If you’ve ever started tracking the calories, carbs and sugar in those fluffy coffee drinks, you were probably as shocked as I was. I had no idea that one frappuccino could be upwards of 400-500 calories or a single Dutch Bros coffee could ring in at 80 grams of carbs. Ouch!
While picking up my favorite coffee is usually a treat and I don’t mind splurging occasionally, there are days when I just need to pick up a quick coffee and I don’t want to spend all my calories on a drink.
But, it’s not just as easy as trying one of those recommended drinks on Instagram that are low calorie and low carb. I try them, but usually can’t take more thane 2 drinks of the thing because it tastes like feet.
So, if you’re anything like me and prefer your drink to have some flavor and be a little bit sweet, these are the low calorie drink ideas at Starbucks for you. All of these drinks are 100 calories or none of them require sugar-free vanilla. You can sub out the vanilla for sugar-free for even less calories, but if you can’t stand it like me, you don’t have to use it at all.
I hope you find a new low calorie, healthier Starbucks drink for those days when you need some caffeine without all the carbs.
Best Tasting, Low Calorie Starbucks Coffee Drinks:
Let’s start at the top with drinks that are 100 calories and work our way down to the lowest calorie coffee drinks that are still worth drinking. If you’re looking for drinks that are lower in sugar instead, check out this list of the best low sugar Starbucks drinks.
1. Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso:
I really like this one when I want something with vanilla flavor that has less calories, sugar and carbs. The tall sized version made normal, without any substitutions, comes in at exactly 100 calories, with 17g of carbs and only 8g of sugar. Woohoo!
The frothy, shaken espressos are so good and really makes the drink taste and feel so much more decadent. I recently shared a short reel on my Instagram to show you the drink, too:
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2. White Chocolate Shaken Espresso:
If you’re a fan of white chocolate and thought you’d have to give it up for good, you may love this alternative. The inclusion of white chocolate syrup helps to hide the aftertaste of the sugar-free vanilla. You can go for one pump regular vanilla syrup to add in a little bit more calories, but avoid the aftertaste, which is what I do. This one is courtesy of @themacrobarista:
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3. Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso:
One of my FAVORITE drinks at Starbucks right now – and thank goodness it’s low in calories, too, with a tall just 90 calories and 10g of sugar. The shaken espresso gives it a delicious froth and the brown sugar syrup is warmer and darker than a regular sugar syrup. We love it so much, we made our own brown sugar syrup at home and created a copycat drink that is muy delicioso!
Check out those recipes here:
4. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew:
This is one of the best drinks at Starbucks. And, it’ll blow your mind that made as is with no substitutions, the tall is just 90 calories and the grande is just 110 calories.. Yup. Totally worth it. If you wanted to make it less calories, just ask for less sweet cream. We love this drink so much, we wrote an entire post on it – check it out here.
To recreate this recipe at home, you can use a Nespresso to make espresso shots or use an espresso machine. Check out that recipe here.
5. Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso:
This is an innovative drink that gives chocolate lovers a lower calorie option that still tastes great. If you’re struggling with giving up your mocha frapp or your iced white mocha (which is around 400 calories), you’ll enjoy this grande drink with 110 calories or a tall with only 80 calories and plenty of chocolately flavor. Delicious!
6. Twix Cold Brew (SECRET MENU):
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This is another one of the much better tasting low calorie drinks I’ve seen and tried. To order, ask for: A grande cold brew with one pump mocha syrup, one pump caramel syrup, a splash of half ‘n half and light caramel drizzle in the cup. To get your calories even lower, skip the drizzle!
I recently tried this one and shared it over on my Instagram. Follow me there to find out about what I’m making and drinking first!
7. Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew:
A nitro cold brew version of our favorite drink, the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, has even less calories and more caffeien when made with nitro cold brew. A tall has Guess what we’ll be getting next time? Yup! A grande is just 70 calories!
8. Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato:
Not ready to give up your caramel macchiatos? I don’t blame one bit! I do not like using sugar-free vanilla and would rather have less pumps of syrup than to use sugar-free, so this is what I do to get it down to just 70 calories in a grande!
Here’s how to order: A grande shaken espresso with one pump of caramel sauce, one pump of vanilla and oat milk.
It’s not going to be as sweet as you’re used to, but will have a similar flavor profile with no after taste!
9. Iced Chai Brown Sugar Latte:
I love Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Lattes AND the Starbucks Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso – so this mishmash drink was right up my alley. To order, ask for a tall shaken espresso, one pump chai, one pump brown sugar syrup and oat milk.
You’ll have even less carbs and calories if you go for almond milk, but I prefer oat milk! Around 57 calories and 15g of carbs!
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Tips For Reducing Calories in Starbucks Drinks:
There are ways that you can reduce your calories, but still enjoy the drinks you love. For some of us, black cold brew is just never going to cut it.
Here are some guides and tips to help you figure out how you can make your Starbucks drink healthier and lower in calories.
1. Reduce your classic:
If you like sweetener, but want to reduce calories, count how many pumps. Each pump is 20 calories. A grande typically has 4 pumps. If you reduced your sweetener by half, you could cut those calories in half, too. Maybe reduce pumps one at a time and see how it goes. Over time, your taste buds will adapt.
2. Say “no whip”:
I know, this hurts me, too, because they have the BEST whip cream ever. But, the whip has about 80-110 calories depending on amount. So, say no to the whip and cut your calories.
3. Consider Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:
The Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam has 90 calories in a tall and 110 in a grande. If you put that on unsweetened cold brew, you would have a drink for 140 calories or so, but the cold foam will give it plenty of sweetness. This would be a better route than lots of classic or syrups added and you would have the creaminess and texture from the cold foam to make the drink more velvety.
4. Get a smaller size:
I figured out that a small in my favorite Dutch Bros drink significantly reduced my calories, carbs and sugars. Now, I can get a tall occasionally, drink it all without guilt, and move on with my life, rather than drink a medium or large and feel like I totally blew my health goals. Try the same thing. If you absolutely need your favorite drink, get it, but in the smallest size available.
5. Get it blended:
Some days you just want that frappuccino, but unless you’re getting a plain coffee frappe with no whip, you’re getting pretty high in calorie. Why not get one of these drinks, but blended, like a vanilla sweet cream cold brew blended, for your own frappuccino with much less calories!
6. Switch to Almond Milk:
Are you getting milk substitutes? Almond milk is going to have less carbs and calories than oat milk and will usually have a similar taste.
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I’ll keep adding to this list as I discover more Starbucks coffee drinks that can be made skinnier or are low calorie as is.
For even more Starbucks drinks to try, check out these posts:
- 17 TikTok Inspired Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
- 12 Starbucks Drinks Under 200 Calories
- The Starbucks Pup Cup: A Puppuccino for your Pet!
- 14 Best Starbucks Iced Coffee Drinks
- 18 Delicious Starbucks Drinks for Kids
Hope you found something you’re excited to try at Starbucks!
Get roasted,
A
