Copycat Elphaba’s Cold Brew: A Deliciously Wicked Recipe!

As a lover of all things musical, imagine my surprise and delight when I recently pulled up the Starbucks website and noticed their tribute to the upcoming Wicked movie.

Two new wicked-inspired drinks, available for a limited time and crafted to reflect the personalities of the two main characters, immediately enchanted and delighted me.

I knew that I just had to try these limited-time drinks for myself, and I was not disappointed!

From the first sip, I knew I had to create an epic copycat recipe to continue enjoying them long after they left the menu.

My favorite is Elphaba’s cold brew, a refreshing drink that reflects Elphaba’s bold energy.

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

If you’re a “skip-to-the-good-part” kind of person, click here to jump right to the recipe.

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What is Elphaba’s Cold Brew?

This drink’s base is cold brew coffee, sweetened with peppermint-flavored syrup, and topped with nondairy matcha cold foam.

Elphabas cold brew is then finished with a playful scattering of colorful candy sprinkles on top.

Between the playful appearance of the drink and the creamy texture, this drink has my vote for the best coffee concoction to come out of the coffee chain recently. 

It’s a little bit bold, a little bit sweet, and a whole lot of tasty!

What’s in Elphaba’s Cold Brew?

Whipping up this drink with only a few simple ingredients will almost seem like magic!

Cold Brew Coffee

There are a wide range of different ways to get cold brew coffee these days.

You can brew your own by using a cold brew pitcher. 

I’ve found that a French press works just as well in the cold brewing process. 

Most grocery stores now carry bottles of cold brew coffee, making this recipe even easier!

If you want a less coffee-forward flavor, you can also use regularly brewed coffee that’s been chilled in the fridge.

In fact, I tested this recipe with this decaf peppermint coffee brewed in my French press and it was phenomenal! If you’re looking for a full-caff version, this is my favorite peppermint blend.

I used 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds to 3.5 cups water and allowed the mixture for steep for 10 minutes. I then poured out the coffee into a pitcher and stored in the refrigerator overnight.

Adding the additional peppermint flavor is optional, depending upon how sweet you’d like your drink.

Peppermint Flavor Syrup

The prominent flavor of this drink comes from the peppermint syrup.

You can use peppermint flavor syrup if you’re crunched for time.

Another option is adding a bit of peppermint extract to homemade simple syrup.

If you go this route, use 1/4 teaspoon extract to 2 teaspoons simple syrup.

You can also melt peppermint candies to create your own “syrup.”

Put a few tablespoons of cold brew in a small saucepan if you go this route. Add three of those round peppermint candies or 2 mini candy canes and heat over low heat until the candies have completely melted.

You can then pour the minty cold brew back into your drink, and voila! Your drink is now peppermint-flavored.

If you prefer an even lower-sugar version, try making a peppermint-flavored cold brew without the extra sugar.

Milk

When ordering from Starbucks, this drink is non-dairy, but you can use whatever type of milk you have in the fridge.

Soy milk works in this drink, but I prefer thick, creamy oat milk. 

If you buy the creamy oat milk, it froths exceptionally well and doesn’t add the same nutty flavor to the drink as almond or soy milk. 

There are certain drinks that can be improved by a nutty flavor, but not this one!

Matcha

Aside from the bold peppermint flavor, this drink’s charm comes from the matcha powder added to the milk.

The earthy matcha adds a hint of flavor and perfectly represents Elphaba’s green skin. 

However, my preferred brand of matcha doesn’t have the bold green color found in the Starbucks version, likely because it’s a latte version rather than plain matcha powder. 

But this dairy-free matcha is one of the tastiest matcha brands I’ve found.

Although I normally wouldn’t add food coloring when I’m cooking at home, I did use this food coloring for this post’s photo shoot to up the “wow” factor.

The drink is finished with pink and green sprinkles. 

If you want to make a version identical to the coffee shop version, I recommend using sanding sugar instead of regular sprinkles.

For this recipe, measurements are based on a 12 oz. cup.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much caffeine is in Elphaba’s cold brew?

This Starbucks cold brew drink with a magical twist has approximately 225 mg of caffeine in the grande version. Remember that the total amount of caffeine in this drink comes from both the cold brew and the matcha foam. 

Can you get a decaf version of Elphaba’s cold brew?

You can’t order a decaf version in the Starbucks app, but you can whip up a decaf version at home with decaf cold brew and decaf matcha. 

How much sugar is in Elphaba’s cold brew?

A grande from Starbucks contains 28 grams of sugar. But you can add significantly less sugar when recreating this drink at home without sacrificing flavor.

If you sweeten with 2 of those mini candy canes and use this matcha powder, the drink will have about 13 grams of sugar.

What is matcha?

Matcha is powdered green tea. It boasts several health benefits, including positive effects on the brain, heart, and immune system. 

Final Thoughts

The Wicked drinks are the most magical drinks to ever hit the Starbucks menu!

But if they’re already off the menu by the time you’re reading this, you’re in luck because you can simply whip up your own version at home.

Try it and let me know how it goes in the comments below.

And if you’re looking for more Starbucks-inspired recipes, check out my previous posts:

• How to Make a Copycat Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte
• How to Make the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai at Home
• How to Make a Refreshing Copycat Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
• Should You Try Putting Olive Oil in Coffee?
• Best Copycat Recipes for an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte
• How to Make a Copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte
• How to Make an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte
• How to Make a Copycat Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso
• How to Make a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew with Caramel
• How to make an Iced Blonde Vanilla Bean Coconut Latte