This Iced Vanilla Latte is one of the easiest lattes you can make! The flavors are so simple but so delicious! This latte is made with homemade vanilla syrup and it's inspired by the popular Starbucks Iced Vanilla Latte. The syrup takes 10 minutes to make and calls for just 3 ingredients! This recipe is totally foolproof and so good.
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Why This Recipe Works
Easy and simple - There really is beauty in simplicity! The recipe only calls for espresso, oat milk, vanilla syrup, and ice. The syrup is homemade with only 3 simple ingredients and it makes the latte so delicious! Once you have the syrup, the latte only takes less than 5 minutes to make which is ideal for busy mornings.
Great hot or iced - Although the recipe is for an iced latte, you can make it both hot or iced. The process will be the exact same. You'll just need to warm up your milk and skip the ice! This way you can make this during warm summer days as well as in the winter!
Better than Starbucks - Homemade vanilla syrup makes this latte just as delicious as your local Starbucks. Plus, you'll know exactly how much sugar is in it and that there are only high-quality ingredients going in.
Cheaper - Making your favorite coffee drink in the comfort of your own home is not only delicious but also cheaper! This homemade latte is a fraction of the cost of buying coffee at a coffee shop every morning! Perfect for days you want to make a cafe-quality coffee without having to leave your house!
Ingredients
- Cane sugar - I prefer using cane sugar for most homemade syrups, especially for this one. Vanilla is a very soft mellow flavor that could easily get overpowered by the flavor of a less neutral sugar.
- Vanilla - You can use any form of vanilla you prefer to make the syrup. The easiest way to add good vanilla flavor is vanilla extract. It yields clear smooth syrup. If you want the pretty little black specs, use vanilla bean paste. To make it extra fancy, use a whole vanilla bean split in half.
- Espresso - Freshly brewed espresso is the best option but you can also use strong brewed coffee or cold brew coffee if you don't have an espresso machine. I like a medium roast or blonde roast espresso.
- Milk - You can use any milk you'd normally use to make a latte. I used oat milk in this recipe.
Variations and Substitutions
Sugar-free - You can use a sugar replacement instead of the cane sugar if you prefer. Keep in mind that the sugar you use might alter the flavor of the syrup.
Brown sugar - If you like the more molasses flavor of brown sugar, you can use that instead of cane sugar.
Make it hot - To turn this iced latte into a hot drink, skip the ice and warm up your milk. You can do this either on the stove or in a milk frother.
Different coffee - You can use regular brewed strong coffee, cold brew coffee, french press, or instant coffee. A latte is normally made with espresso which is stronger than regular coffee so you will have to adjust the quantity. I use Nespresso pods in my Nespresso machine but you can also grind your own coffee beans for a regular espresso maker.
Different milk - I used oat milk but whole milk, reduced-fat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any plant-based milk all work great! I advise against canned coconut milk, it's too thick. You can however use boxed coconut milk if you prefer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Vanilla Syrup
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- Add a cup of sugar, water, and a sliced vanilla bean to a medium saucepan. (If you’re using vanilla extract, only add sugar and water.)
- Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if you’re not using a whole vanilla bean.
- Transfer the syrup into a glass jar. If you used a whole vanilla bean, discard it.
- Wait for it to cool completely before closing it with a lid. Store it in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Iced Vanilla Latte
- Start by brewing your espresso.
- While it’s brewing, fill a tall glass with ice and add milk of choice and vanilla syrup.
- Pour the two shots of espresso over the milk and serve with a straw.
- Optionally, you can garnish with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Enjoy!
Storing
Fridge: Store the syrup in an airtight jar in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Freezer: If you're not able to use up all the syrup leftovers, you can freeze the syrup in an ice cube tray and add to drinks as needed.
FAQs
Yes, totally! To make things even easier, you can use store-bought syrup like Monin or Torani. Those are usually my two go-tos.
You can make the syrup with a sugar substitute instead of cane sugar to make a sugar-free latte. Keep in mind that a different sweetener might change the flavor of the syrup.
Other Starbucks-Inspired Lattes
Below are four of my favorite Starbucks coffee drinks similar to this one. They're pretty easy to make and so delicious. The first two call for homemade syrups but I promise they're still easy to make and so good!
- Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte (with homemade cinnamon syrup)
- Pecan Crunch Oat Milk Latte (with homemade butter pecan syrup)
- Iced Hazelnut Latte (with homemade hazelnut syrup)
- Iced Caramel Macchiato (store-bought caramel sauce)
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha (white chocolate chips, no need for a sauce)
📖 Recipe
Iced Vanilla Latte
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Iced Vanilla Latte is one of the easiest lattes you can make! It's made with homemade vanilla syrup and it's inspired by the popular Starbucks Iced Vanilla Latte.
Ingredients
Vanilla Syrup
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise (see notes)
Iced Vanilla Latte
- 2 shots espresso
- Ice
- ½-1 cup milk (I used oat milk)
- 1-2 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- Garnish: whipped cream (I used coconut milk whipped cream), rainbow sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Vanilla Syrup
- Add cane sugar, water, and a sliced vanilla bean to a medium saucepan. (If you’re using vanilla extract, only add sugar and water.)
- Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if you’re not using a whole vanilla bean.
- Transfer the syrup into a glass jar. You can keep the vanilla in the jar or discard it.
- Wait for it to cool completely before closing with a lid and store in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Iced Vanilla Latte
- Start by brewing your espresso.
- While it’s brewing, fill a tall glass with ice and add milk and vanilla syrup.
- Pour the two shots of espresso over the milk and serve with a straw.
- Optionally, you can garnish with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want clear smooth syrup just like store-bought vanilla syrup, use vanilla extract. If you want the black specs, use vanilla bean paste in the same ratio as vanilla extract or one vanilla bean.
- The syrup makes enough for about 10-12 servings if you use 2 tablespoon per serving.
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Veronika says
I used Monin vanilla syrup for this latte but I'm glad I followed the recipe to learn all the right measurements. Saving money on coffee never tasted better!