Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte {Starbucks Copycat}

Caramel and apples are a perfect pairing and the Starbucks Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte adds espresso and creaminess to the mix. With this easy copycat recipe, you can make the iced fall drink at home!

I love when my readers request recipes from me, especially when it's a Starbucks drink I wasn't previously aware of!

When Starbucks does their seasonal launches, they often highlight just a couple drinks in their promotional materials. But once the drinks are launched, they sneak in additional drinks based on the already-in-stock ingredients.

So, while the new Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai is getting a ton of attention this fall, there also happens to be a couple other new apple drinks on the menu... Like the Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte!

Thank you to reader Chelsea for bringing this drink to my attention. Because it's super delicious and easy to make at home!

🧊 What is the Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte?

Just by hearing the name of this iced apple drink, you can tell it's going to be absolutely incredible! Apples and caramel are a match made in heaven and the perfect fall combination.

Starbucks describes this drink as, "...rich espresso combined with milk and notes of apple, cinnamon and brown sugar, served over ice. Topped with silky-smooth salted caramel cream cold foam for a savory-meets-sweet beverage that is perfect for those crisp fall days."

It has a few different components to it: the apple brown sugar syrup, espresso, and salted caramel cold foam.

All are easy to make at home and there are also lots of easy store-bought shortcuts you can take!

🗒 Ingredients

As I mentioned, there are a few different components to the drink and you can make each of them from scratch at home or take some shortcuts.

Here's what you'll need (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Ice
• Apple brown sugar syrup: you can use the recipe I provide or buy a bottle. You can actually buy Starbucks Apple Brown Sugar Syrup, but it's generally quite pricey. As an alternative, you can mix together an apple syrup and a brown sugar syrup.
• Brewed espresso: you can use any kind of espresso you want or even strongly brewed coffee.
• 2% milk: you can use the dairy or non-dairy alternative of your choice, but the standard Starbucks drink uses 2% milk.
• Salted caramel cold foam: I provide an easy recipe for making this, too, and will list what you need below.
• Caramel sauce: for drizzling over the drink. Starbucks doesn't do this with theirs (unless requested), but I think it adds extra fun!

If you're making your own apple brown sugar syrup, you'll need:

• Water
• Brown sugar: I recommend using dark brown sugar for more caramel flavor, but you can certainly use light brown sugar if you prefer.
• Sliced apples
• Ground cinnamon

And for the salted caramel cold foam:

• 2% milk
• Heavy cream
• Vanilla syrup: homemade vanilla syrup or store-bought. can substitute with ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and additional tablespoon of salted caramel syrup.
• Salted caramel syrup: I show you how to make a homemade version of this, but you can also purchase salted caramel syrup.

If you want to make your own salted caramel syrup, you need:

• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

🍎 How to make apple syrup

Though you can easily purchase simple syrups in all different flavors, making your own at home is super easy, too!

This apple brown sugar syrup is on constant rotation in my house during the fall months. Not only will it make your house smell so good, but it has so many uses.

To make it, put sugar, water, sliced apples, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until mixture has thickened and apples have softened.

Strain mixture into a bowl, being sure to press down on the apples with a wooden spoon or spatula in order to extract as much juice as possible.

Keep syrup in bowl or pour into a mason jar and place in fridge to cool completely before using.

The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.

🥛 How to make caramel cold foam

Starbucks loves putting cold foams on their drinks these days and there are so many ways you can flavor them.

For the flavors, they generally use their vanilla sweet cream cold foam and add other flavored syrup (or powders to it).

You'll need to make this element at home, but you can purchase the salted caramel syrup. I also share how to make homemade salted caramel syrup in the recipe card on this post (I also have a whole caramel syrup recipe post; just be sure to incorporate ½ teaspoon salt when you add the vanilla).

You can also purchase or make vanilla syrup using this recipe. If you want to skip this altogether, simply add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and an additional tablespoon of salted caramel syrup to the foam.

The salted caramel cold foam is really easy to make!

Just add the milk, cream, vanilla syrup, and salted caramel syrup to a mason jar and shake to combine. Alternatively, you can stir all ingredients together in a bowl.

If you're not using right away, keep in an airtight container in the fridge. You can use this salted caramel sweet cream as is if you want.

When you're ready to make the drink, whip the sweet cream into cold foam.

You can either use an electric frother, hand mixer, or blender. Just add about ⅓ of the sweet cream and froth, mix, or blend until the mixture turns into a foam.

Alternatively, you can shake the mixture in a mason jar until it's frothy.

I like using my little electric frother.

One batch of sweet cream should make enough cold foam for about three Iced Caramel Apple Cream Lattes.

🧋 How to make the drink

Now that you have all the elements, you're ready to whip up the drink!

Add apple brown sugar syrup and espresso to a glass filled with ice.

Pour milk into glass. Stir if desired. Otherwise the syrup and espresso will mostly sit on the bottom of the cup.

And top drink off with about ⅓ cup of the salted caramel cold foam.

I personally think this drink looks so much prettier with a caramel sauce on it, so I drizzle a little over the cold foam.

It doesn't come like this with the standard order at Starbucks, but if you're ordering the Caramel Apple Latte, you can request it!

🎉 Variations on recipe

In fact, you can order this with lots of additions and substitutions at Starbucks. And you can make any of those alternations in your copycat Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte, too.

Here are some ideas:

• In addition to the caramel drizzle, line the cup with caramel.
  
• Sprinkle cinnamon over the drink for more fall flavor.
  
• If you want the drink to be sweeter or to have more apple flavor, you can add more of the syrup.
  
• Add a cinnamon dolce syrup for more cinnamon flavor.
  
• Add an extra espresso shot if you want!
  
• Try using blonde espresso if you want to mellow out the coffee flavor a bit.
  
• Starbucks uses 2% milk for this latte, but you can use any kind of milk or non-dairy alternative you want. Oat milk, almond milk, or skim milk would all work well. You can also use different kinds of dairy for the cold foam, but you may need to experiment a bit since all milks foam differently. You can see how they make nondairy cold foams here.

And, of course, I'll be continuing to add to my repository of fall Starbucks drink recipes every time they add new ones to the menu!

Feel free to request any you want to see me make in the comments below.

I obviously think the Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte is best enjoyed with apple cider donuts. But it also makes the perfect afternoon pick-me-up as is.

What's your favorite apple drink at Starbucks?

📖 Recipe