This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
Starbucks recently released their Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew and you’re going to love its salted caramel cinnamon roll flavor. Surprisingly, it’s not too sweet, and it’s easy to make at home with regular cold brew or with velvety smooth nitro cold brew.
If you’re a black coffee or strictly coffee-and-cream kind of person, hear me out before you go!
If that’s the case and you aren’t very interested in this drink at first glance, I get it. Personally, I like my coffee strong with a splash of heavy cream. No sugar, syrup, or other sweetener. Without whip on top. No fuss, no frills, lol.
But!
This coffee tastes like a cinnamon-spiced gooey caramel sticky bun in coffee form.
It’s not the type of coffee drink I’d have first thing in the morning, but rather, as a mid-morning or early-afternoon treat instead of a pastry.
If you like cinnamon buns or salted caramel or both, give this Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew a try!
And if you happen to have a nitro coffee maker, you can make this into a Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew with just one easy additional step.
Starbucks Copycat Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew Recipe With or Without Nitro Coffee
The cinnamon caramel syrup that we use in this drink is also new at Starbucks. Similar to regular simple syrup (aka, sugar and water boiled together), it’s very easy to make.
For the cinnamon caramel syrup, we let the sugar caramelize before adding most of the water, and then infuse the sweet syrup with a cinnamon stick (or two). Try this cinnamon infused syrup as a sweetener for tea too – it’s delicious!
Ingredients in Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew
Cinnamon Caramel Syrup Ingredients:
- Sugar – we cook the sugar until it starts to turn amber in color and caramelizes; this adds complex notes of caramel in addition to sweetness
- Water – to dissolve the sugar and create a syrup
- Cinnamon stick – if you don’t have a cinnamon stick, you can use a generous pinch of ground cinnamon instead
Cinnamon Sweet Cream Cold Foam Ingredients:
- Heavy whipping cream – this is what makes sweet cream cold foam thick and rich
- Whole milk – to thin out the cream and make it pourable
- Vanilla syrup – this is simple syrup flavored with vanilla to add sweetness and flavor; you can substitute with powdered sugar + vanilla instead (see the Notes in the recipe card below for instructions)
- Ground cinnamon – this is to make cinnamon sweet cream cold foam; omit it if you want vanilla sweet cream cold foam instead
Pro Tip: For Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Simply omit the ground cinnamon.
Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkle Topping Ingredients:
- Granulated white sugar – this is the sweetener in our cinnamon dolce sprinkles
- Nonfat powdered milk – this transforms plain old cinnamon sugar (which is still delicious!) into cinnamon dolce sprinkles; you can also find it labeled dry milk or milk powder
- Ground cinnamon – creates the sweet, warmly spiced cinnamon sugar flavor
- Salt – to enhance the flavor of everything else
- Butter extract – makes this cinnamon dolce sprinkle topping taste like a cinnamon bun pastry
You can read more about Starbucks copycat cinnamon dolce sprinkles here.
Other Ingredients:
- Cold brew coffee – you can make your own cold brew coffee or buy pre-made cold brew coffee; if you have a nitro coffee maker, take this drink one step further and make a Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew
- Ice cubes – there is some controversy as to whether nitro cold brew coffee should have ice cubes in it; I say, do what you like! Add the ice if you want, whether you make a regular Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew or a Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew
How to Make Starbucks Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew at Home
Step 1: Make the Cinnamon Caramel Syrup:
Add the sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking until it’s golden amber in color, and swirling the saucepan to help the sugar dissolve.
Turn the heat down to low and stir in the rest of the water (4 tablespoons), continuing to stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil.
Remove from the heat and then cover the saucepan and let the cinnamon stick steep in the sugar syrup until it’s cooled to room temperature.
Step 2: Make the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:
Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Use a whisk or a handheld electric mixer to beat until the mixture starts to thicken, but is still pourable.
Step 3: Make the Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkle Topping:
Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 4: Coffee:
If You’re Making This Drink with Regular Cold Brew Coffee:
To each of 4 glasses, add: 1/2 cup ice cubes and 8 ounces cold brew coffee, and then stir in about 1 tablespoon cinnamon caramel syrup. Top with 1/4 of the cinnamon sweet cream cold foam, and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon dolce sprinkle topping. Enjoy!
If You’re Making Nitro Cold Brew Coffee:
Add coffee to a nitro cold brew canister. (Note that if you’re making 4 drinks, you might need to nitrogenate the coffee in 2 batches depending on the size and capacity of your nitro coffee maker.)
Once you add the coffee, seal the canister and then charge it with a nitrogen cartridge. Shake the canister for about 30 seconds. Turn the canister upside down and dispense the coffee into 4 glasses.
If desired, add 1/2 cup ice cubes to each glass. Stir in about 1 tablespoon cinnamon caramel syrup. Top with 1/4 of the cinnamon sweet cream cold foam, and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon dolce sprinkle topping. Enjoy!
Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew FAQs
Are Sweet Cream and Sweet Cream Cold Foam at Starbucks the Same?
No, sweet cream and sweet cream cold foam at Starbucks aren’t the same. They are quite similar though!
One of the main differences is how they’re used.
Sweet cream is poured into a beverage and meant to be mixed in. It’s like adding a sweet flavored creamer to your coffee.
On the other hand, sweet cream cold foam is thicker and creamier. It’s poured on top of a drink, and meant to float on top.
What is Sweet Cream at Starbucks?
Sweet cream at Starbucks is essentially their version of creamer. It’s creamy and sweet with a hint of vanilla flavor. In their description of the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, Starbucks describes vanilla sweet cream as cascading through the cup.
What’s in Vanilla Sweet Cream at Starbucks?
