Vanilla Lattern

close up shot of Vanilla Latte in a glass cup

Make your own vanilla latte right in the comfort of your kitchen with this indulgent and delicious recipe.

Table of Contents

Vanilla Latte Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Vanilla Latte Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

This vanilla latte is just the thing to hit the spot if you are a coffee lover. Skip the coffee shop and enjoy the sweetness of this refreshing iced drink in the comfort of your own home with this easy recipe.

Vanilla Latte Ingredients

Vanilla Latte raw ingredients that are labeled

This latte recipe is an indulgent drink that combines bold coffee with the rich sweetness of vanilla syrup while adding a touch of half and half provides a velvety texture.

Overall, it’s a delightful blend of vanilla and coffee with a hint of creaminess, making each sip a satisfying and flavorful treat.

You’ll need:

Ice cubes
2 tablespoons of vanilla syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons of half and half or sweetened condensed milk
Cold pre-brewed coffee, instant coffee, or instant espresso

PRO TIP:

To make the simple syrup
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer.
2. Add 2 cups sugar and stir to dissolve.
3. Remove from heat and let the mixture completely cool.
4. Store unused syrup in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

To make the homemade vanilla syrup
1. Heat ½ cup simple syrup to a very low simmer.
2. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and stir just until dissolved.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I prefer Mexican vanilla).

Substitutions And Additions

COFFEE: You can use your favorite flavored coffee as long as it pairs well with the vanilla syrup.

If caffeine isn’t your thing, but you still want to indulge, decaf coffee could be substituted for caffeinated.

BREWED COFFEE: For this recipe, you can make a pot of coffee with ground coffee at home and use that for the iced latte.

You can also use leftover coffee that has been stored in the fridge, or you can also use cold brew coffee you find at the local grocery store.

MILK: For a dairy-free option, substitute non-dairy creamers or non-dairy milk such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk in place of the milk in this iced vanilla latte recipe.

Whole milk or low-fat milk could also be used instead of condensed milk or half and half cream for a lower-fat version of the drink.

ICE: If you would like to serve this drink warm, simply leave out the ice and use hot brewed coffee instead of the chilled equivalent for a hot latte version.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Put syrups in squeeze bottles for easy dispensing and storage.

How To Make This Vanilla Latte Recipe

It only takes a few minutes to mix this tasty beverage in your glass, and you’ll be sipping in no time.

STEP ONE: Fill a mug or tall glass to the brim with ice cubes.

STEP TWO: Add the vanilla syrup and half and half cream or the sweetened condensed milk.

vanilla syrup and half and half being poured in a cup with ice

STEP THREE: Fill the remainder of the mug with cold pre-brewed coffee, instant coffee, or espresso.

cold pre brewed coffee being added to the cup

STEP FOUR: Stir well.

How To Serve

Enjoy this sweet iced vanilla latte for your morning pick-me-up along with a slice of our Starbucks lemon loaf, Pillsbury biscuit donuts, or sausage egg and cheese breakfast sliders before you start your day.

Add a dollop of whipped cream to your vanilla latte, and drizzle it with a touch of caramel sauce.

Transform your latte into a dessert by serving it as a float. Scoop a generous portion of vanilla ice cream into a glass, and pour the vanilla latte over it.

Add more coffee recipes to your repertoire, and you’ll be an at-home barista in no time. Try our iced mocha and iced caramel macchiato for two more refreshing choices.

MORE LATTE RECIPES

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Starbucks Recipe

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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte

Storage

Whether you’re planning to make this ahead or have leftovers to preserve, here’s what you need to know:

IN THE FRIDGE: The syrup can be stored in either an airtight container or a squeeze bottle in the fridge for up to four weeks.

MAKE-AHEAD: You can store brewed coffee in the fridge for up to a week, making this an even quicker treat to mix up.

IN THE FREEZER: This French vanilla latte drink needs to be made to order, and other than the syrup, which can be stored in the fridge, none of the components can be frozen.

PRO TIP:

You could make coffee ice cubes in an ice cube tray so that when the coffee cubes melt, your coffee won’t become watered down.

Vanilla Latte in a glass cup being stirred with a spoon

Why We Love This Recipe

EASY TO MAKE: This vanilla latte recipe is incredibly easy to make, making it accessible to even the most novice of home cooks. With clear step-by-step instructions, you can enjoy a cafe-quality beverage without the need for any specialized equipment.

COST EFFECTIVE: Making your own vanilla latte at home is a cost-effective alternative to buying specialty coffee drinks at a cafe.

INDULGENT: The combination of vanilla syrup and coffee creates a comforting and indulgent flavor profile.

With this vanilla latte recipe, you can now make your own coffee drinks right at home. This latte tastes incredibly rich and creamy and is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you didn’t whip up a batch sooner.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I save leftovers of this vanilla iced latte drink in the fridge?

This iced coffee recipe is best enjoyed right away, but you can store any leftover brewed coffee in the fridge, and the vanilla syrup can also be stored to make this an easy drink to whip up.

What is the best kind of coffee to use in this recipe?

You can use any type of coffee in this simple recipe. Cold-brewed coffee, espresso, or drip coffee could be used for your iced latte.

How do you make cold brew coffee?

Using coarse coffee grounds, combine with water and let it steep for about 12 hours. Pour the coffee through a strainer, and voilà, you have cold brew coffee.

This method pulls all of the good stuff from the coffee bean but leaves the compounds that can make coffee bitter. It produces a smooth, almost sweet coffee that is perfect for iced drinks.

You can make the cold brew at room temperature and then store the cold brew concentrate in the fridge once it is made.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Vanilla Latte

5 from 1 vote

Make your own vanilla latte right in the comfort of your kitchen with this indulgent and delicious recipe.

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
ice cubes
1 to 2 tablespoons half and half cream, or sweetened condensed milk
cold pre-brewed coffee, instant coffee or instant espresso

Instructions

Fill a mug or mug-sized glass to the brim with ice cubes.
Add vanilla syrup and half and half or sweetened condensed milk.
Fill the remainder of the mug with cold pre-brewed coffee, instant coffee, or espresso.
Stir well.

Notes

To make the simple syrup
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer.
2. Add 2 cups sugar and stir to dissolve.
3. Remove from heat and let the mixture completely cool.
4. Store unused syrup in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

To make the homemade vanilla syrup
1. Heat ½ cup simple syrup to a very low simmer.
2. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and stir just until dissolved.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I prefer Mexican vanilla).

Put the syrups in squeeze bottles for easy dispensing and storage.
You could make coffee ice cubes in an ice cube tray so that when the coffee cubes melt, your coffee won’t become watered down.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant