Welcome to pumpkin season and enjoy the popular Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam that you can make right at home in 5 minutes! It's the best creamy Starbucks dupe for their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and super easy to make with only a few items.
Starbucks and Dunkin' both have their own version of a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew! The Dunkin' Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is a cold brew that is steeped for 12 hours and topped with a Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam, which has notes of pumpkin and warm spices like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. It's then topped cinnamon sugar!
If you love pumpkin, try these Pumpkin Pie Samosas, Pumpkin Butter, and Pumpkin Halwa!
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Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
If you are like me and mark the start of fall with all things Starbucks pumpkin spice, then you most likely love the seasonal Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. The creamy cold foam is swirled in with your coffee with a little extra pumpkin spice topping!
It adds a wonderful fall season spin to the original vanilla sweet cream cold foam. It's my favorite Starbucks seasonal drink by far. And now you can make this year round. You're welcome.
Thankfully, you can make a copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cold foam recipe with ease right at home with nothing too fancy. The at-home version has no preservatives and is absolutely delicious when freshly whipped.
I love making a batch at the beginning of each week for my morning coffees! I think it would go super well with the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso and an Iced Chai Latte or Dirty Chai Latte.
What is Cold Foam?
Starbucks serves a luscious cold foam - a chilled foamy dairy-based topping layered on top of it's cold brews. It's made with a non-fat milk and vanilla syrup which is then whipped in special high speed blenders. The bit of cold brew and cold foam makes for the perfect sip with their strawless lids.
If you have an aeroccino from Nespresso, you make a regular foam that is frequently seen in hot drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. For cold drinks, the hot foam simply dissipates which is where the cold foam comes in.
It was popularized by Starbucks in the United States in the recent years and has especially become popular for those who love to brew their own coffees at home.
By 2022, Starbucks has released a series of flavored cream based foams - Vanilla Sweet Cream, Salted Caramel Cream, Chocolate Cream, and the seasonal Pumpkin Cream.
The Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
The ingredients in the Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew list off as: ice, coffee, pumpkin cream cold foam, vanilla syrup, and pumpkin spice for topping.
The pumpkin cream cold foam itself is made of cream, milk, sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin puree, fruit or vegetable juice for color, annatto (also used for dye), preservative, salt, "natural flavors", and vanilla syrup.
For the at-home version, we're removing the food dye and preservatives. Instead of sugar and condensed skim milk, we're using sweetened condensed milk which is much easier to find at grocery stores.
- Cream - Use heavy whipping cream or half and half, but heavy whipping cream will whip up the best.
- Milk - Starbucks uses a non-fat milk for their cold foam because it has a larger percentage of protein. The resulting foam is robust with larger bubbles, and holds up better than hot foam with micro-bubbles that we see with lattes. Just about any milk, including plant-based milks, will work but not as well as a non-fat dairy-based milk. We also use heavy cream so it has the structure to sit at the top of the drink
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - Instead of using condensed skim milk, something which I've never seen in a grocery store, we're using sweetened condensed milk. You can also use plain condensed milk and add more or less sugar based off of preference.
- Pumpkin Puree - Don't purchase pumpkin pie filling, you'll want plain canned pumpkin puree. You can also make your own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkin. I personally think this is a great recipe if you have some leftover canned pumpkin puree from other recipes.
- Pumpkin spice - Use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend or make your own. Starbucks makes their pumpkin spice with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Vanilla Extract / Vanilla Syrup - For the cold brew, use any bottled brand of vanilla syrup, i.e. Starbucks, Torani, Monin, etc. It's also really easy to make vanilla syrup at home with vanilla extract, sugar, and water. For this recipe, mix 1 teaspoon of both sugar and hot water and a dash of high quality vanilla extract. For the cold foam, since we're using sweetened condensed milk it doesn't need extra sugar. I recommend using vanilla extract instead.
- Coffee - Cold foam is best used on iced coffees - and is specifically really great with cold brews. Fresh brewed coffees or espresso shots over ice work just as well, but cold brew is really the preferred drink when it comes to cold foam.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam is also delicious over a Chai Latte in a Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte.
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
There are several ways to make the cold foam. Use a frother, whisk, electric mixer, french press, blender bottle, blender, etc - whatever is convenient to you.
