Recreate Starbucks Coffee At Home With A 3-Ingredient Sweet Cream Copycat

Like Dunkin' and Tim Horton's, Starbucks is a near-universally recognized symbol of coffee consumption. However, considering the median price of a regular coffee reached $3.52 in August 2025 according to Toast, many java drinkers have taken an interest in recreating their favorite drinks and snacks from the Seattle-based chain. Luckily, it's pretty easy to make some of your favorite Starbies orders (including the famed Medicine Ball) at home, and one of the simplest staples to replicate also happens to be one of the most delicious: sweet cream.

The global chain first introduced its vanilla sweet cream nearly 10 years ago, created largely to pair with its cold brew in order to soften the sometimes sour and bitter drink, and render it complete as ordered, with milk and sugar already added. In effect, it's an unfrothed vanilla version of the popular Cold Foam topping, which has a base of heavy whipping cream, 2% milk, and vanilla syrup according to baristas and other self-proclaimed store employees on social media. A Vanilla Sweet Cream recipe on Starbucks' website calls for a 4-to-1 ratio of heavy cream and vanilla-flavored syrup, but not all fans have been happy with these results. One solution? Mixing in sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) instead of heavy cream, subbing vanilla extract for vanilla syrup, and swapping the milk with light cream or half-and-half to better match the texture and flavor you get in-store. A few ingredients and a bit of elbow grease are all you need to craft this customizable, lightly sweet topping for home enjoyment.

While this beverage-topper isn't especially difficult to make, there are still some guidelines you should keep in mind when mixing up your own Starbucks sweet cream. The exact amounts of each ingredient will depend on whether you want just a single serving, or a large batch to store in the fridge (where it should last for a couple of days), but you can rely on ratios. Some people like using a part of sweetened condensed milk for every four parts of half-and-half, plus several dashes of vanilla extract to taste, while others favor a ratio of 2.5 parts sweetened condensed milk to 2 parts light cream and half a part of vanilla extract.

You can also switch things up to fit your dietary restrictions or preferences. Sweetened condensed skim milk is an even swap for the full-fat kind, for instance. And although nondairy milks are typically more difficult to whip up into the proper texture, it can be done — full fat coconut milk, vegan heavy cream, or barista-grade oat or almond milk will all work nicely. To sweeten the vegan version, opt for a 5 to 1 ratio of nondairy milk or cream to vanilla syrup. Regardless of which sweet cream dupe you choose, though, proper emulsification is key to achieving a Starbucks-like consistency. Whisking gets the job done just fine, but you can also use a dedicated milk frother if you're after a fuller-bodied, foamier topping (the latter is practically essential for the vegan kind).