Copycat Starbucks Iced Vanilla Latte

This is the recipe we use for our home-made iced vanilla latte's. We make them nearly every day during the summer months and are more than happy to say that we enjoy them nearly as much as Starbucks without handing over a $10 bill. Having our home smell like Starbucks every afternoon is a great perk!

Ingredients:

Vanilla syrup, from Starbucks or you can make your own (we alternate)
1 cup milk of choice, we like almond, coconut and dairy
Starbucks Espresso beans, ground (decaf or regular)
Ice

We love our Cafe Roma Breville espresso maker. We have used it for several years and it still keeps pulling shots for us. Though it was pricey, we've never had a problem with it and it has saved us tons of money over the years. It was the perfect housewarming gift to ourselves.

If you don't have an espresso maker and don't mind the difference in taste, you can use instant espresso with similar results. I used instant espresso in New Zealand and though it did the job, I found it to be bitter- though that could have been the one brand I found. These look pretty good! Needless to say, I was thrilled to have my espresso maker back here in the US.

Grind your espresso beans and pull your shots. We pack ours pretty firmly, and my favorite shot takes about 20-25 seconds to pull. 30 seconds and it will be bitter!


 In your favorite cup, pump three pumps (three tablespoons) of vanilla syrup. Add one cup of your milk of choice.

Add ice. Quickly dump your shot over the ice and admire.

 


Then, stir it up and enjoy thinking of yourself as a savvy barista. 

secret tip:
 when I buy our espresso and coffee beans every 2 weeks or so, I always ask for two iced Venti cups with lids and straws. I've never had to pay for them and it's never been an inconvenience. So don't be shy!