The holidays are over, which means one thing … all your favorite holiday drinks at Starbucks are officially off the menu.
Luckily, you don’t need to go to your favorite local coffee shop to get your coffee fix.
You can easily whip up this delicious caramel brulée latte recipe from the comfort of your own home!
So, stick with me as we explore the creme brulée latte, a holiday favorite of Starbucks lovers everywhere.
And if you prefer to skip right to the good stuff, click here to go directly to the recipe.
Let’s get to it!
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What is a Caramel Brulée Latte?
The Starbucks caramel brulee latte is a sweet and creamy seasonal drink that’s a twist on the traditionally sweet flavors of a caramel latte.
With hints of English toffee and vanilla, the Starbucks caramel brulee sauce is delectable, comforting, and the perfect choice for even the most discerning caramel lover!
The drink is topped with whipped cream and a sweet, slightly crunchy brulee topping.
And with a few simple ingredients, you can quickly whip up a homemade version that’s just as tasty any time of year!
What’s in a Caramel Brulée Latte?
Like other Starbucks copycat recipes, this caramel brûlée latte recipe has 3 basic components: espresso shots, milk, and flavoring.
Coffee
For an authentic Starbucks flavor, use a double shot of espresso in this delicious caramel brulee latte recipe.
But if you don’t have an espresso maker, there are other ways to capture that rich espresso flavor.
My favorite way to do this is using a French press, but you could also use a Moka pot.
Brewing a cup of coffee about twice as strong as you would typically brew is a third option for capturing the coffee flavor in this drink.
Although I’ve never tried it, you can buy instant espresso to make this recipe even quicker.
Finding a brewing method that produces a strong coffee flavor and works for your time and budget is the key to unlocking any Starbucks copycat drink at home!
Milk
When it comes to milk, you have flexibility.
Dairy milk, such as whole milk, will give you a creamy drink with a smooth mouthfeel, mainly if you use a milk frother to add texture.
If you want that creamy milk essence without the dairy, opt for oat milk.
After much experimentation, I’ve found that oat milk froths the best for plant-based milk.
This is especially true if you opt for the “creamy” version of oat milk at the store.
The sweet flavors of this drink add so much that even if you opt for less creamy milk, such as soy milk, you won’t miss the foamy texture too much.
Flavoring
Although I have used premade caramel sauce in some previous drinks, the creme brulee latte deserves something extra.
This simple recipe calls for melting Kraft caramel bits and toffee bits along with the milk to create the ultimate indulgent experience!
If you prefer, you can opt for premade syrup.
Torani makes a creme caramel syrup that would be delicious in this recipe.
Regular caramel syrup with a splash of English toffee syrup would also be tasty.
The best part about becoming a home barista is that you get to experiment with the ingredients to find your perfect drink!
No waiting in line required!
Starbucks Copycat Caramel Brulee Latte
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp Kraft caramel bits
- 1/2 tbsp English toffee bits + additional for sprinkling
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp finely ground espresso or coffee of your choice
- 3 1/2 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
- Combine the caramel and English toffee bits with the milk in a small saucepan.
- Place over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and the candy bits have almost melted.
- Use a hand mixer to add froth and to break up any remaining candy pieces. Once all the candy has been melted in, add the vanilla extract.
- Add the ground espresso to a French press and pour in the hot water. Allow to steep for 4 minutes before depressing the plunger and pouring the coffee.
- Pour the sweetened milk into your favorite cup and add 1/4 cup of previously prepared coffee. Stir.
- Finish with homemade soft top by combining the heavy whipping cream and vanilla pudding mix. Use the mixer to combine the two ingredients for approximately 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Note: it may take longer than you think, so keep mixing if there are no stiff peaks! Scoop the soft top on the drink and sprinkle with English toffee bits. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make an iced version of the caramel brulee latte?
Absolutely! Heat the milk with the candy, but instead of pouring it into a mug, pour it into your favorite Mason jar filled with ice. Enjoy!
Can you order a caramel brulee latte from Starbucks year-round?
The drink is currently a seasonal favorite available on the menu around Christmas every year. But you can ask for a latte flavored with 2 shots of caramel syrup, 2 shots of Toffeenut syrup, and 1 of vanilla for a similar taste.
What’s the difference between caramel sauce and caramel syrup?
Caramel sauce tends to be thicker than syrup. It’s generally made with cream or milk, so if you’re lactose intolerant, opt for the syrup version.
The sauce version also needs to be combined with something warm to melt. Otherwise, it forms a gloppy syrup, so it works best in hot drinks.
Sometimes, you can mix the sauce with the hot espresso before combining it with milk.
Caramel syrup is useful in cold drinks as it doesn’t need to be melted into the other drink ingredients.
If you’re looking for a rich, indulgent flavor, caramel sauce is the way to go.
Coffee shops generally offer both caramel sauce and syrup on their menus.
Final Thoughts
I hope this post has inspired you to try homemade lattes!
Making your own drinks at home gives you complete freedom and flexibility over the ingredients.
You can take out ingredients you don’t like and find ways to reduce the sugar content, which is one of the main reasons I started experimenting with drinks at home.
According to the Starbucks website, a 16-ounce caramel brulee latte contains nearly 50 grams of sugar. That’s approximately twice the recommended daily sugar limit for most men and women!
In contrast, this recipe contains between 9 and 15 grams of sugar, depending on how crazy you get with the topping.
That’s a massive difference without much sacrifice in flavor.
And by making the caramel brulee latte at home, you can enjoy it any time of the year!
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other tasty coffee-inspired content:
- How to Make the Best Copycat Golden Eagle Chai at Home
- The Best Copycat Golden Eagle Dutch Bros Recipe Ever!
- How to Make an Irresistible Candy Cane Latte
- How to Make an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte
- How to Make a Copycat Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso
- How to Make an Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Iced Latte vs. Iced Coffee: Differences You Need to Know
- How to Make a Golden Milk Latte with Turmeric
- 8 Surprising Benefits of French Press Coffee
- Copycat Dunkin’ Iced Chai Latte Recipe
