Chocolate Cloud in a Glass: Homemade Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew

My first taste of Starbucks’ Chocolate Cream Cold Brew was on a sweltering summer morning when I needed something refreshing yet indulgent to kickstart my day. The barista handed me this stunning layered drink with a cloud-like chocolate topping, and after one sip, I was utterly hooked. The perfect balance of smooth cold brew, subtle vanilla, and luscious chocolate cream had me making near-daily trips to Starbucks. When I calculated how much I spent each month, I knew I had to recreate this magical beverage at home. After several test batches and tweaks, I finally nailed a version that rivals the original and might even surpass it in chocolate intensity!

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What Is Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew?

Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew is a sophisticated iced coffee beverage introduced as part of their summer menu. It features their signature smooth cold brew coffee lightly sweetened with vanilla syrup, topped with a stunning layer of light and airy chocolate-flavored cold foam. Unlike an iced mocha which mixes chocolate throughout the coffee, this drink showcases the contrast between the bold cold brew and the sweet, silky chocolate cream floating on top.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Money-Saver – Make several servings at home for the price of one coffeehouse drink
• Customizable – Adjust the sweetness and chocolate intensity to your exact preference
• No Special Equipment Needed – Create cafe-quality drinks with simple kitchen tools
• Quick Preparation – Ready in just 10 minutes with minimal effort
• Make-Ahead Friendly – Prepare components in advance for instant coffee shop treats
• Chocolate Lover’s Dream – The chocolate cold foam is rich yet light enough to enjoy any time

Equipment Needed

• Blender or handheld milk frother
• Tall glasses
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Long spoon for stirring
• Long straws

Ingredients & Their Functions

For the Chocolate Cold Foam:

• Heavy cream – Creates the rich, luxurious base that whips into a stable foam with excellent texture
• Milk – Lightens the heavy cream to create the perfect microfoam texture rather than a whipped cream consistency
• Chocolate syrup – Provides intense chocolate flavor and natural sweetness throughout the foam
• Malted milk powder – Acts as a stabilizer for the foam while adding subtle nutty notes that enhance the chocolate
• Granulated sugar – Adds additional sweetness to balance the natural bitterness of cocoa in the chocolate syrup
• Salt – Enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor while balancing the sweetness

For the cold brew component of the Starbucks chocolate cold brew, you’ll need:

• Cold Brew Coffee – You can make cold brew at home or buy it already made.
• Vanilla syrup – Do not use vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring. Homemade vanilla syrup is easy to make.

Ingredient Notes

Since the chocolate syrup is already pretty sweet, you may want to adjust the sugar level based on your taste. 

Malted milk powder helps stabilize the cold cream and adds a touch of malt flavor and nuttiness. You can substitute if you don’t want to buy malted milk powder and have evaporated milk powder on hand.

You can use chocolate malt powder for extra chocolatey goodness.

The salt brings out the intensity of the chocolate flavor, so don’t leave it out. 

How to Make Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew

There are two parts to this chocolate iced coffee that Starbucks customers are raving about. To save preparation time, you can make the chocolate cream in advance and keep it in the fridge. 

To prepare the chocolate cream foam:

1. Add all the ingredients to the pitcher and blend on HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds; 
2. Transfer the cold chocolate cream to a bowl, cover it, and keep it in the fridge until needed.

To finish the Starbucks chocolate cold brew:

1. Fill a tall serving glass halfway with ice.
2. Add the vanilla syrup.
3. Pour in the cold brew until it is about an inch from the top of the glass.
4. Give the coffee a good stir to mix in the vanilla syrup.
5. Add enough cold chocolate cream to come up to the lip of the glass.

How To Serve 

Serve with a long straw, and try garnishing with either shaved dark chocolate or cocoa powder. 

How Long Does the Chocolate Cream Last

Homemade cold-brew coffee should last about four to five days in the fridge.

The chocolate cream cold foam lasts two to three days in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best consistency, you may have to re-whip it.

Popular Starbucks Recipes

• Starbucks Caramel Coffee
• Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte
• Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato
• Starbucks Mocha
• Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
• Starbucks Vanilla Latte
• The Pink Drink
• Vanilla Frappe
• Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Favorite Fast Food Drinks

• Dunkin Iced Cake Batter Latte
• McDonald’s Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
• Sonic Cherry Limeade
• Sonic Ocean Water Drink
• Sonic Strawberry Lemonade

Check out my easy drink recipes and the best copycat Starbucks recipes here on CopyKat!