Learn how to make Starbucks-style salted caramel cold foam at home with only five ingredients. This recipe tastes perfect on top of cold brew coffee, especially when topped with caramel sauce.
There's nothing better than starting your morning off with a cold brew coffee. But it's even more special if that cold brew is topped with salted caramel cold foam.
This recipe will teach you how to make a salted caramel cream with only five simple ingredients. Once you master how to make this recipe, you can make other fun variations like pumpkin cold foam or sweet cream cold foam.
You're going to love the sweet and salty notes of this coffee. The sweet caramel syrup pairs perfectly with the bitter notes of coffee. This is the perfect pick-me-up in the morning.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- What cold foam is and how to make a caramel version.
- How to get a perfectly balanced salty taste in this caramel coffee.
- How to fix your foam if it doesn't turn out correctly the first time.
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What Is Cold Foam?
There are many delicious iced coffee drinks topped with a layer of cold foam. These foams are made by blending dairy products in a blender to make a thick, frothy topping for coffee.
Many cold foams are made from nonfat milk. However, Starbucks has another popular version called sweet cream cold foam that uses heavy cream and 2% milk as the base.
The sweet cream has turned into an iconic topping for Starbucks drinks, including their salted caramel foam. This version uses caramel simple syrup along with salt.
Ingredients You Need
There are only five ingredients required for this salted caramel cold foam recipe.
- Heavy cream: This ingredient provides a rich and silky texture to the foam. You might see this labeled as whipping cream at the grocery store.
- 2% milk: To get the correct texture, flavor, and consistency of the Starbucks version, make sure to use 2% milk (not 1% or nonfat).
- Caramel syrup: This is what adds the delicious caramel flavor. Feel free to substitute for a sugar-free version if desired.
- Fine sea salt: In order to achieve the salted caramel taste, we have to add salt. Be sure to use fine sea salt so it blends nicely with the dairy products. If you don't have sea salt, fine table salt will also work.
- Cold brew: This is the coffee you'll serve with the salted cold foam. You can make your own cold brew or purchase it at the store.
How To Make This Recipe
There are only a few steps to follow to learn how to make salted caramel cold foam.
1. Add heavy cream, 2% milk, caramel simple syrup, and fine sea salt to a high-powered blender.
2. Blend for 45 seconds until a thick foam has formed. Don't cut this time short. You need a full 45 seconds to achieve a thick consistency.
3. To serve, add 8 ounces of your favorite cold brew to a serving glass. If desired, add an additional ½ ounce of caramel syrup. Throw in a handful of ice and stir everything together.
4. Top with the salted caramel cold foam and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to mix the cold foam into the coffee before drinking. The foam by itself tastes pretty salty. However, when it's mixed with the bitter notes of coffee, you'll have a perfectly balanced salted caramel cream cold brew.
- If you don't have a blender, you can also hand whisk the mixture for 1 minute until you've achieved a thick foam. A milk frother also works in a pinch, but the foam will not be as thick.
- To finish this caramel coffee drink, you can optionally garnish it with some caramel sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, both regular caramel simple syrup and sugar-free caramel syrup will work in this recipe.
Try adding less fine sea salt. I'd suggest adding ⅛ teaspoon of fine sea salt if you find the original recipe too salty.
Don't forget to mix the foam with the cold brew coffee before you drink it. This helps tame the saltiness.
Caramel sauce does not work well for this recipe. It clumps up at the bottom and does not mix thoroughly with the dairy ingredients. I would suggest sticking with caramel syrup.
If your cold foam is curdled, check that the heavy cream and milk are not expired.
Next, make sure all of the heavy cream and milk are very cold. Only pull the ingredients out of the refrigerator right before you are ready to use them.
Finally, give the cream and milk enough time, a full 45 seconds, to blend and homogenize together.
Unfortunately, this particular recipe requires dairy. A plant-based, dairy-free milk will not work.
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Salted Caramel Cold Foam (5 Ingredients)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- 1 ounce 2% milk
- 1 ½ ounce caramel syrup divided
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 ounces cold brew for serving
Instructions
- Add heavy cream, 2% milk, and 1 ounce of caramel syrup to a high powdered blender. Blend for 45 seconds until a thick foam has formed.
- To serve, add ice, 8 ounces of cold brew coffee, and the remaining ½ ounce of caramel syrup to a serving glass. Stir to combine. Top with salted caramel cold foam.
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