Make copycat Starbucks drinks at home with easy recipes and simple tips. Discover creamy coffee shop flavors and find your next favorite homemade treat!
Four copycat Starbucks drinks, four very different moods: one bold and cinnamon-sweet, one creamy and grassy, one tart and fruity, and one rich with caramel and espresso!!
Copycat Starbucks Drinks
1. Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
Serves: 1
This drink is punchy espresso softened with oat milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Shaking hot espresso with ice cools it quickly and gives it a light, foamy top; oat milk then rounds out each sip without burying the coffee.
I like this one with a little less syrup than a café version, because good espresso should still get a speaking role!
Ingredients
- 2 shots espresso, about 2 ounces, freshly brewed
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a pinch for serving
- 1 teaspoon hot water
- 1 cup ice, plus more for serving
- ½ cup cold oat milk
How to Make It
Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, and hot water in a heatproof cup until the sugar dissolves into a glossy syrup, then pull two espresso shots directly over it and stir; let them sit for about 30 seconds so they’re hot but no longer aggressively steaming.
Add the espresso mixture and 1 cup ice to a cocktail shaker or sturdy jar with a tight lid, close it securely, and shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds, until you hear the ice rattle and see a pale foam form.
Fill a 16-ounce glass with fresh ice, pour in the shaken espresso, and finish with cold oat milk; give it one gentle stir and a dusting of cinnamon.
If your espresso tastes especially dark or roasty, add another teaspoon of brown sugar syrup rather than a big splash of plain sugar, which can leave a gritty surprise at the bottom!
2. Iced Matcha Latte
Serves: 1
This creamy green drink balances matcha’s pleasantly earthy, slightly grassy flavor with cold milk and a little sweetener.
Sifting the matcha and whisking it with warm water first is worth the extra minute: it prevents stubborn green clumps and gives you a smoother drink. Use water around 175°F, not boiling, to keep matcha from tasting harsh.
Ingredients
- 1½ teaspoons matcha powder
- 2 tablespoons warm water, about 175°F
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup, or to taste
- ¾ cup cold milk, dairy or unsweetened oat milk
- 1 cup ice
How to Make It
Sift matcha into a small bowl or wide mug, pour in warm water, and whisk briskly in a zigzag motion for 20 to 30 seconds, until the powder dissolves and a thin layer of foam appears; a bamboo whisk is lovely, but a small regular whisk or handheld milk frother works just fine.
Stir in simple syrup while the matcha is still smooth, then fill a 16-ounce glass with ice and pour in cold milk, leaving a little room at the top. Slowly pour matcha over the milk for a layered look, then stir before drinking so every sip tastes balanced.
If your matcha is quite bitter, add sweetener half a teaspoon at a time; matcha can go from “beautifully mellow” to “dessert in a cup” faster than you’d expect!
3. Strawberry Acai-Style Refresher
Serves: 1
This bright, berry-forward refresher is tart, lightly sweet, and made for afternoons when a full latte sounds like too much commitment.
Brewed hibiscus tea gives it a vivid pink color and a fruity tang, while white grape juice brings soft sweetness and freeze-dried strawberries add little bursts of berry flavor.
It’s a homemade take on the Starbucks-style Strawberry Acai Refresher, with easy-to-find ingredients and no special drink mix required.
Ingredients
- ½ cup strong hibiscus tea, chilled
- ⅓ cup white grape juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons simple syrup, to taste
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup ice
How to Make It
Brew hibiscus tea according to its package directions, then chill it completely; warm tea melts ice quickly and turns a crisp refresher into a watery one, so make it ahead or cool it in the fridge.
In a 16-ounce glass or jar, stir together chilled tea, white grape juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cold water, tasting before adding all the syrup because grape juice sweetness varies by brand.
Add freeze-dried strawberries and ice, cover the jar if using one, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds so berry flavor starts to mingle with the drink; if you’re using a glass, stir thoroughly instead.
Let it stand for a minute before sipping, which gives strawberries time to soften slightly and perfume the drink. Add another squeeze of lemon if you prefer a sharper finish!
4. Iced Caramel Macchiato
Serves: 1
This drink layers vanilla milk, espresso, and caramel for a sweet, roasty sip that looks fancy without requiring a barista apron.
A true macchiato-style presentation keeps espresso on top at first, so each sip starts with coffee and caramel before blending into creamy vanilla milk.
If you prefer a more even flavor, give it a quick stir; there are no coffee police at home!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- ¾ cup cold milk
- 1 cup ice
- 2 shots espresso, about 2 ounces, freshly brewed and rested for 30 seconds
- 1 tablespoon caramel sauce, plus more if desired
How to Make It
Spoon vanilla syrup into a 16-ounce glass, pour in cold milk, and stir until the syrup disappears; add ice, leaving enough room at the top for espresso and caramel.
Brew two espresso shots and let them rest for about 30 seconds, which keeps them hot enough to pour but helps them settle gently over the milk instead of immediately melting all your ice.
Slowly pour espresso over the back of a spoon onto the milk, then drizzle caramel sauce across the top in a loose crosshatch; warm thick caramel for 5 to 8 seconds in the microwave if it won’t drizzle, and stir it before using so no hot spot surprises you.
Sip through the layers or stir them together, depending on whether you want bold coffee first or caramel-vanilla balance from the first taste!
Make one, make all four, or keep a jar of brown sugar syrup in the fridge for your next coffee break.
These copycat Starbucks drinks are easy to customize at home: adjust the sweetness, swap the milk, and choose whether you want a foamy espresso shake, a smooth matcha latte, a tart berry refresher, or a caramel-topped coffee.
The best part is that your favorite café-style drink is only a few minutes away, and you can refill your own glass without waiting in line!
