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    Home » Recipes » Beverages

    Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee

    by Mindy Boyd · Published: Apr 21, 2024 · Updated: Apr 21, 2024

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    ⏲️ 3 minutes mins
    Jump to Recipe

    Our homemade vanilla iced coffee is quick and easy making it a great way to get your caffeine fix. We make our own 3 ingredient vanilla simple syrup for this recipe, and you can too! 

    I am a huge coffee lover and am always looking for ways to take my daily cup of joe to the next level. This easy vanilla iced coffee did not disappoint! It is refreshing and flavorful. If you like caramel then you should also try my Iced Caramel Coffee, it’s also super easy.

    A tall glass with one serving of Easy Homemade Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee in it, there is a silver straw sticking out of the glass.

    I have been sort of a coffee snob my whole adult life and didn’t think I liked iced coffee. Then I tried it and was pleasantly surprised at how good it actually is. It is now my favorite way to drink coffee in the summer months. I really need to be more open minded when it comes to food. Maybe I’ll try olives on something to make sure I don’t like them. 

    A glass of iced vanilla coffee and a bottle of vanilla syrup to the left of it and a bottle of black coffee to the right of it.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to make homemade vanilla syrup
    • How to make this vanilla iced coffee recipe
    • What is vanilla iced coffee made of?
    • What is the secret to making good iced coffee?
    • What are the ingredients in Starbucks vanilla iced coffee?
    • What’s the difference between a vanilla iced coffee and a vanilla iced latte?
    • Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee
    • More popular copycat recipes…
    Overhead shot of the glass of iced coffee so the ice is visible.

    Ingredients

    See recipe card for exact measurements.

    Black coffee, milk and vanilla simple syrup in glass bottles, not measured out.

    Ingredient Notes

    coffee – we drink our daily coffee with just a little bit of milk so we make our coffee twice as strong when we are making at-home versions of our favorite coffee shop drinks. This can be made with coffee that has been allowed to cool to room temperature (or chilled in the fridge) or leftover coffee. You can also make this taste more like Starbucks if you buy their cold brew coffee, it is available at most grocery stores. 

    vanilla syrup – we make our own vanilla syrup but you can use store bought, like Torani. Making your own is much cheaper than what you can buy and you just need simple ingredients you may already have. 

    cold milk – we use whole milk most of the time because that is what we keep on-hand. You can use low-fat milk or 2% milk if that is what you have. Non dairy milk like soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk will work if you are dairy free. 

    ice – I use the ice cubes from the ice maker in my freezer, crushed ice will melt too fast so I recommend ice cubes. 

    Two glasses of Easy Homemade Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee, one has a silver metal straw and the other one doesn't.

    How to make homemade vanilla syrup

    1. Add one cup water and one cup white sugar to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, usually about 2 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract. 
    2. Cool and transfer to a jar. It can be poured into a mason jar while it is still hot.

    Alternative method using vanilla beans

    1. Add one cup of water, one cup of sugar and one vanilla bean to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
    2. Allow to cool and strain, discard the vanilla pod.

    How to make this vanilla iced coffee recipe

    1. Pour coffee into a tall glass, add milk and vanilla syrup and stir to combine.
    2. Fill the glass up the rest of the way with ice. 
    A tall glass with just the black coffee on the left and after the milk and vanilla simple syrup have been added on the right.

    What is vanilla iced coffee made of?

    Making vanilla coffee at home is super easy and is a fraction of the price when compared to what you would spend at a coffee shop. All you need is brewed coffee, vanilla syrup to provide a sweet vanilla flavor, and milk of choice. 

    Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla syrup?

    Vanilla extract and vanilla syrup are different. Vanilla extract is used in combination with equal parts water and sugar to make vanilla syrup to be used in cold drinks. The syrup is evenly distributed into the liquid, it isn’t gritty and doesn’t sink to the bottom of iced coffee drinks. 

    What is the secret to making good iced coffee?

    Brew coffee about twice as strong as you would for hot coffee when making iced coffee. 

    Overhead view of two glasses of iced coffee and the bottle of homemade vanilla syrup behind one of the glasses.

    What are the ingredients in Starbucks vanilla iced coffee?

    Iced Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte consists of 2 shots of blonde espresso, 4 pumps of vanilla syrup, 2% milk and ice. It can be customized to your liking. 

    What’s the difference between a vanilla iced coffee and a vanilla iced latte?

    An iced latte is made with espresso and iced coffee is made with brewed coffee or instant coffee. 

    There is a great article over at Majesty Coffee that takes an in-depth look at the difference between iced vanilla coffee and an iced vanilla latte. 

    A tall glass of copycat vanilla iced coffee, the recipe title in in text at the top.

    Did you love this recipe?

    We would love it if you’d leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!

    Two glasses of Easy Homemade Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee, one with a straw and one without.

    Starbucks Iced Vanilla Coffee

    Mindy Boyd
    Love Starbucks iced vanilla coffee? Now you can enjoy it at home with this simple recipe. Just combine strong coffee, vanilla syrup, and cold milk for a delicious treat.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 3 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 iced coffee

    Ingredients
      

    Vanilla Simple Syrup

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

    Vanilla Iced Coffee

    • 1/2 cup very strong coffee
    • 3/4 cup milk
    • 1 tbsp vanilla syrup
    • ice
    Get Recipe Ingredients

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    Instructions
     

    Vanilla Simple Syrup

    • Add water and white sugar to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves. 
      1 cup sugar, 1 cup water
    • Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. 
      1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
    • Allow to cool and transfer it to a jar. If using a mason jar you can pour it right into the jar and allow it to cool there. 

    Vanilla Iced Coffee

    • Pour coffee into a tall glass, add milk and vanilla syrup and stir to combine.
      1/2 cup very strong coffee, 3/4 cup milk, 1 tbsp vanilla syrup
    • Fill the glass up the rest of the way with ice. 
      ice

    Notes

    Did you make this recipe? Leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
     
    Nutritional information is approximate. 
     
    See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.
     
    Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving: 1glass | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 345mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.

    More popular copycat recipes…

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    You won’t believe how easy it is to make this copycat homemade pumpkin syrup! 

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    This  tastes just like my favorite menu item at the popular fast food chain.

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    Overhead view of 2 glasses on top and a glass of iced coffee, bottle of vanilla syrup and bottle of black coffee on the bottom, the recipe title is in text in the middle.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori says

      January 05, 2025 at 10:49 am

      5 stars
      I absolutely LOVE this recipe!! I will be making the vanilla syrup on a regular basis so I can take to work with me and make iced coffees!! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        January 05, 2025 at 11:40 am

        You’re welcome!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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