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Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew: Starbucks Copycat
Let's talk about coffee. I'm obsesssssssed with all things coffee, and it's pretty much the only thing I drink all day. And I am totally hooked on the salted cream cold foam cold brew from Starbucks. But let's be honest, it's not completely budget friendly to indulge on one of those bad boys everyday (although my taste buds beg to differ).
Over the last few years I've gotten more and more hooked on iced coffee and all things cold brew. I'm not quite a year-round-iced-coffee-drinker, but this drink might convert me. It's that good. Yeah.
So while $5 a pop is a little too steep for an everyday indulgence, my copycat recipe is a fraction of the cost, and just may be better than the original. It's rich, creamy, and the sweet-and-salty combo is next level amazing.
How to Make Cold Brew
To start, you'll need a strong batch of cold brew. There are a ton of cold brew systems out there, but really all you need is a french press and your favorite coffee and about 18 hours... I really like strong, dark roast coffee and this local Sumatra blend from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company is my favorite!
I measured out 1 cup of coarse coffee grounds and mixed it with 4 cups of cold, filtered water. This is a perfect fit in our french press. Give the grounds and water a quick stir and place in the fridge for at least 18 hours. Pop on the top of the french press and carefully press down to filter out the grounds from the water.
Pro-tip: Make a batch each morning for the next day. Perfect steeping time!
Because the coffee is so strong (you basically made a cold brew concentrate), dilute it with water. You can play around with ratios, but we really like a 3:1 ratio - meaning 3/4 cup of cold brew mixed with 1/4 cup of cold water, poured over ice.
Making a Starbucks Copycat
What makes this drink so so yummy is the hint of caramel flavor. Since you are making it at home, you can play around with how much flavoring you really want. A subtle-yet-noticeable amount of caramel can be achieved with approximately 1 Tbsp of caramel syrup.
(You can make your own caramel syrup, or buy caramel syrup like this).
Now about that salted cold foam...
Cold foam. It's one of my favorite things. Starbucks makes their cold foam with a mixture of low-fat milk and half-and-half. But you can make this using any kind of milk, creamer, non-dairy option you want! Oat milk actually foams really nicely if you are looking for a dairy-free option!
My frother has a cold foam option, which makes this a breeze. This frother makes a really great cold foam that keeps its consistency and doesn't "go flat" very easily.
To get the salted cream, toss in a pinch of sea salt before frothing your creamer.
Once it's frothed, simply pour over your cold brew and watch the swirls do its thing. (I could watch cream-and-coffee swirls all day!)
It's definitely on repeat around here, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!