✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte has a homemade burnt sugar caramel sauce, espresso, steamed milk, whipped cream and a crunchy caramelized sugar topping. One batch of sauce and topping makes about 8 lattes, hot or iced.
How Do You Make a Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte at Home? (Quick Answer)
Cook 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water to a deep amber, then whisk in 3/4 cup warm cream, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter, salt and vanilla. Stir 3 tablespoons of the sauce into 2 shots of espresso, add 1 cup steamed milk, then top with whipped cream and crushed caramelized sugar.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Take the caramel a shade darker than you normally would. That deep amber is what gives the brulee its toasty, burnt sugar flavor.
Why You'll Love This Caramel Brulee Latte
- Real brulee flavor a deep amber caramel that tastes like the top of a creme brulee.
- The crunchy topping crisp shards of caramelized sugar on the whipped cream.
- Hot or iced the same sauce works both ways.
- Batch friendly one jar of sauce covers a week of holiday lattes.
- Easy swaps works with oat milk, almond milk or decaf.
What Is in a Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte?
The Caramel Brulee Latte is one of the Starbucks holiday drinks: espresso and steamed milk with a rich caramel brulee sauce, topped with whipped cream and a crunchy caramel brulee topping. A grande usually gets 4 pumps of sauce and 2 shots of espresso.
The sauce is the part that matters. It tastes darker and toastier than the caramel in a caramel macchiato, so the trick at home is to cook the sugar further than you would for a normal caramel. The topping is simply caramelized sugar, cooled until it shatters and crushed into bits.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Granulated sugar: white sugar caramelizes evenly and lets you see the color change.
- Heavy cream and whole milk: the cream makes the sauce rich, and the milk loosens it so it pours like the café sauce.
- Butter and salt: round out the burnt sugar flavor.
- Espresso: 2 shots per latte, or 1/4 cup very strong coffee from a moka pot or French press.
- Whole milk: steams into the creamiest foam. Oat milk is the best dairy-free swap.
- Whipped cream: canned works, or make Starbucks vanilla whipped cream at home.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Go darker than usual. Pull the sugar when it looks like strong tea or a dark honey. Too pale and it tastes like plain caramel; too dark and it turns bitter.
- Warm the cream first. Cold cream makes the caramel seize into lumps. A minute in the microwave is enough.
- Use a heavy pan. Thin pans scorch the sugar in one spot before the rest melts.
- Keep the topping dry. Store it in a sealed jar away from the stove. Steam and humidity make it sticky.
- Stir the sauce into the espresso. Hot espresso melts the sauce so it blends evenly instead of sitting at the bottom of the mug.
- A December habit. I keep a jar of the topping on the counter all December, and Lucy has learned to sneak a shard every time she walks past it.
For an iced holiday latte, try my Starbucks sugar cookie latte with red and green sprinkles.
Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte
8
lattes10
minutes20
minutes330
kcal30
minutesA copycat version of the Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte: a homemade burnt sugar caramel sauce stirred into espresso and steamed milk, finished with whipped cream and a crunchy caramelized sugar topping. The sauce and topping make enough for about 8 lattes.
Ingredients
- For the Caramel Brulee Sauce (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Caramel Brulee Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 pinch flaky sea salt
- For Each Latte
2 ounces espresso, freshly pulled (2 shots), or 1/4 cup very strong hot coffee
3 tablespoons caramel brulee sauce (from above)
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons whipped cream
1 teaspoon caramel brulee topping (from above)
Directions
- Make the Caramel Brulee Sauce
- Put the sugar and water in a medium heavy saucepan and stir just until the sugar is wet. Cook over medium heat without stirring, swirling the pan now and then, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the syrup turns a deep amber, a shade darker than a regular caramel. It should smell toasty, like the top of a creme brulee.
- Take the pan off the heat and slowly pour in the warm cream. It will bubble up hard, so stand back and whisk. Whisk in the milk, butter and salt, then return to low heat for 1 minute, whisking until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then pour into a jar. The sauce thickens as it cools but stays pourable.
- Make the Caramel Brulee Topping
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cook the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling, for 6 to 8 minutes, until amber. Pour it onto the parchment in a thin layer and sprinkle with the flaky salt.
- Let it harden for 15 minutes. Break it into pieces, put them in a zip bag and crush with a rolling pin into small crunchy bits.
- Build the Latte
- Spoon 3 tablespoons of caramel brulee sauce into a warmed 12 to 16 ounce mug. Pull 2 shots of espresso straight onto the sauce and stir until blended.
- Steam or froth 1 cup of whole milk to 150°F to 160°F (65°C to 71°C). No steam wand? Warm the milk on the stove or in the microwave and froth it with a handheld frother for 20 seconds.
- Pour the milk over the espresso, top with whipped cream and a generous teaspoon of caramel brulee topping. Serve right away while the topping still crunches.
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
Iced and Hot Versions
Hot: sauce and espresso in the mug, then steamed milk, whipped cream and topping, as in the recipe card.
Iced: stir 3 tablespoons of sauce into the hot espresso first so it melts, then pour it over a tall glass of ice, add 1 cup of cold milk and finish with whipped cream and topping. Add the topping just before serving so it stays crunchy.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Keep the sauce in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep the topping in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; if it gets sticky, spread it on parchment and let it dry for an hour.
The finished latte is best fresh. Make the sauce and topping on the weekend and you can build a latte in 5 minutes on a weekday morning.
More Starbucks Holiday Copycats
Make a holiday drinks menu with my Starbucks chestnut praline latte, Starbucks eggnog latte and Starbucks peppermint mocha. For the full list, see all my Starbucks copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte?
Starbucks describes it as espresso and steamed milk with caramel brulee sauce, topped with whipped cream and a crunchy caramel brulee topping. This copycat builds it the same way with a homemade burnt sugar caramel sauce and a crushed caramelized sugar topping.
What does a caramel brulee latte taste like?
Like a caramel latte with a deeper, toasty edge, close to the burnt sugar top of a creme brulee. The whipped cream is soft and the topping adds little bursts of crunch.
What is the difference between a caramel brulee latte and a caramel latte?
A caramel latte uses a plain caramel syrup and usually has no topping. The caramel brulee latte uses a darker, richer caramel sauce and is finished with whipped cream and crunchy caramelized sugar.
Can I make an iced caramel brulee latte?
Yes. Stir 3 tablespoons of sauce into 2 shots of hot espresso, pour it over a glass full of ice and add 1 cup of cold milk. Top with whipped cream and the caramel brulee topping.
Can I use store-bought toffee bits for the topping?
Yes. Crushed toffee bits are a good shortcut. They're a little more buttery than the real topping, which is closer to pure caramelized sugar.
How long does caramel brulee sauce last?
About 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. Warm the jar in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes if it gets too thick to pour.
How much caffeine is in a caramel brulee latte?
A grande Starbucks latte has 2 shots of espresso, about 150 mg of caffeine, and this recipe uses the same. Use 1 shot or decaf for less, or skip the espresso for a caramel brulee steamer.
