My daughters are among the first to try any coffee offering on the Starbucks menu. I am probably among the second group after they give me positive reviews about what they try. Enter Starbucks blonde vanilla latte!
Once I got my hands on my first cup of blonde vanilla latte, it was love at first sip. I am not a fan of black coffee or really strong coffee, so this checked off all of my coffee boxes. It wasn’t overly strong thanks to a cup of steamed milk, and it was sweet. The only downside is that it cost $7. That’s a lotta for a latte!
Of course, what that meant, cheapskate that I am, is that as soon as I got home from Starbucks I was on the hunt for a copycat recipe. I targeted and tried a couple of them. They were close but no cigars. I did manage to find a recipe for vanilla syrup that was spot on. Then it was just a matter of adjusting the strength of the coffee (the third time was the charm) and adjusting the sweetness.
After a little more tweaking, I nailed it exactly to my liking. I hope it’s to yours as well.
Starbucks Copycat Blonde Vanilla Latte
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 tsp. instant Nescafe Gold espresso
- 1 cup steamed milk
- 1 to 2 tbl. vanilla syrup (I have a sweet tooth and use 5 tsp.)
Directions
Get a very large cup (needs to hold at least 12 oz.). Add the water and microwave it until it is hot.
Stir instant espresso into the hot water and add the vanilla syrup. If the syrup is cold from the fridge, reheat the cup of espresso appropriately.
Use a 2-cup measure for the milk. Microwave for one minute.
Use a frother in the milk to double its size. Then pour it into the prepared cup, drink, and enjoy!
A frantastic copycat original
Homemade Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbl. vanilla
Directions
Combine sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat, add in the vanilla, and stir to combine.
Use the syrup in any drink right away or let the syrup cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store the syrup in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Source: A recipe from Kat’s Kitchen
