You are going to love this sweet and creamy Starbucks copycat Iced Vanilla Latte! It’s cheap and easy to make, perfect for hot days, and only requires 5 ingredients!
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I am a huge fan of coffee drinks, especially cold coffee. I’ve been making homemade frappuccinos for years but sometimes I wished for something even faster and easier to make than they are.
I’ve always loved iced lattes, but they usually are made with espresso and we don’t have an espresso machine. So when I discovered you could get a similar result by making them with a mix of instant coffee and strongly brewed coffee, I was delighted!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – It’s made with basic kitchen staples that you probably already have on hand.
- Quick and Easy – No espresso machine or other special equipment is necessary and it’s ready in minutes!
- Budget Friendly – This homemade iced latte rings in at just $0.75 cents or less to make per drink. Definitely cheaper than coffee shops and Starbucks!
- Convenient – Enjoy one any time of the day or night. No need to wait until you are able to get to a coffee shop!
Watch Video: Learn How to Make This Recipe
Vanilla Iced Latte Ingredients
- Brewed Coffee (frozen into small ice cubes). This adds more coffee flavor while also making your latte nice and cold. And unlike regular ice cubes, it won’t water down your drink in the process!
- Milk. Whole milk will give you the creamiest results, but you can use any kind you prefer, including plant-based.
- Instant Coffee. You can choose decaffeinated or caffeinated and also adjust the quantity to make it as strong as you like.
- Sugar. Feel free to swap this with any sweetener you like- just adjust the amount for your desired taste. I often actually use stevia since it’s calorie-free.
- Hot Water. This helps dissolve the sugar to make a “syrup”.
- Vanilla Extract. Adds a nice bit of delicious flavor!
How to Make an Iced Latte
STEP 1: Pour the instant coffee, water, and sugar into a large glass or pint jar. Stir or gently swirl to dissolve. (A long-handled spoon or knife work well for this.)
STEP 2: Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. If using a jar with a lid, shake gently to mix.
FAQ & Expert Tips
Coffee Cubes. I use a regular ice cube tray but fill each cube slot just half full to make smaller cubes. You want smaller cubes since they will melt more quickly and give your iced latte the rich coffee flavor you want!
Decaf. To make this beverage for kids or without caffeine go with a decaf coffee.
Caramel Latte. Drizzle caramel sauce down the sides of your glass (if desired) and add up to a tablespoon to the glass during step one.
It’s creamy (from the milk) with a smooth vanilla flavor, while mixed with a slight coffee taste. If you normally drink hot coffee with vanilla creamer, you’ll love this cold version.
Typically, yes, because lattes are usually made with espresso. However, when you are using regular coffee, this will vary based on the blend and amount you are using.
More Delicious Coffee Drinks You’ll Love
- Easy Homemade Mocha Frappuccino
- Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino
- Easy Homemade Caramel Frappe
- Easy Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte
Easy Iced Vanilla Latte
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brewed coffee frozen into small ice cubes
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- scant tbsp. instant coffee or more or less to taste
- 2 tbsp. sugar or more or less to taste
- 1 tbsp. hot water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add instant coffee, sugar and water to a pint jar or similar size glass. Stir or gently swirl to dissolve. (A long handled spoon or a table knife work well for stirring.)
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Or if using a jar, top with a lid and gently shake to mix.
Lisa
Could you tell us approximately how many of the small ice cubes make 3/4 cups? In other words, how many glasses of iced latte should we get from a tray of the half-cubes?
Lydia Beiler
It will depend on the size of your ice cube tray and how many cubes your tray makes. I think I usually use about 8 to 10 cubes but I make it nearly daily and I no longer measure out the coffee and just eye it since I know what looks like the right amount for the jar I make it in.
Mandy
This sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Do I add the cocoa powder if I want to make it a mocha? Sorry, I got a little confused! There’s cocoa powder in the picture, but then you didn’t say anything about it in the recipe. Thanks!
Lydia Beiler
Mandy, that is a good catch! What you see in the photo is actually the instant coffee and I mislabeled it! So glad that you pointed that out. I will update it shortly. I have never tried adding cocoa powder to this recipe as I wasn’t sure it would blend in well. If you want to do a mocha, I would probably try using chocolate syrup instead. Another thing you could try is a dash of cinnamon or maple syrup. I do both of those frequently and they are really delicious.
Cindy
Does it have to be brewed coffee or can it be instant for the ice cubes?
Also….do you have a salted carmel version?
Lydia Beiler
I don’t know why you couldn’t use instant coffee for the ice cubes, Cindy. That should work fine! I don’t have a salted caramel version, but you could always add a dash of salt and some caramel syrup. I’m sure that would be delicious!