Starbucks introduced its blonde espresso a few years back, and with it, some tasty new beverages for coffee lovers to try.

One of those is the Starbucks Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte.

Now, while you’re welcome to keep ordering it at your local café, I’ve come up with a copycat recipe that tastes just as good. Here’s how to make one at home!

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What is Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte?

Before we dive into the recipe, let’s take a second to talk about what an Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte is.

An Ice Blonde Vanilla Latte is the same as an Iced Vanilla Latte, except it is made with Starbucks blonde espresso instead of regular espresso.

Blonde espresso is a type of espresso bean that hasn’t been roasted as long. As a result, they’re less bitter and less oily.

This results in a less smoky coffee with a milder crema.

Iced Blonde Vanilla Lattes contain blonde espresso, milk, vanilla syrup, and ice. They were one of the first drinks to launch when Starbucks came out with its new blonde espresso.

Delicious Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte Recipe

If you think you can’t make your own version of Starbucks drinks, you’re wrong.

This easy Blonde Vanilla Latte Iced coffee recipe is a copycat version of what Starbucks has. And trust me, it tastes almost the same!

Let’s take a look at what equipment and ingredients you need to make this drink. Then, we’ll go over a few expert tips for making your beverage taste even more like the real thing!

Equipment

Starbucks’ Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte is made with espresso shots, which require some kind of an espresso machine. However, this recipe can be made without one.

Keep in mind: if you’re going to use regular coffee instead of espresso shots, the coffee won’t be as intense. That means you’ll need to use a bit more coffee and a bit less milk in order to get the same flavor profile as the original.

In terms of equipment, you’ll need:

A coffee maker
A spoon for stirring
A 16-ounce cup or glass

Ingredients

The recipe for an Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte only calls for a couple of ingredients. For this recipe, you’ll need:

Ice
⅔ cup of your choice of milk
2 brewed shots of blonde roast espresso
¼ cup of DIY vanilla syrup or 2 tbsp of Starbucks Vanilla Syrup

Step-by-Step Instructions

barista making iced blonde vanilla lattee

Once you’ve got your ingredients in hand it’s time to get to work making your iced latte!

Here’s what to do:

Pour the vanilla syrup into a 16-ounce cup.
Brew your coffee. You can use Starbucks’ blonde roast coffee beans. Or, if you have a Nespresso machine, use two Nespresso capsules of the Starbucks blonde roast.
Pour your brewed blonde coffee or espresso shots into your coffee cup.
Add cold milk. Starbucks uses 2% milk, but you can use whichever you prefer.
Pour ice into your prepared latte.
Stir and enjoy!

Serving

This Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte copycat recipe yields a 16-ounce coffee drink. It’s similar to the grande size from Starbucks.

The nutritional information in a serving size is as follows:

Caffeine – 170 mg
Calories – 300

Total Fat – 5g
Saturated Fat – 3g
Cholesterol – 20 mg
Sodium – 120 mg
Carbohydrates – 50g
Fiber – 0g
Sugar – 50g
Protein – 8g

Expert Tips

If you want to really take your Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte to the next level, there are a few things you can do.

Here are a couple of quick tips for making your drink even better:

Create a homemade vanilla syrup with vanilla bean because it will have less sugar than store-bought ones.
You can buy Starbucks Vanilla Syrup, but keep in mind it’s much sweeter than homemade syrup, so don’t use it as generously.
Using filtered water to pull your espresso shots makes for higher quality (and better tasting) coffee.

Starbucks Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte Copycat Recipe

A twist to the classic Starbucks espresso with hints of sweetness and creaminess

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Prep Time 2

Total Time 3

Servings 1 glass (16 ounces)

Equipment

Espresso or Nespresso machine
16-ounce cup
A saucepan (if you’re making a DIY vanilla syrup)

Ingredients

1 cup ice
1/4 cup of DIY vanilla syrup or 2 tbsp of Starbucks vanilla syrup
2/3 cup of milk (your choice)
2 shots of blonde espresso

Instructions

Add vanilla syrup into a 16-ounce cup.
Brew your blonde espresso using coffee grounds or coffee capsules.
Pour brewed espresso into the cup with vanilla syrup.
Add cold milk.
Pour ice
Serve and enjoy.

FAQ

Now that you have mastered how to make a DIY Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte at home, let’s answer a few related questions.

Is the Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte vegan?

Starbucks’ signature Iced Blond Vanilla Latte is not vegan. But, if you want to make it vegan, all you have to do is swap cow’s milk for vegan milk such as soy, oat, coconut, or almond milk.

What does Starbucks Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte taste like?

The Iced Blond Vanilla Latte from Starbucks is less bitter and not as strong as regular Starbucks coffee. The blond espresso gives the drink notes of citrus and a bit of bright acidity, which mix well with a delicious vanilla flavor.

Is the Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte gluten-free?

Yes, the Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte is gluten-free, as long as you don’t use oat milk in it. If you avoid dairy and gluten, you can use other plant-based milk, such as soy milk or coconut milk.