I am a big (not big, HUGE) coffee fan and as I know International Coffee Day is approaching, and soon, I decided to try some Starbucks copycat recipes at home.

Mocha Latte:

I got this one from Your Dream Coffee and let me tell you, it’s G-O-O-D. I am more of a caramel girl myself, but this chocolate beauty just amazed me! It’s super easy to make!

If you want more information on the best type of coffee to use and what exactly a mocha latte is, jump to this page.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (0.18 l) of whole milk

• Espresso shot

• 2 tbsp (30 grams) of chocolate sauce

• 1 tbsp (15 grams) of mocha syrup

• A serving of whipped cream

Step-by-step:

1. Brew the espresso shot with the coffee brewer of your choice.

2. Meanwhile, steam and foam your milk. Make sure there's a nice layer of foam; this will create those signature layers in your coffee.

3. Add the mocha syrup to a tall glass.

4. Coat the sides of the glass with chocolate sauce.

5. Add your freshly steamed and foamed milk to the glass.

6. Wait for about 30 seconds (I waited a little longer), so the layers in your milk will set.

7. Slowly pour the espresso coffee into the glass.

8. Top the coffee with whipped cream (I am not a big fan of whipped cream, so I just skipped this part)

9. Drizzle the remaining chocolate sauce over the whipped cream

Caramel Frappuccino:

Starbucks’ Caramel Frappuccino was my favorite drink growing up (way before I realized I was completely and utterly obsessed with coffee), so of course, I had to try this one!

It doesn’t taste exactly like Starbucks’ but it’s close enough. I wasn’t expecting it to taste exactly the same since I am using different brands for the ingredients, a different blender, and all that, but it’s good nonetheless.

This one is from Recipe Fairy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of ice cubes

• 1 double espresso shot

• ½ cup whole milk (or dairy alternative)

• 2 tablespoons store-bought caramel sauce

• Whipped cream

• Extra caramel sauce.

Step-by-step:

1. In a blender, add the ice cubes and the coffee shot, then add milk and the caramel sauce.

2. Blend on a high setting for about 30 seconds (according to Recipe Fairy, the more you blend, the smoother the drink will be)

3. Pour the coffee and milk blend into a tall glass

4. Add a spoonful of whipped cream (I skipped this one because I am not a big fan of whipped cream) and then drizzle with caramel sauce.

Starbucks’ Iced Caramel Macchiato:

I was beyond excited for this one! Starbucks’ Iced Caramel Macchiato is my favorite coffee beverage of all time and I couldn’t rest until I found a good copycat recipe. This one is from Coffee at Three.

Ingredients:

• Double shot of espresso (I added 3 for good measure but tasted amazing - and kept me up for hours and hours)

• Caramel sauce

• Vanilla syrup

• Milk (Coffe at Three recommends 2% milk)

Step-by-step:

1. Pour vanilla syrup (about 3 pumps), milk, and ice into a cup. Top with espresso shots. (The recipe says this drink makes 16 ounces - about a grande Starbucks size).

2. Add caramel drizzle.

Extra tips - According to Coffee at Three:

• Milk and vanilla syrup must be put into the cup first so that they’re at the bottom of the cup and then the espresso so that it sits on top.

• If you don’t have an espresso machine or a Nespresso, replace the espresso with strong coffee (double-strength) or cold brew.

Starbucks’ Vanilla Latte:

This one is also from Recipe Fairy. To be honest, I am not that used to vanilla-flavored beverages. I can’t even remember the last time I got a vanilla latte or a vanilla cappuccino at Starbucks, but I always liked them, so I decided to try this one at home.

It was a good change of pace for me. I’m so used to drinking espresso, brewed coffee, and caramel-flavored beverages, but sometimes I find myself wishing for something different, so this is a great alternative for me. It takes more time than the other recipes I mentioned here, but it’s fairly quick and simple.

Ingredients:

• For the syrup

• 2 cups white sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

• For the Vanilla Latte

• 1 small cup espresso

• 1 cup whole milk (or alternative)

• 3-4 teaspoons vanilla syrup

• Whipped cream

Step-by-step:

For the Vanilla Syrup

• Add all of the syrup ingredients to a small saucepan and place over medium heat

• Stir until the sugar has dissolved entirely. Once small bubbles appear and the syrup goes a very light straw color, it is ready

• Pour the syrup into a heatproof container. Once cooled, cover and store in the refrigerator

For the Starbucks Vanilla Latte

• Add the milk and the espresso to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Once the milk begins to bubble slightly, add the vanilla syrup and stir.

• Using either a blender, a mixer, or the technique described above, foam your latte mixture (I used a mixer and got to the result really fast)

• Pour the foamy latte into a tall glass and add some whipped cream. It’s ready to go.

Clara Oliveira is a graduate student with a BA in Mass Communications and a BA in Interactive Media & Web Design (with a minor in advertising) from Lindenwood University. She is currently pursuing a double Master's Degree in Digital Marketing (Traffic Management and Lead Generation & Digital Project Management) in Spain.

She has been working with Jill Devine Media since June 2020 and works with other companies as well. She is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but has lived in the United States for 3 years and studied abroad in California and New Zealand. She loves traveling, reading, and meeting new people.