemade Cold Brew Coffee

To make cold brew at home, you’ll just need a few simple tools: a 32-ounce French press, some cheesecloth or paper coffee filters, and a half-and-half blend of dark roast and medium roast coffee beans.

Why the blend? Combining these two roast levels yields a full-bodied cup with brighter, citrus notes and darker, more complex chocolatey and nutty notes.

While you can let your coffee beans steep in the fridge, we’ve found that letting our cold brew steep at room temperature produces a more balanced cup. Finally, once the cold brew is ready, you can refine the cup even more by passing the cold brew coffee through paper filters or cheesecloth.

How to make vanilla sweet cream cold brew

Finally, as in our vanilla iced coffee and Irish cream cold brew recipes, we’ll need to put together a simple homemade vanilla sweet cream. But before you make this vanilla sweet cream, be sure you’ve made and chilled your vanilla syrup first.

What Is in Starbucks Sweet Cream?

Starbucks adds heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla syrup to their vanilla sweet cream recipe. Yet, to make this a sugar-free vanilla sweet cream cold brew coffee, you’ll need to replace the granulated and brown sugars with a sugar substitute, like monkfruit, in both the syrup and cold foam.

And with that, let’s make this Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

More Starbucks Cold Brew Recipes Here

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

Irish Cream Cold Brew Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Recipe (Starbucks Copycat to Make at Home)

How to Make the Starbucks’ Vanilla Cream Cold Brew at Home (Copycat Recipe)

Cold brew coffee is among the most popular coffee drinks to order in Starbucks on a hot, summer day. Aromatic, full-bodied, and naturally sweet, this cold brew coffee is a great low-calorie way to get your caffeine fix.

So, while Starbucks’ plain cold brew coffee is great, sometimes, an especially stressful week demands a treat: the Starbucks Vanilla Cream Cold Brew.

1. Make Your Batch of Cold Brew

In a 32-ounce French press or mason jar, combine ½ cup of dark roast, coarsely ground coffee beans and ½ cup of medium roast, coarsely ground coffee beans. Add 32 ounces of room-temperature water and let it sit on your countertop for at least 16 hours —though 20 hours is better.

2. Make the Vanilla Syrup

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of room-temperature water, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup packed brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer on medium heat.

Once the simple syrup is at a low simmer, add 1 scraped vanilla bean, ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste. Let this simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it’s thoroughly combined.

Once 20 minutes have elapsed, take the vanilla syrup off the heat, and let it cool completely before straining. This vanilla syrup will be good for at least six months if you store it in a sealed jar or airtight container.

3. Make the homemade vanilla sweet cream

In a 32-ounce chilled French press, add 4 ounces of cold, heavy whipping cream, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup, and 2-3 teaspoons of powdered sugar. Stir to combine.

Then, gently place the lid on top and start incorporating air using the French press’s plunger until it almost doubles in volume. This can take anywhere from 5-8 minutes, but if your French press is sufficiently chilled, this process will take less time.

4. Assemble the Vanilla Cream Cold Brew

In a chilled 16-ounce glass, start by adding your ice cubes, then 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla syrup, 6 ounces of cold brew coffee concentrate, and 6 ounces of cold water. Stir to combine.

Finish your drink off with a generous dollop of vanilla sweet cream. And if you’re entertaining guests, garnish the vanilla sweet cream cold brew with 2-3 dark chocolate-covered espresso beans and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Final Thoughts

This Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is an easy way to elevate your plain, cold brew coffee to a decadent, afternoon treat. Pair this Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew Starbucks copycat recipe with a slice of pound cake or a refreshing fruit parfait.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy this Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew? Drop us a comment below, tag and follow us on  Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or chat with us in our Home Grounds Facebook group.