My recommendation for the easiest method is to:
- Add the milk, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice directly into a large mason jar.
- Give the mixture a stir with a spoon so that nothing settles at the bottom.
- Use a handheld electric frother in up and down motions to whisk the mixture until thick.
How to make Large Batches
Break up making the cold foam into two steps - first whipping the heavy cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract which makes a version of the Starbucks sweet cream cold foam without using a pre-bought vanilla syrup. This helps ensure the mixture gets thick.
After it thickens, add in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice and whip until incorporated.
Step 1
Start by pouring the non-fat milk, or milk of choice, and heavy cream into a large mixing bowl or mason jar along with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
Whip with an electric mixer until it forms large bubbles, and then continue whipping until it's smoother and thickens significantly.
This is the sweet cream cold foam base, which is used for Starbucks cold brews but can be added to any drink.
Step 2
Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice on to the side of the bowl with the cold foam so it doesn't deflate. Continue whisking until fully combined.
And it's done!
Serving and Storing
Add ice into a cup and pour your choice of cold coffee (cold brew, espresso, chilled coffee).
Serve about a ¼ - ½ cup of the cold foam per cup of iced coffee or cold brew. The recipe makes 1-2 servings depending on desired amount in your coffee. Transfer the cold foam to a pourer to pour it over iced coffee, or spoon it on to the top. Sprinkle a bit of additional pumpkin spice.
To store leftover cold foam, keep it in a mason jar with an airtight lid. When ready to use again, you can shake the mason jar vigorously.
If you have several servings in the mason jar, transfer ¼ cup to another jar and use an electric frother, a mini whisk, etc to froth it until thick.
More Starbucks Copycats to try
Recipe
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Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam (Starbucks Dupe)
Ingredients
- ice, as needed
- 8 oz cold brew
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- pumpkin spice, for sprinkling
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam (1-2 servings)
- 2 tablespoon non-fat milk
- 6 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl or mason jar, pour in the non-fat milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk. Using a whisk or electric whisk, whip the mixture until it has large bubbles, and then becomes thick and smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt into the bowl or mason jar. Optionally, add more sugar per taste and orange food coloring if desired. Continue to whip until fully combined and the foam has thickened, just before it forms soft peaks.
- Fill a cup with ice and pour in 8 ounces of cold brew. Add a pump of vanilla syrup.
- Slowly pour or spoon in the pumpkin cream cold foam over the cold brew. Sprinkle additional pumpkin spice over the cold foam and enjoy!
- Troubleshooting: If the mixture isn’t getting thick and frothy, it’s likely that the heavy cream got a little too warm or the tool isn’t strong enough to add air. Put the mixture back in the fridge and try again once it chills. Alternatively, add 1-2 tablespoons of additional chilled heavy cream.
Notes
- The best coffee to use is cold brew, but espresso or fresh brewed coffee over ice work as well
- Store additional pumpkin cream cold foam in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewhip with a whisk when ready to use, if necessary.
- Use any household item to whip the milk, i.e. frother, aeroccino, food processor, whisk, coffee press, blender, electric mixer.
- If you're using a Nespresso Aeroccino, mix all of the ingredients in a mason jar or bowl first, then pour it into the Aeroccino, up to the max line or with the desired amount. Turn it on the cold foam setting (press down and hold).
Recipe Video
Nutrition
*Note: The video skips showing the addition of heavy cream in with the milk, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk. However, it does make it in there.
Anonymous says
Mary says
I have been meaning to make this for so long but every year the season gets away from me. I am SO glad I finally tried it. After taking the first sip I was actually shocked by how delicious it is, especially because I am a sucker for all the pumpkin drinks at coffee shops and I never end up liking them much (even from the fancy places). Thank you thank you for this outrageously good, life-changing recipe!!
Shweta Garg says
Hi Mary, I'm so glad to hear that you finally tried it and loved it!! It's definitely a fan favorite during this time of year. Enjoy! -Shweta
Brittany says
I added this on top of my Chai Tea latte (equal parts chai concentrate and milk) and it tasted identical to Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte!! Now I can save myself $7 daily and make it at home!
