✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with a homemade chestnut praline syrup, spiced praline crumb topping, step photos and Starbucks' own description of the drink
This copycat Starbucks chestnut praline latte is espresso and steamed milk sweetened with a homemade chestnut praline syrup, topped with whipped cream and a spiced praline crumb. The syrup takes 25 minutes and fills my fridge door with holiday lattes for the week.
How Do You Make a Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte at Home? (Quick Answer)
Simmer roasted chestnuts and pecans with brown sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for 15 minutes, steep, then strain into a jar. Stir 2 tablespoons of that syrup into 2 shots of espresso, add 1 cup of steamed whole milk, and top with whipped cream and a spiced praline crumb made from caramelized pecans, cinnamon, ginger and clove. The syrup keeps for 2 weeks, so one batch covers a week of lattes.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Strain the syrup, don't squeeze it. Pressing hard on the nuts pushes starch through the sieve and you get a cloudy syrup that tastes dusty instead of toasty.
Why You'll Love This Chestnut Praline Latte
- Real chestnut flavor from roasted chestnuts and pecans simmered in brown sugar, not a bottle of artificial syrup.
- The crunchy topping a spiced praline crumb with cinnamon, ginger and clove, just like the sprinkle on the Starbucks cup.
- One batch of syrup, a week of lattes it keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge and makes 10 drinks.
- Works hot or iced and as a caffeine-free steamer for the kids.
- Cheaper and cozier than queuing for one, and you get to control the sweetness.
What Is in Starbucks' Chestnut Praline Latte?
Starbucks lists the Chestnut Praline Latte on its holiday menu and describes it as signature espresso and caramelized chestnut flavor with freshly steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs. The chestnut flavor comes from a chestnut praline syrup, and the crumbs are a sugar and spice sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger and clove.
At home there is no bottle of that syrup in the grocery store, so I make it. Roasted chestnuts and pecans simmered in brown sugar give you the caramelized nut flavor, and a quick pan of candied pecans crushed with spiced sugar stands in for the crumbs. The amounts are mine; Starbucks doesn't publish its recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Roasted peeled chestnuts: look for vacuum-packed or jarred chestnuts in the baking aisle from November on. They are soft and ready to use. Raw chestnuts need scoring, roasting and peeling first.
- Pecans: the praline half of the flavor, in both the syrup and the crumb. Walnuts work in a pinch but taste a little bitter.
- Light brown sugar: gives the syrup its caramel colour and depth. Dark brown sugar makes it taste almost like molasses, so I stick with light.
- Warm spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in the syrup; cinnamon, ginger and cloves in the crumb. Measure the cloves carefully, they take over fast.
- Espresso: 2 shots per latte. A moka pot or AeroPress makes coffee strong enough, and so does double-strength drip.
- Whole milk: steams into the velvety foam that holds the crumb up. Oat milk is my non-dairy pick.
- Whipped cream: a spoonful of my copycat Starbucks whipped cream with a little vanilla syrup in it is the closest match.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Use cooked, peeled chestnuts. The vacuum-packed or jarred roasted chestnuts sold near the baking aisle at holiday time are ideal. Raw chestnuts need roasting and peeling first, and canned chestnut puree makes a muddy syrup.
- Pecans do the praline work. Chestnuts are mild and a little sweet on their own. The pecans and brown sugar bring the buttery, toasted praline note that makes this taste like the Starbucks cup.
- Simmer, don't boil hard. A gentle bubble for 15 minutes pulls the flavor out of the nuts. A rolling boil reduces the syrup too far and it sets like candy in the fridge.
- Stay at the stove for the crumb. The sugar on the pecans looks sandy and hopeless for 3 minutes, then melts and turns amber all at once. My first batch went black while I answered the door, so now the crumb gets my full attention.
- Taste your syrup before you measure. Two tablespoons per latte matches Starbucks sweetness with 4 pumps. I like it at 1 1/2 tablespoons, and my husband takes 3. Make it yours.
- Whole milk froths best. It gives the velvety foam that holds the crumb on top. Oat milk is the best non-dairy swap; almond milk foams thin and the crumb sinks.
- Make the topping ahead. The praline crumb keeps for 2 weeks in a jar at room temperature. It is also very good on oatmeal and vanilla ice cream, which is how the jar usually empties.
Copycat Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte (with Homemade Syrup)
4
lattes10
minutes25
minutes290
kcal45
minutesA copycat-style Starbucks chestnut praline latte: a homemade syrup simmered from roasted chestnuts, pecans, brown sugar and warm spices, stirred into espresso and steamed milk, then topped with whipped cream and a spiced praline crumb. Makes 4 lattes plus extra syrup for the week.
Ingredients
- For the Chestnut Praline Syrup (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup roasted peeled chestnuts (vacuum-packed or jarred), roughly chopped
1/3 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Spiced Praline Crumb
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon turbinado (raw) sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch flaky salt
- For Each Latte
2 ounces espresso, freshly pulled (2 shots), or 1/4 cup very strong hot coffee
2 tablespoons chestnut praline syrup (from above)
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons whipped cream
1 teaspoon spiced praline crumb (from above)
Directions
- Make the Chestnut Praline Syrup
- Put the water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, chestnuts, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. The syrup will smell toasty and turn a deep amber.
