I recently whipped up an iced caramel latte that was to die for. I’ve never been a huge fan of them, to be honest, but a couple of little tweaks and it took this classic drink to the next level. Now, I’m obsessed with them and they’ve been my go-to when I don’t know what to make.
Luckily, it’s easier than you might think to make the best iced caramel latte ever and I’m going to break it all down for you.
While I use my Nespresso to make espresso shots super quickly, I’ll give you options for different types of coffee and espresso that you can use to recreate this drink.
Iced Caramel Latte Ingredients:
This drink is a fan favorite, thanks to the classic and delicious combo of caramel, milk and coffee. You will only need a few ingredients to whip up your own at home:
- Coffee: I used a double espresso Nespresso pod. You can use any espresso or even make shots with instant espresso. The hot coffee melts the caramel. If you want to use cold brew, use a strong one and you may want to use a caramel syrup instead, which is thinner and will dissolve into the cold coffee. I use my Nespresso Vertuoline machine to make espresso and it makes it so easy.
- Caramel Sauce: I like using caramel sauce for this. It adds the perfect, rich caramelly flavor. The hot espresso melts the caramel very quickly, so you won’t have any clumps like you might have in an iced caramel macchiato from Starbucks. You could swap this out for caramel syrup if you want to use cold brew coffee instead. But, I also use the caramel sauce for the drizzle on top of the whipped cream, too.
- Oatmilk: The name implies oatmilk and I’m a big fan of oatmilk in coffees. If you don’t like it, sub it out for whatever milk you prefer. Almondmilk is going to be the lowest in carb and sugar, but I do find that it leaves an aftertaste. The slight taste of oatmilk plays so well with coffee and syrups, so it has really edged ahead as my preferred choice. I try to buy a protein oatmilk that also ups the protein of my homemade coffees to up to 9g of protein. Not bad for a drink!
- Whipped Cream: I looooove adding whipped cream to this drink. I recently did a taste test of whipped creams for the blog and while the post isn’t up yet, I’ll give the spoiler – this was the best one.
- Ice: Gotta have the ice. Ice, ice baby. I do not brew the coffee over ice, because it melts it and waters it down too much. I brew my espresso into an espresso cup and then let it cool while I do the rest of the drink and by then, it doesn’t melt the ice as much.
That’s it! Just a few ingredients and you’re ready to go! Some of the links above are affiliate links for things I bought with my own money and recommend. If you decide to make a purchase through my links, I may receive a commission at no cost to you.
How To Make an Iced Caramel Latte:
You won’t believe how easy it is to make this drink. I add an extra step that really gave this drink a little extra somethin’-somethin’. Can you guess what it is?
After mixing the caramel, espresso and milk, I used a hand frother to froth it for a bit. This gave the drink a lighter, slightly frothier texture that was a little bit like the brown sugar shaken espresso drinks that are so delicious. You can skip this step if you don’t have a hand frother and it’ll still be delicious.
I shared a video on my Instagram with the recipe awhile back. Check it out if you’d like to see me put it together in under 60 seconds.
View this post on Instagram
Iced Caramel Latte: Step-By-Step Directions
Let’s walk through each of the steps for putting this together.
- Brew 1-2 shots of espresso. Nobody would judge you if you added 3…or 4….
- Add 1-2 tbsp of caramel sauce to a glass. If using caramel syrup instead, use 2-3 tbsp of syrup. The sauce is richer and sweeter when dissolved, so you may want to use more of the syrup than you would the sauce.
- Pour hot espresso shots over caramel and stir until combined. If using cold brew or iced coffee, add about one cup of coffee.
- Add about 1 cup of milk or however much you like, depending on the size of your coffee. I find one cup of milk to 2 shots of espresso is my personal preference.
- OPTIONAL: Hand froth the mixture to give it some light frothy texture
- Add ice
- Top with whipped cream and caramel drizzle
- Enjoy!
That’s it. Seriously – it’s so easy. And, the best part, is you can add exactly as much caramel and coffee and milk as you want. It’s pretty great.
Your Questions Answered: Iced Caramel Latte
CAN I USE ANOTHER MILK BESIDES OATMILK?
Yup, use whatever you have and like in your coffee.
HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN THE ICED CARAMEL LATTE?
You’ll have caffeine from the espresso or type of coffee that you use. Typically, one shot of espresso has around 75mg of caffeine. Check out this post for more information on how much caffeine is in the coffee type you drink.
IS THE ICED CARAMEL LATTE SWEET?
This drink can be on the sweeter side and would be similar in sweetness to an iced vanilla latte.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ICED CARAMEL MACCHIATO AND AN ICED CARAMEL LATTE?
The signature quality of the iced caramel macchiato is the layers, with syrup on the bottom, milk and then coffee floating on top. An iced caramel latte has everything mixed together, much like a vanilla latte or a mocha.
CAN THE ICED CARAMEL LATTE BE MADE KETO OR LOW CALORIE?
Yes, you can reduce the calories, carbs and sugars by switching the milk for heavy cream and reducing the amount of caramel that you put in.
CAN THE ICED CARAMEL LATTE BE MADE VEGAN?
Sure thing! Use a nut based milk such as oatmilk or almond milk and use a whipped cream made from almond milk or coconut milk, too. Also, be sure to choose a caramel that doesn’t have dairy and you’ll be in business with a vegan iced caramel latte!
WHAT’S IN A STARBUCKS ICED CARAMEL LATTE?
Starbucks doesn’t have an iced caramel latte on the menu, but they do have an iced caramel macchiato, which also has caramel sauce, espresso, milk, and vanilla syrup in it. If you wanted just an iced caramel latte, you can order an iced latte and add caramel syrup. Dunkin’ Donuts has an Iced Caramel Swirl, which made my list of best drinks at Dunkin’, though, and Dutch Bros has the Golden Eagle, which has caramel and vanilla.
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Do you like iced caramel lattes? Let me know if you try this drink and what you think.
Get roasted,
A
