When it comes to coffee, there is one addition that is a timeless, perfect, and decadent way to up your favorite beverage. If you’re as obsessed with caramel as we are, you’ll be happy to know that Starbucks is your one-stop shop for all things full of caramel goodness.
We researched each caramel drink featured on the Starbucks menu, plus more delicious recipes you can ask for yourself on your next trip to the popular coffee shop. So, if you’re craving something sweet and rich, we have a list of options for you to choose from!
How to Add Caramel to Your Starbucks Drink
Before we dive into drink recipes, let’s look at the six ways you can add caramel to a beverage at Starbucks for your own personal creation purposes.
Caramel Drizzle
Maybe the most popular way to get a delicious caramel drink at Starbucks is by adding some of their caramel drizzle. A sweet and velvety addition that’s used in a lot of the caramel-based drinks already on the menu, you’ll quickly fall in love with this ingredient.
Caramel Syrup
You can also add some of Starbucks’ caramel syrup to any creation to get a simple and sweet caramel flavor. This is what’s used in the caramel lattes and caramel frappuccinos. The difference between this and the caramel drizzle is that it’s more of a liquid syrup compared to a thick sauce.
Dark Caramel Sauce
Speaking of caramel sauces, the dark caramel sauce from Starbucks is maybe even more decadent than the plain caramel drizzle. With a darker sauce, you get an even more rich flavor that’s used in some popular caramel drinks. It’s a bit heavier than the caramel drizzle, so keep that in mind when adding it to your beverage.
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Foam
Another way you can add a delicious caramel flavor to your drink is by topping any iced option off with the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Foam. This is a foam that gained popularity from the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew. Made with sweet cream cold foam, caramel syrup, and a small packet of salt, this truly makes any drink a treat.
Caramel Crunch Topping
The last caramel addition available at Starbucks is the Caramel Crunch Topping. This sweet sugar goodness comes from the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, but it can be added to any other drink creation to give you a yummy dessert-like beverage.
Caramel Drinks at Starbucks
Now that you know all the ways to get sweet caramel goodness into your Starbucks drink, let’s look at all the yummy caramel drinks available on the menu as well as ones that you can create yourself.
Year-Round Caramel Treats
We’ll start with the caramel beverages that are available all year, as long as your local Starbucks has all the ingredients to make these sweet treats.
Caramel Macchiato
Beginning with probably the most popular caramel drink at Starbucks, and maybe even the most-ordered drink of all, the Caramel Macchiato is a delicious treat both hot and cold. Made with iced or steamed milk that’s been flavored with vanilla syrup, and topped off with espresso and caramel drizzle, you truly can’t go wrong with this classic choice.
Caramel Frappuccino
Another drink that’s already on the Starbucks menu is the Caramel Frappuccino. This is a simple blended beverage that includes the Frappuccino Roast, milk, ice, caramel syrup, whipped cream, and caramel drizzle.
Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
The only thing that beats the Caramel Frappuccino in blended deliciousness is the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, which basically takes the original one to a whole new level. This frozen drink is certainly a treat, as it’s made with dark caramel sauce rather than caramel syrup to give it a stronger flavor.
Also blended in is the Frappuccino Roast, ice, and milk. What truly sets this indulgent beverage apart are layers of whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and caramel crunch topping at both the bottom and top of the cup. Plus, if you want a drink without caffeine, you can always order the crème version.
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
This next menu item, the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, is another customer favorite that features Starbucks cold brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and a nice layer of the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Foam.
As we mentioned above, this foam is full of caramel syrup and a touch of salt to give it a truly satisfying flavor that pairs perfectly with the cold brew.
Caramel Apple Spice
A tasty drink that you may be surprised is already on the Starbucks menu is the delicious Caramel Apple Spice. This hot and comfy beverage is made up of steamed apple juice and cinnamon dolce syrup and topped off with some whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
Caramel Mocha
Moving onto some drinks that aren’t actually on the Starbucks menu, but can be ordered using the provided recipes, the Caramel Mocha is super easy to get. All you have to ask for is a mocha to be made with some caramel syrup.
This is a delicious and scrumptious combo either hot or iced, and since the Starbucks mochas are traditionally made with whipped cream, it’s definitely a treat!
Iced White Mocha with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam and Caramel Drizzle
This delicious drink doesn’t necessarily have a unique name to it and became widely popular due to the social media app, TikTok. By ordering an Iced White Mocha with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam on top and getting a nice extra layer of caramel drizzle, you’ll soon realize the hype.
The combination of all the decadent flavors creates a nice and sweet drink that’s hard to miss out on.
Twix Frappuccino
If you like caramel, it’s likely you’re also a fan of Twix candy bars. The dessert-like creation of the Twix Frappuccino gets its name due to the resemblance of the yummy snack.
To order this, ask for a Caramel Frappuccino and add some hazelnut syrup to the mix. Also, ask to have java chips blended into the drink for a bit of crunchy texture and to take away from some of the sweetness. On top of it all, add both caramel and mocha drizzle onto the whipped cream to tie it together.
Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato
Speaking of desserts, this next drink is reminiscent of a delicious Snickerdoodle cookie. The Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato is a beautiful combination of caramel and cinnamon flavors.
It’s super simple to get this drink, as well, as all you have to order is a caramel macchiato with cinnamon dolce syrup added.
Raspberry Caramel Macchiato
Another take on a Caramel Macchiato is the rather interesting Raspberry Caramel Macchiato. This takes the infamous drink and adds raspberry syrup to the mix.
The fruitiness of the berry sauce surprisingly complements the rich sweetness of the base drink rather well. So, a caramel macchiato with raspberry syrup is definitely worth a try!
Fall Breeze
Despite the seasonal name, Fall Breeze, we will still consider this drink to be a year-round option due to the availability of the ingredients. However, some Starbucks locations don’t always have cinnamon dolce syrup, so you should ask your barista before ordering.
To get this comforting sip, order a base drink of an iced chai latte, add a bit of the cinnamon dolce syrup, and top it off with the yummy caramel drizzle. A beverage that’s full of fun fall flavors!
Seasonal Caramel Drinks
Now that we’re talking about fall, here are some yummy caramel drinks that are usually only available during the later seasons of the year. When those seasonal ingredients hit, we highly recommend running to your local Starbucks.
Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew
The reason why we’ve put the Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew into the seasonal drinks list is because it’s actually rather new to the Starbucks menu and we aren’t sure how long it will stick around.
However, we hope it’s for a while! This delicious beverage is reminiscent of a cinnamon roll, featuring a cold brew that’s sweetened with cinnamon dolce syrup and has a gorgeous Cinnamon Sweet Cream Cold Foam on top that’s then dusted with cinnamon dolce sprinkles.
Caramel Pumpkin Macchiato
This seasonal beverage is a customer creation that just might be the smartest idea yet. The Caramel Pumpkin Macchiato is a delicious twist on the Caramel Macchiato and can only be ordered during pumpkin spice season.
By switching out the usual vanilla syrup that’s in there with pumpkin spice syrup, it really takes the menu-regular to a whole new tasty level. It’s the perfect combination of flavors to get into the fall spirit.
Butterbeer Latte
There’s nothing better than mixing pop culture with drink creations. Plus, when the popular flavor that was introduced from the Harry Potter world is a hit in whatever form, you can rest assured beverages such as the Butterbeer Latte will be more than delicious.
This latte is made with a few pumps of toffee nut syrup, caramel syrup, and cinnamon dolce syrup, and topped off with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. While the toffee nut syrup may be available at some locations year-round, this isn’t always the case so we wanted to put it in the seasonal options.
Butterbeer Cold Brew
Another Butterbeer option is perfect for those who prefer iced coffee on the stronger side. The Butterbeer Cold Brew is also made a bit differently than its latte counterpart.
To get this scrumptious beverage, order a cold brew coffee with white mocha syrup, toffee nut syrup, and caramel syrup. On top of it all, get the vanilla sweet cream foam and add a nice layer of caramel drizzle.
Caramel Brulée Latte
This last drink on our list is from the Starbucks menu but is only sold during the holiday season at the end of the year. The Caramel Brulée Latte is a decadent treat that’s great both hot and iced.
Instead of syrup, it’s made with a special caramel brulée sauce and features whipped cream and scrumptious caramel brulée pieces on top. It’s sweet, rich, creamy, and truly perfect for the colder season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you’ve gone through our list of recommendations for caramel-flavored drinks at Starbucks, we’ve also answered a few commonly asked questions.
What is the TikTok Caramel Starbucks Drink?
There are many caramel drink creations featured on TikTok, but the most popular from the social media app is the Iced White Mocha with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam and Caramel Drizzle. We mentioned this one in our list above, as well!
What is the Starbucks New Caramel Drink?
New to the Starbucks menu is the Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew, which is a delicious caramel drink that actually tastes a lot like a sweet cinnamon roll. Again, this can also be found on our list of Starbucks caramel drinks.
What’s the Difference Between a Caramel Frappuccino and a Caramel Macchiato?
Both the Caramel Frappuccino and the Caramel Macchiato are popular menu items at Starbucks. While the Caramel Macchiato is made with espresso and can be ordered hot or iced, the Caramel Frappuccino is only a blended drink that’s made with the Frappuccino Roast.
What Are the Best Caramel Drinks at Starbucks?
The best caramel drinks at Starbucks can only truly be ranked by personal choice, but all of the ones we mentioned in our list are super delicious and popular. On the menu, the popular drinks are the Caramel Macchiato and the new Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew.
Off the menu, the best creation just might be the Caramel Pumpkin Macchiato for a tasty seasonal beverage.
Final Thoughts
Overall, you can’t really go with caramel drinks at Starbucks. The amount of caramel ingredients they offer alone are delicious enough to make a great addition to any drink.
Whether it’s on the menu or it’s a popular recipe combination, there isn’t a lack of the tasty goodness at Starbucks that appeases caramel lovers. Any time of the year, you’re sure to find a decadent treat to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Happy Caffeinating!
