Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
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Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam is a Starbucks copycat recipe that combines sweet cream and cold foam recipes. The result is a whipped cream-like topping for your cold drinks and iced coffees.

Make vanilla sweet cream cold foam at home using only three ingredients! You can have this Starbucks copycat recipe on top of your favorite cold drinks in two minutes!
After that, put it on top of your favorite iced drinks, including iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken latte (pictured above), pumpkin spiced latte, summer berry refresher, iced apple crisp oat milk macchiato, cold brew coffee, and cold brew tea.
What is the Difference Between Sweet Cream and Cold Foam?
Starbucks offers two drink toppings: sweet cream and cold foam. Sweet cream is a blend of heavy cream, milk, and a touch of vanilla syrup. It is poured over coffee or cold brew and blends into your drink.
Then, there’s cold foam—think of it as a frothed light, fluffy cloud made from nonfat milk. It’s spooned on top of your iced drinks. Cold foam sits on top of your drink, slowly mixing in.
If you want the best of both worlds, Sweet Cream Cold Foam is your answer! The sweet cream is frothed into a cold foam. Then, it is spooned on top of your cold drink!
Is it Sweet Cream or Vanilla Sweet Cream?
The two terms are interchangeable. The Starbucks sweet cream recipe includes vanilla. So, regardless, if you order vanilla sweet cream or sweet cream, you’ll get the same topping.
Ingredients
- Cream: Starbucks uses 2% milk in its cold foam. The lower-fat foams better than the higher-fat milk. If you prefer an actual cream, use standard dairy cream, dairy-free cream, or coconut cream instead. The cream in the pictures is a vegan, dairy-free cream. I feel that vegan or dairy cream is closer to the Sweet Cream Cold Foam I get at Starbucks.
- Powdered Sugar: They add powdered sugar to stabilize the foam, similar to how it stabilizes whipped cream.
- Vanilla: And, of course, vanilla is there to give it flavor. Starbucks recommends vanilla extract on its webpage. However, in their stores, they use vanilla syrup. Confused? So was I! I did test the two and recommended using vanilla syrup if you have it. If not, then use vanilla extract.
Customize with your favorite syrup! Caramel goes great with cold brew!

Personalize This Recipe
- Go Vegan by using dairy-free or coconut cream.
- Make a Pumpkin Spice Sweet Cream Cold Foam by adding three tablespoons of pumpkin puree and two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to this recipe. It tastes perfect with an iced brown sugar shaken expresso or pumpkin latte!
Store sweet cream cold foam airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Refroth before adding to your iced drink.
If you tried this vanilla sweet cream cold foam or any other recipe on my blog leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla syrup*
- ¼ cup 2% milk, plant-based milk or cream*
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a bowl or a large measuring cup, mix the 2% milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Froth the Mixture: Using a frother or a blender, whip the mixture until it becomes foamy and light. This should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your equipment.
- Serve: Spoon the cold foam over your cold brew coffee or iced coffee.
Notes
Personalize This Recipe
-
- Make Pumpkin Spice Sweet Cream Cold Foam by adding three tablespoons of pumpkin puree and two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Mix with the other ingredients and froth as usual.
- Change the flavor by replacing vanilla with your favorite flavored syrup.
First time attempting to make this ever. Didn’t have vanilla syrup but I did have vanilla chai syrup. It still tasted great!!
YEA! I am so happy you liked it. It is so easy, better and less expensive than Starbucks. My love for Starbucks has almost turned into a personal mission of teaching people how to make it at home for less.