7 Best Starbucks Iced Coffee. How to Order Like a Pro, or Make One at Home

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 1st, 2023

If you do not know yet, there’s a correct way how you should order your Starbucks drink to make it easier for the barista. Here’s the order to fully and effectively express the details of your favorite drink:


  • Hot or cold?
  • Tall, grande, or venti?
  • Decaf or not?
  • Any espresso shots add-ons?
  • Any additional syrup?
  • What type of milk?
  • Any extras or changes?
  • Name of your drink

If that’s not enough, here are some methods you can use to order your Starbucks iced coffee effectively:

starbucks ice coffee
  1. Modify basic iced coffee

The most straightforward and fuss-free method is to order a classic iced coffee! This has a couple of ingredients: ice and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee. From this canvas, you can request your barista for add-ons such as sugar, cream, or anything you can think of! If you have a long day ahead, you can even ask for another espresso shot! 

  1. Get a cold brew coffee

Another option is cold brew coffee which does not fall far from the traditional iced coffee we’ve all grown to love. The main difference is in the brewing process. Standard iced coffee is brewed hot and slapped on with ice, while the cold brew is brewed cold or room temperature water at the very least. Here are some of the variations of this drink:

  • Nitro Cold Brew (with or without sweet cream)
  • Cold Brew with Cold Foam
  • Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
  • Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
  • Cold Brew with Cascara Cold Foam
  1. Select a flavored iced coffee

Starbucks has a long list of flavored iced coffees, which you can choose. The favorite flavors are Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte (a classic holiday drink) and Gingerbread Latte (a Christmas drink). 

What is the difference between Cold brew vs. iced coffee?

Cold-brew, as the term implies, is coffee brewed cold. In short, no heat was used to achieve a smoother and sweet taste while being lower in acidity.

Iced coffee, on the other hand, is coffee brewed double strength and hot, then cooled with ice for that refreshing and lighter-bodied coffee.

Read more: Cold brew vs. iced coffee

7 Best Iced coffee from Starbucks

Iced coffee

  • Notes: Hints of caramel and cola with a medium body
  • This is brewed double strength using off-the-boil filtered water and then topped off with ice. The dilution of the ice balances the coffee beautifully.
  • Starbucks iced coffee is served slightly sweetened for that delicious and refreshing taste.
  • Starbucks® Iced Coffee Blend coffee is from Latin America and East Africa, which features a delightful crispness, especially when chilled.

Nitro cold brew

  • Notes: Velvet, rich, and creamy sweetness
  • The Nariño 70 Cold Brew Coffee is infused with nitrogen to produce a creamy and smooth cup of Joe.
  • You can expect this to be cold out of the tap, so it’s nice to consume it even with no ice. Take note that this is served with no sweetener for you to enjoy the authentic taste the cold brew process does.

If you prefer Iced espresso-based:

Iced Americano

  • Notes: Bold and strong
  • This combines cold filtered water and espresso shots to produce a cup with richness and depth.

This is an espresso shot with water and served over ice. Here are some add-ons to try:

  • Ristretto shots instead of regular espresso
  • White chocolate mocha sauce
  • A bit of coconut milk

Starbucks Doubleshot® on ice

Starbucks Doubleshot® on Ice
  • Notes: Bold and strong with milk and sweetness
  • This is a full-bodied espresso with added milk and light sweetener.

Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice: An espresso drink hand-shaken and chilled, topped with some frothy foam. You can personalize it with the following:

  • Ristretto shots instead of regular espresso
  • A splash of coconut, milk, half-and-half, or breve
  • White chocolate mocha sauce
  • Sub classic syrup with vanilla syrup
  • Raw sugar for that added crunch
  • Sub classic syrup with caramel drizzle
  • Sub classic syrup with toffee nut syrup
  • Agave syrup

Iced latte

Iced Latte
  • Notes: Rich espresso balanced with milk
  • This is a combination of dark and rich espresso shots and chilled milk. You may add flavored syrup or sweetener to your liking.

Iced caramel macchiato

Iced Caramel Macchiato
  • Notes: Hint of caramel and vanilla with creamy and sweet layers
  • This combines sweetened cold milk and an insanely rich and full-bodied shot of espresso with a caramel crosshatch as the finale.

