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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Table of Contents
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:
- Add all the ingredients to the pitcher and blend on HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds;
- 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:
- Fill a tall serving glass halfway with ice.
- Add the vanilla syrup.
- Pour in the cold brew until it is about an inch from the top of the glass.
- Give the coffee a good stir to mix in the vanilla syrup.
- 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.
Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
Ingredients
Chocolate Cold Foam
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons Hershey’s chocolate syrup
- 1 teaspoon malt powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Cream Cold Brew Drink
- ice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- cold brew coffee
Instructions
Chocolate Cold Foam
- In a blender combine heavy cream, 2% milk, Hershey’s chocolate syrup, malt powder, sugar, and salt.
- Blend for 30 seconds or until frothy.
Chocolate Cream Cold Brew Drink
- Fill a 16-ounce glass halfway with ice.
- Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup.
- Pour enough cold brew to fill the cup within 1 inch of the top.
- Pour chocolate cold foam over the top.
Nutrition
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!
Substitutions & Variations
Ingredient Alternatives
- Plant-based option: Substitute dairy-free creamer and unsweetened almond milk for the heavy cream and milk
- Malted milk powder substitute: Use evaporated milk powder or non-fat dry milk powder if malted milk powder isn’t available
- Sugar alternatives: Replace granulated sugar with honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute of your choice
- Chocolate variations: Try dark chocolate syrup for a less sweet version or chocolate malt powder for extra malty notes
Flavor Twists
- Mocha version: Add 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup to the cold brew for chocolate throughout
- Peppermint chocolate: Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the chocolate foam
- Salted caramel chocolate: Add 1 tablespoon caramel sauce to the foam and a pinch of flaky sea salt as garnish
- Spiced chocolate: Add a tiny pinch of cinnamon and cayenne to the chocolate foam
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Cold brew storage: Homemade or store-bought cold brew keeps for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator
- Chocolate foam storage: The prepared chocolate cream foam will last 2-3 days refrigerated in an airtight container
- Foam refresh: If the foam separates during storage, simply re-blend or whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to restore its texture
- Vanilla syrup: Make a batch of homemade vanilla syrup and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
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