Shweta Garg says
Love this for you!
KC says
Delicious. For some reason my milk frother wasn’t working, so I had to make it in the blender, first time making cold foam so not sure if it’s supposed to come out kind of liquidy, but mine came out like that… regardless, it came out way better than a previous recipe I had tried before this, which I would’ve came across this first. 🙂
Shweta Garg says
I’ve definitely had this issue too - usually it’s something to do with my heavy cream not thickening up because of some cream separation.
Angela says
Hello there, Can I just add more vanilla extract instead of the vanilla syrup?
Shweta Garg says
Hi Angela, the cold foam uses just vanilla extract so yes you can. For the cold brew, you’ll want something to sweeten the coffee so you can make a simple syrup, use a 0 calorie syrup, or the vanilla syrup. You can also omit it and mix in the cold foam a bit so that the coffee isn’t too bitter. Enjoy! - Shweta
Angelique says
I absolutely love this recipe, I found it to be perfectly sweet enough, the only thing I would do is add more pumpkin to Amp the flavor! Thank you for posting this
S Coats says
Tastes like pumpkin pie with whipped cream in a glass! Excellent over my cold brew. Perfect for fall. One batch makes me enough for 3 glasses. I keep it in refrigerator and top my cold brew every day. Definitely less expensive than buying at well know coffee shop. Thank you!
Shweta Garg says
Love to hear it!! 🙂
Sharon says
Can you make a bigger batch and keep it in fridge? If so, what would be the “measurements”? Thanks
Shweta Garg says
Absolutely! I would recommend just mixing the ingredients in a mason jar and then frothing 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the mixture the day of. In terms of measurements, you can just use the recipe card to adjust the amount and it should work fine.
Theresa Sovereign says
Delicious! It’s so good! I use it for hot coffee, cold coffee, and hot or iced chai tea, I love it!
Shweta Garg says
I haven’t used it for hot drinks! So good to know it works well 🙂
Sally Hulse says
I am an Australian. We do not have cold foam here.
Thanks to this recipe imma ‘bout to start a Revolution down here.
Shweta Garg says
Walk in to Sbux Aus and make your demands!!!
Crystal says
This is going to save me SOOOOO much money! PLUS I can now make sure it matches my level of sweetness. I love it!
Aditi says
Absolutely amazing!! My family devoured every bit of it. It blended in so well and needless to say made me fall cozy! ❤️
Shweta says
Love that it was a family ting! Glad you guys loved it!
Claire says
When I added the milk, it seemed to get chunky! It’s like the cream and milk separated
Shweta says
I'll need more information to troubleshoot with you. My first guess is that something was expired, my next guess is you maybe overwhipped?
Sarah says
I used my nutribullet to quickly combine all of the ingredients, then a frother to thicken it up. It was very good and I love the real pumpkin flavor. However, this wasn't sweet enough for me. I might try adding a stevia packet to it next time? Thanks for the recipe. So glad to be able to make this at home.
Shweta says
Such a great idea! Lately, I've been throwing it all into my Vitamix and letting that run for 30 seconds. I would definitely add more sugar! I actually started off testing this with about a tablespoon of added granulated sugar (I have a HUGE sweet tooth!) but received feedback from my taste testers that the sweetened condensed milk was enough sugar. So glad you loved it!
Natausha says
Obsessed! Better than Starbucks 🤤
Tonia says
This recipe is super super tasty and creates a cold foam with GREAT consistency. The one thing I would say is that this recipe created SO MUCH foam. Way too much for one drink in my opinion. Other than that, great recipe!
Shweta says
Thank you so much, Tonia! And thank you for the feedback - yes it definitely creates 2-3 servings of cold foam! I would definitely recommend scaling back using the recipe card's "serving" toggle as necessary 🙂
Alina says
I loved this recipe! It was super easy to follow and I used an immersion stick to blend it all up! I tried with a whisk at first, but it didn’t thicken up but the immersion stick was perfect! It was frothy and so flavorful! I used mine on top of an iced chai tea latte and it’s the perfect combination!
Shweta says
Thank you so much! The immersion blender is such a good idea - I never thought of that! Definitely will need to tried it with an iced chai myself.