- Take the pan off the heat, stir in the vanilla and let the nuts steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a jar, pressing lightly on the nuts (do not mash them or the syrup turns cloudy). Cool. It thickens a little as it cools.
- Make the Spiced Praline Crumb
- Line a plate with parchment. Stir the chopped pecans, granulated sugar and water in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the water evaporates and the sugar turns sandy, then melts into a glossy amber coating on the nuts. Watch closely; it goes from amber to burnt in under a minute.
- Scrape the pecans onto the parchment and spread them out. Cool for 10 minutes until hard, then chop finely or crush in a bag with a rolling pin. Toss with the turbinado sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and flaky salt.
- Build the Latte
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of chestnut praline syrup into a warmed 12- to 16-ounce mug. Pull 2 shots of espresso straight onto the syrup and stir to combine.
- Steam or froth 1 cup of whole milk to 150°F to 160°F (65°C to 71°C) until it has a velvety layer of foam. No steam wand? Warm the milk in a saucepan or the microwave, then froth with a handheld frother for 20 seconds.
- Pour the steamed milk over the espresso, spoon on the foam, then top with whipped cream and a generous pinch of spiced praline crumb. Serve right away.
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Homemade Syrup vs Store-Bought Shortcuts
The homemade syrup is the whole point of this recipe, but if you need a latte in 5 minutes, here is how the shortcuts compare.
| Syrup option | Time | How close is it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homemade chestnut praline syrup (this recipe) | 25 min, plus cooling | Closest | Real roasted nut flavor, keeps 2 weeks in the fridge |
| Pecan-only praline syrup | 25 min, plus cooling | Very close | Skip the chestnuts and use 3/4 cup pecans; slightly more buttery |
| Bottled hazelnut syrup plus bottled salted caramel syrup | 1 min | Close enough in a hurry | 1 tablespoon of each per latte; sweeter and less toasty |
| Brown sugar simple syrup with cinnamon | 10 min | Loosely similar | Warm and sweet, but no nut flavor; lean on the praline crumb |
Variations
The syrup is flexible, and once it is in the fridge these are the drinks it ends up in at our house.
- Iced chestnut praline latte: stir the syrup into hot espresso, pour over ice, add cold milk, and top with whipped cream and crumb.
- Chestnut praline cold brew: 2 tablespoons of syrup in a glass of cold brew over ice, with a splash of cream.
- Kids' chestnut praline steamer: no espresso, just syrup, steamed milk, whipped cream and crumb.
- Chestnut praline mocha: add 1 tablespoon of chocolate sauce with the syrup. Very good with the salted crumb on top.
- Dairy-free: oat milk and coconut whipped cream. The syrup and crumb are already dairy-free.
- Less sweet: drop to 1 tablespoon of syrup per latte and let the crumb do the rest.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Syrup: refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. It thickens when cold, so stand the jar in hot water for a few minutes or give it 10 minutes on the counter before measuring.
Praline crumb: store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If it clumps on a humid day, break it up with a fork.
The latte itself: drink it fresh. Reheated lattes lose their foam, and the crumb dissolves within a few minutes of hitting the cream.
More Starbucks Holiday Copycats
My Starbucks copycat recipes collection has the rest of the red-cup drinks. If you like a syrup you can keep in the fridge door, the cinnamon dolce latte uses the same idea, and the salted caramel mocha is the other sweet-and-salty holiday order worth making at home. For bakes and drinks for the whole season, browse our Christmas recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks chestnut praline latte?
Starbucks describes the drink as its signature espresso and caramelized chestnut flavor with freshly steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs. This copycat builds it the same way: a homemade chestnut praline syrup, 2 shots of espresso, steamed whole milk, whipped cream and a cinnamon-ginger-clove praline crumb.
What does a chestnut praline latte taste like?
Toasty, buttery and nutty, like candied nuts in a latte, with warm spice from cinnamon and clove and a little crunch from the topping. It is sweet, but less sharp than a caramel latte, and the chestnut gives it a soft, roasted flavor that reads as very holiday.
Can I make chestnut praline syrup without chestnuts?
Yes. Use 3/4 cup pecans in place of the chestnuts and pecans combined and you get a praline syrup that is very close. Chestnuts add a gentle roasted sweetness, but the pecans and brown sugar carry most of the flavor people recognize.
How long does homemade chestnut praline syrup last?
About 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. It may thicken when cold; let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or warm the jar in a bowl of hot water. If it ever smells sour or looks cloudy with specks, throw it out.
Can I make an iced chestnut praline latte?
Yes. Stir 2 tablespoons of syrup into 2 shots of hot espresso, pour it over a glass full of ice, then add 1 cup of cold milk. Top with whipped cream and praline crumb. The syrup dissolves best in the hot espresso before the ice goes in.
How much caffeine is in a chestnut praline latte?
A grande Starbucks latte has 2 espresso shots, roughly 150 mg of caffeine, and this recipe uses the same. Use 1 shot or decaf espresso for less. For kids, skip the espresso and make a steamer: syrup, steamed milk, whipped cream and crumb.
Is the praline crumb topping necessary?
No, but it is what makes the drink feel like the real one. If you are short on time, mix 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch each of ginger and clove, and sprinkle that over the whipped cream. You get the spice without the crunch.
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