According to Starbucks, their vanilla sweet cream contains the following: cream (which contains cream, mono and diglycerides, and carrageenan), milk, and vanilla syrup (which contains sugar, water, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, and citric acid).
What is Sweet Cream Cold Foam at Starbucks?
To make sweet cream cold foam at Starbucks, they start with their sweet cream and whip it until it’s slightly thickened and frothy.
This brings together the airy, delicate froth of their cold foam with the rich, lusciousness of whipped cream for the perfect balance.
What Flavors of Sweet Cream Cold Foam Does Starbucks Have?
Starbucks has quite a few different flavors of sweet cream cold foam available on the regular menu:
- Cinnamon Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- Pistachio Cream Cold Foam
- Chocolate Cream Cold Foam
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Foam
Additionally, there are a few sweet cream cold foam flavors on the Starbucks seasonal menu as, such as:
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- Peppermint Mocha Cream Cold Foam
And there are even some sweet cream cold foam flavors on the Starbucks secret menu, for example:
- Matcha Cold Foam – ask for sweet vanilla cream cold foam with matcha blended in
Is Sweet Cream Cold Foam Made From Heavy Cream?
Yes, there is heavy cream in sweet cream cold foam.
However, if you just order “cold foam” (instead of sweet cream cold foam), there is no heavy cream.
Regular cold foam at Starbucks is made with nonfat milk, which has more protein and less fat than 2% or whole milk. Therefore, it yields frothed milk that’s more stable (and stays frothy longer!).
What’s the Difference Between Nitro Cold Brew and Regular Cold Brew?
Cold brew is coffee that’s brewed without heat. The coffee grounds are steeped in room temperature water for 12 to 24 hours. The resulting cold brew is less bitter and acidic, and has more nuanced flavor notes. You can read more about cold brew coffee in this post.
Nitro cold brew takes cold brew coffee one step further and infuses it with nitrogen. You can read all about nitro cold brew in this post.
More Starbucks Copycat Drinks to Make
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Starbucks Copycat Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew Recipe (With or Without Nitro Coffee)
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Equipment
- Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Maker (to make Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew)
- N2 Cartridge (to make Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew)
Ingredients
Cinnamon Caramel Syrup:
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 6 tablespoons water divided into 2 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons, at room temperature
- 1 cinnamon stick or 2 cinnamon sticks for more intense cinnamon flavor
Cinnamon Sweet Cream Cold Foam:
- 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 4 teaspoons vanilla syrup see Notes
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkle Topping:
- 1/2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- 1 1/8 teaspoons nonfat powdered milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 drop butter extract optional
Other:
- 32 ounces cold brew coffee 8 ounces per serving
- 2 cups ice cubes optional
Instructions
For the Cinnamon Caramel Syrup:
- Add the sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking until it’s golden amber in color, and swirling the saucepan to help the sugar dissolve.
- Turn the heat down to low and stir in the rest of the water (4 tablespoons), continuing to stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and then cover the saucepan and let the cinnamon stick steep in the sugar syrup until it’s cooled to room temperature.
For the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam:
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Use a whisk or a handheld electric mixer to beat until the mixture starts to thicken, but is still pourable (see Notes below).
For the Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkle Topping:
- Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl.
If You’re Making This Drink with Regular Cold Brew Coffee:
- To each of 4 glasses, add: 1/2 cup ice cubes and 8 ounces cold brew coffee, and then stir in about 1 tablespoon cinnamon caramel syrup. Top with 1/4 of the cinnamon sweet cream cold foam, and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon dolce sprinkle topping. Enjoy!
If You’re Making Nitro Cold Brew Coffee:
- Add coffee to the nitro cold brew canister. (Note that if you’re making 4 drinks, you might need to nitrogenate the coffee in 2 batches depending on the size and capacity of your nitro coffee maker.)
- Once you add the coffee, seal the canister and then charge it with a nitrogen cartridge. Shake the canister for about 30 seconds. Turn the canister upside down and dispense the coffee into 4 glasses.
- If desired, add 1/2 cup ice cubes to each glass. Stir in about 1 tablespoon cinnamon caramel syrup. Top with 1/4 of the cinnamon sweet cream cold foam, and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon dolce sprinkle topping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cold Brew Coffee: You can make your own cold brew coffee or buy pre-made cold brew coffee.
- Cinnamon Carmel Syrup: You can make this ahead of time and store it covered in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 month. I recommend making a double or triple batch if you want extra; leave the cinnamon stick in the syrup to steep longer if you want a more intense cinnamon flavor.
- Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkle Topping: For best flavor, store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Vanilla Simple Syrup: You can use store-bought vanilla simple syrup, or make your own vanilla simple syrup, or substitute with powdered sugar and vanilla instead. To make your own vanilla simple syrup, add 1 cup of sugar, 3/4 cup of water, and 1 vanilla bean pod (split in half lengthwise) to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature, and then transfer to a glass jar and store covered in the fridge for up to 1 month. To substitute with powdered sugar and vanilla instead, use 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- For the Sweet Cream Cold Foam: If you prefer, instead of a handheld electric mixer, you can use a blender, milk frother, or just add everything to a mason jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake until thickened. You can store sweet cream cold foam in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, just froth it again before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
does it matter if i don’t include the powdered milk in the cinnamon dolce ?
KC, The flavor will be a little different, but the recipe will still work fine.
I’m trying to make this bug my syrup never turns amber and then it starts to harden. What am I doing wrong?
Carrie, It sounds like your syrup might be crystalizing. To help prevent this, you can try brushing down the sides of the pan with pure water (not the sugar water that’s in the pan) as the syrup cooks. Also, try cooking it over a lower temperature (such as medium-low instead of medium) to cook it a little slower. One other thing, I recommend using a stainless steel pan instead of nonstick if you have it available. I hope this helps!