As Mariah Carey says, “It’s tiiime”… time for Starbucks holiday drinks that is! For many of us, the holiday season doesn’t officially start until Starbucks releases its signature holiday beverage menu and kicks off its Starbucks for Life game. Personally, I am a big fan of Starbucks’ Caramel Brulée Latte (and the famous holiday cups). However, I am not a big fan of spending $6+ every day for my seasonal favorite, so I figured out how to replicate the recipe easily right in your own kitchen for a fraction of the price!
The Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte has developed a cult following due to its unique, rich flavor that is reminiscent of winter in a cup! Luckily, it’s easier to recreate than you might think.
Can I Really Re-Create the Caramel Brulée Latte?
First things first, what is a Caramel Brulée Latte? According to Starbucks themselves, it is a “combination of espresso, steamed milk and caramel brulée sauce, finished with whipped cream and a caramel brulée topping.”
When you order a Caramel Brulée Latte at Starbucks, your barista starts by adding pumps of flavored syrup to the cup, then steaming the milk of your choice. While the milk is steaming, the espresso is being brewed for your beverage of choice. Unlike the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, all of the elements are combined and blended in one cup, and topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of a special holiday topping.
There are a few obvious differences when duplicating this recipe in your kitchen. You won’t have access to the specialty Starbucks Caramel Brulée syrup or holiday topping, but there are some simple ways you can duplicate the flavors of these ingredients and create an equally delicious drink that tastes barista-made!
Below we’ve got recipes for a classic Copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte and a Skinny Caramel Brulée Latte! The most important peice of all though, is knowing how to create the Caramel Brulée Holiday Sprinkle Topping. Don’t worry we’ve got you covered for that, too!
Starbucks’ Caramel Brulée Holiday Sprinkle Topping
Before we jump into the latte recipes, let’s learn how to make the topping. Sure, you can buy a pre-made sugar topping, but this one is about as close as you can get to the Starbucks topping without bribing a barista to sell you a bottle of it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step 2: Mix sugar and salt. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper.
Step 3: Spread the sugar mixture evenly onto parchment paper. Bake at 450 for a few minutes until it begins to caramelize. Remove from the oven when it is golden brown in color.
Step 4: Allow to cool completely. Break into tiny pieces, and top your coffee with your homemade sprinkle topping!
DIY Copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte
This is as close as it gets to the Starbucks recipe, without having access to the Starbucks syrups, mixes, and machines. You can swap out different kinds of milk and sweeteners until you come up with the perfect drink to suit your tastes!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of brewed espresso or dark blend coffee (leftover brewed coffee from the morning works great!)
- 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk
- 1 tbsp. French vanilla syrup (can be purchased at most grocery stores or online here)
- 1 tbsp. caramel sauce (can be purchased at most grocery stores or online here)
- 2 packets of sweetener of your choice (sugar, Splenda, Stevia, etc.)
- Whipped cream (optional)
Directions
Step 1: Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat. Once warm, whisk for about 30 seconds until frothy.
Step 2: Pour vanilla syrup and caramel sauce into the mug.
Step 3: Pour espresso or coffee into the mug.
Step 4: Pour steamed milk into the mug. Stir to combine. Top with whipped cream and brulee topping, if desired.
Copycat Starbucks Skinny Caramel Brulée Latte
If you would like to put a healthy twist on the Caramel Brulée Latte, you can easily cut calories by choosing sugar-free syrups and low-fat milk. That’s one of the main reasons I love making specialty coffees at home. Simple swaps like this make this delicious holiday drink delectable and guilt-free!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of brewed espresso or dark blend coffee (leftover brewed coffee from the morning works great!)
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk, oat milk, or almond milk
- 1 tbsp. sugar-free French vanilla syrup (can be purchased at most grocery stores or online here)
- 1 tbsp. sugar-free caramel sauce (can be purchased at most grocery stores or online here)
- 2 packets of sweetener of your choice (Splenda, Stevia, etc.)
- Fat-Free or Dairy Free Whipped cream (optional)
Step 1: Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat. Once warm, whisk for about 30 seconds until frothy.
Step 2: Pour vanilla syrup and caramel sauce into the mug.
Step 3: Pour espresso or coffee into the mug.
Step 4: Pour steamed milk into the mug. Stir to combine. Top with whipped cream and brulee topping, if desired.
You Might Also Enjoy these other Starbucks Drink Recipes
- DIY Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher
- Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
- Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade
Pin for Later: The Best DIY Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte
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