Java Momma Kitchen · Coffee Drinks
Copycat Starbucks Iced Sugar Cookie Latte
Strong sugar cookie coffee, a quick brown sugar syrup, milk and ice, ready in 10 minutes.
If you like the iced sugar cookie latte from the coffee shop, you can make a version at home in about 10 minutes. This one starts with strong Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee, so the buttery vanilla cookie flavor is in the cup before anything else goes in. A brown sugar syrup that takes a minute on the stove, milk and ice finish it.
You make the syrup yourself with brown sugar, water, vanilla, a pinch of salt and, if you like, a drop or two of almond extract. Then it's coffee over syrup and ice, topped with milk, whipped cream and sprinkles. It makes one drink, and the syrup keeps in the refrigerator if you make extra.
Every step below says what to look for, and there's a "Not Quite Right?" list for if it comes out too sweet, too weak or grainy.
Why You'll Love It
- Ten minutes, one glass. Five minutes of prep and five on the stove and brewing.
- The flavor is in the coffee. A sugar cookie flavored coffee gives you the buttery vanilla base, and the syrup adds the sweetness.
- A syrup you control. Start with 1 Tbsp for a lighter drink, or use up to 3 Tbsp for a sweeter one.
- Hot or iced, any milk. Use 2%, whole, oat or almond.
The Java Momma Twist
The coffee is strongly brewed Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee instead of espresso and a bottle of syrup, so the cookie flavor comes from the beans. The flavor is on the beans, so the brewed coffee looks like regular coffee. Because it's brewed double strength, it still tastes like coffee after the milk and ice go in.
Yield
1 iced latte
a tall glass
Time
10 min
5 min prep + 5 min cook
Vibe
Buttery and sweet
vanilla, brown sugar, cold
The Coffee That Makes This Work
Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee is a flavored coffee that tastes like a buttery vanilla sugar cookie with a light frosting sweetness. The flavor is added to the beans, so the brewed cup looks like regular coffee. Brew it about twice as strong as usual for this latte, because the milk and ice water it down.
Shop Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee →Whole bean or ground in regular and decaf, and single-serve cups. Air-roasted to order, every time.
Holiday Sugar Cookie is a limited-run coffee, so it isn't always on the shelf. If it's sold out, brew Cookiedoodle Coffee, our cinnamon and sugar cookie flavored coffee, the same way. There's a 2 oz sample if you want to try it before you buy a bag.
Ingredients
Makes 1 iced latte.
The Coffee
- ½ cup (4 oz) Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee, brewed strong and cooled, or 1 to 2 espresso shots pulled with the coffee
The Sugar Cookie Syrup
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tbsp water
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 drops almond extract (optional)
- A pinch of salt
To Assemble
- 2 to 3 Tbsp of the syrup, to taste
- ½ to ¾ cup milk (2%, whole, oat or almond)
- Ice cubes
- Whipped cream (optional)
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar, for garnish
Method
- Brew the coffee about twice as strong as usual, then let it cool, or chill it over ice. Why it works: milk and melting ice water the coffee down, so a double-strength brew still tastes like coffee in the glass. Hot coffee would also melt the ice right away.
- Make the syrup. Put the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and you can't feel any grains on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the vanilla, the almond extract if you're using it, and the salt. Let it cool slightly. Why it works: brown sugar's molasses gives the syrup a buttery, cookie-dough flavor, and the pinch of salt keeps it from tasting flat.
- Fill a tall glass with ice and add 2 to 3 Tbsp of the syrup, to taste.
- Pour the cooled coffee over the syrup and ice, then stir.
- Top with the milk and stir again.
- Add whipped cream if you like, then finish with sprinkles.
- Hot version: use hot coffee and warm milk, and stir the syrup into the mug.
Permission Slip
You're allowed to put on more sprinkles than the recipe suggests, to skip the whipped cream, and to make a double batch of syrup so you can do this again tomorrow.
Made this one? Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee comes in regular and decaf, whole bean, ground and single-serve cups, air-roasted to order. If it's out of stock, Cookiedoodle Coffee is the closest match, and it has a 2 oz sample.
More recipes like this one are at The Menu.
Not Quite Right? Here's the Fix
Change one thing, then taste. That's the whole method.
Make It Yours
- Batch the syrup: make a double or triple batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- The sweetness dial: 1 Tbsp of syrup for a lighter drink, 3 Tbsp for a sweeter one.
- Dairy-free: oat milk gives the creamiest dairy-free version. Vanilla almond milk adds extra sugar cookie flavor.
- Rim the glass: dip the rim in syrup, then in sanding sugar or crushed cookies.
- Hot: hot coffee, warm milk, syrup stirred into the mug.
More sugar cookie recipes from the same kitchen:
- Sugar Cookie Tiramisu Cups for a dessert to go with it
- Sugar Cookie Espresso Martini for the evening version
Iced Sugar Cookie Latte FAQ
How do you make an iced sugar cookie latte at home?
Brew ½ cup of sugar cookie flavored coffee at double strength and let it cool. Pour it over 2 to 3 Tbsp of brown sugar syrup and ice, then top with ½ to ¾ cup of milk, whipped cream and sprinkles. It takes about 10 minutes.
How do you make sugar cookie syrup?
Heat 2 Tbsp of packed light brown sugar with 2 Tbsp of water until the sugar dissolves. Stir in ¼ tsp of vanilla extract, 1 to 2 drops of almond extract if you like, and a pinch of salt, then let it cool slightly.
What coffee is best for a sugar cookie latte?
A strongly brewed sugar cookie flavored coffee like Holiday Sugar Cookie Coffee, so the cookie flavor is already in the cup. If it's sold out, Cookiedoodle Coffee is a close match.
Do I need an espresso machine?
No. Brewed coffee works, as long as it's about twice as strong as usual. If you have an espresso machine, 1 to 2 shots pulled with the coffee also work.
Can I make it hot?
Yes. Use hot coffee and warm milk, and stir the syrup into the mug.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes. Oat milk gives the creamiest dairy-free version, and vanilla almond milk adds extra sugar cookie flavor. Skip the whipped cream or use a dairy-free one.
How do you make it less sweet?
Use 1 Tbsp of syrup instead of 2 to 3, and leave off the whipped cream and sprinkles.
How long does the syrup keep?
Up to a week in the refrigerator. Make a double or triple batch and keep it in a clean, closed jar.
Want to geek out?
- Why brew double strength: ice and milk add water and fat, which dilute coffee flavor. Starting stronger keeps the finished drink from tasting weak.
- Why brown sugar: it contains molasses, which gives a caramel, buttery flavor that white sugar doesn't have, and that's most of the "cookie dough" taste.
- Why the pinch of salt: salt turns down bitterness and turns up sweetness, so the syrup tastes rounder.
- Why a drop of almond extract: almond extract has a bakery, marzipan-like note that many sugar cookie recipes use. It's strong, so 1 to 2 drops is plenty.
- Why cool the coffee first: hot coffee melts ice on contact, so it dilutes the drink before you can drink it.
