How to Make Perfect Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Iced Coffee at Home

How much do you love Starbucks vanilla iced coffee? I’m not going to lie, I pretty much live on it during the summer months. Come mid-April, I’m ready to trade my hot caramel macchiato for a Starbucks vanilla iced coffee. This lasts until about October when I can resist the pull of a pumpkin-spiced latte no longer. But let’s be real, I can’t afford to go to Starbucks every day. So, I set out to find a cheaper way to have my favorite drink.

Since I used to work at Starbucks, I can honestly tell you that this tastes like the real thing for a fraction of the price. You need a whooping 3 ingredients for this dream-come-true, so hold onto your hats while I show you how amazing this is.

Step-by-Step Guide to Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Iced Coffee

Making copycat Starbucks vanilla iced coffee at home is simpler than you think. Follow these steps to enjoy a refreshing drink without breaking the bank.

Step 1: The Coffee

Choosing the right coffee is where it all begins. Here are two affordable options to get you started.

The Cheap Way

This method uses pre-made iced coffee from the store for a quick and convenient option.
There are two ways to get the best copycat Starbucks vanilla iced coffee. The first way is to buy Starbucks’ new iced coffee, which can be found in the grocery store. I have seen them at Kroger, Walmart, Target, etc. It comes in a 48 oz bottle near the orange juice/milk section.

I get the medium roast UNSWEETENED iced coffee, which costs about $4-5 a bottle. I have seen it as low as $3 a bottle in some parts of the country, and there are often manufacturer coupons in Sunday papers. This bottle will make you 4 to 5 cups of coffee at home. That’s a heck of a lot better than $4.00+ for one Starbucks vanilla iced coffee!

The Even Cheaper Way

The second way is even cheaper. You can buy Starbucks’ whole bean (or they can grind it for you) iced coffee blend online or at one of their retail stores. You can brew it at home and make even more than the grocery store version.

Of course, there is no need to use the Starbucks brand. Use whatever coffee beans you prefer, but just know that the true Starbucks taste will come from their brand.

The secret is to brew it on DOUBLE STRENGTH like Starbucks does. That means you need to use twice as much coffee as you would water. This way, your iced coffee isn’t watered down when you add ice.

Let’s say you’re brewing at home in your Mr. Coffee coffeepot. The typical coffee-to-water ratio is 2 Tbsp of coffee for every 6 oz of water. So, for the iced coffee, you’ll want 4 Tbsp of coffee to 6 oz of water.

If I were you, I would just double that for an extra large pot that you can leave in a pitcher in your fridge.

Step 2: The Syrup

Prepare to have your mind blown. Starbucks sells their syrup bottles! Any flavor! Can you believe it? Just be mindful that they need to have extra in stock, so you may want to let them know ahead of time.

I know what you’re thinking: “But what about one of those cool little pumps?” They will give that to you as well as long as you smile and ask nicely. Baristas see a lot of mean people in their day, especially in the drive-thru. So be nice, or they will mysteriously be out of the pumps.

Vanilla is the most popular syrup flavor at Starbucks, so they usually have plenty of extras. This is my favorite flavor (besides pumpkin spice, of course), so I use it in my iced coffee. However, if you want sweetened iced coffee like how Starbucks makes it, you’ll need to buy a bottle of Classic syrup. It’s nothing more than a simple syrup. Each syrup bottle costs about $12.95-14.95, depending on what part of the country you’re in.

Of course, you can buy other versions of vanilla syrup, like Torani. But I am not going to lie, they are not my favorite. It tastes a little “fake” to me. Maybe this is the prissy barista in me talking buuuuuuut, that’s just my opinion.

Add 2 pumps (about 2 tablespoons) into your coffee, and that will be plenty sweet. This bottle will give you 33 servings. I wish I could say that it lasts me a month, but… ::wink, wink:::

Step 3: The Creamer

Starbucks uses plain ole’ half and half as their creamer unless you specify otherwise. I pour in about 3 tablespoons, and the copycat Starbucks vanilla iced coffee is perfect.

Wrap-Up: The Joy of Saving Money on Your Coffee Fix

I mean, really, is there anything more you want in life right now than this glass of copycat Starbucks vanilla iced coffee in real life? Maybe a green straw to go with it? Can someone please tell me why everything tastes better with a green straw?

So, for one iced coffee a day, you can get enough coffee, syrup, and creamer for about $37. If you bought a Grande iced coffee from Starbucks every day (and who can get a Grande when there’s a Venti?!?!), that would cost you about $80. That’s saving more than half!!! And if you brew your own coffee, it’s going to be even cheaper! So what are you going to do with all the money you save?

If you like Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato, Starbucks Iced Black Tea Lemonade, or Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade, I can show you how to make these copycat recipes at home too! What is your favorite Starbucks drink? Have you learned to make it at home yet? Drop me a line, visit me on Facebook, or check out my Pinterest and let me know. Happy Cooking, y’all!