A cup of espresso, milk, vanilla syrup, and ice is topped with caramel drizzle. Make it yours by adding the following:

  • A bit of coconut milk
  • Use whole milk and add vanilla syrup + 1 raspberry syrup pump

Iced mocha

Iced Mocha
  • Notes: Bittersweet and chocolatey notes with loud richness
  • This is an espresso, mocha sauce, and milk served immediately over ice and whipped cream.

Or try

Iced White Chocolate Mocha:

Made of espresso, some chocolate syrup, milk, and ice. To add some twists, you may try adding:

  • Cinnamon dolce syrup
  • Add half regular chocolate sauce to make it a tan mocha

D.I.Y. Starbucks Iced Coffee

In this time and age, there’s almost nothing we can not recreate at home. Luckily, we can try recreating our very own Starbucks iced coffee at home, and we have primarily 2 ways to do so:

French press method

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee in a French Press

Things you need:

Instructions

  1. Pour in water and coffee grounds into your French press using 2.5 scoops per cup of water.
  2. Stir using a wooden or plastic spoon (we don’t want any metal spoon to scratch the device).
  3. Allow that to sit and steep for 4 minutes.
  4. Put the lid on and press gently.
  5. Pour the coffee into your cup or glass.
  6. Add ice. 
  7. Add any creamer or sweetener of your choice.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

24 hr cold brew French Press method

Things you need:

  • French press
  • A bag of whole coffee beans or grounds (grind coarse or extra coarse)
  • Warm water (hot, but not boiling!)

Instructions

  1. Pour in water and coffee grounds into your French press using 2.5 scoops per cup of water.
  2. Stir using a wooden or plastic spoon (we don’t want any metal spoon to scratch the device).
  3. Allow that to sit and steep for 6 hours.
  4. Put the lid on and press gently.
  5. Store in the refrigerator for 16 hours.
  6. Pour the coffee into your cup or glass.
  7. Add any creamer or sweetener of your choice.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

A little help with your ingredients

Coffee

hersheys milk chocolate pack

You can purchase Starbucks iced coffee off the shelf. It comes in a 48 oz bottle which I typically get in a medium roast unsweetened variant. It costs about $4-5 a bottle, which can make you up to 4-5 cups of coffee.

Another way is to buy Starbucks’ whole bean iced coffee. You can have it ground for you or grind them yourself. If you even prefer other brands, you may use so! To achieve your beloved iced coffee, do it the Starbucks way: brew it double strength! Whatever you use for your regular coffee, double that up while keeping your water volume the same as usual. 

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Syrup

Please know that Starbucks also sells syrups in bottles to make it a lot easier. The most famous they offer is vanilla, and it’s a great addition to your cup of iced coffee. However, if you prefer their sweetened iced coffee, the trick is to use their classic syrup. Each bottle will cost you around $12.95-$14.95. But there are also zero problems if you want to try other brands like Torani! 

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Creamer

Unless you specify otherwise, Starbucks utilizes Half & Half as their creamer. I use 3 tablespoons!

FAQs

How can I make my drink sweeter?

Ask for added caramel or vanilla syrup to make your drink sweeter! You may also opt for sugar or other non-calorie alternatives. 

Can Starbucks lessen its drinks’ sugar content?

Believe it or not, Starbucks had already made efforts to minimize its sugar use. For instance, their strawberry sauce contains less sugar now. In fact. 63% of all their drinks had zero added sugar by 2016.

You may also do your part and request sugar-free syrup instead. They have sugar-free vanilla syrup you can try! Additionally, you can opt for smaller sizes so you can still enjoy your coffee but with less sugar.

What are the Starbucks cup sizes?

Starbucks has four available cup sizes:

  • Tall: 12 ounces (340 grams)
  • Grande: 16 ounces (450 grams)
  • Venti: 24 ounces (680 grams)
  • Trenta: 31 ounces (880 grams)

Can I order iced coffee from Starbucks online?

Absolutely! Download the Starbucks app on your mobile phone. You can choose payment options from debit card, Apple Pay, Google Play, Starbucks “stars,” or their Loyalty Programme. 

Last words

We all love our iced coffee! Now you know you can make yours at home, and if not, you now know the most efficient way to order one. So have fun, and may you always have a delightful coffee experience!

crazy

Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.