A perfect copycat version of Starbucks Chocolate Cold Brew, today’s recipe is a refreshing cold brew gently sweetened by a mocha syrup and topped with frothy, smooth and silky chocolate cold foam.

Starbucks Chocolate Cold Brew Recipe

While I love an iced coffee in the summer, I am super picky. I don’t want anything super sweet and I want my coffee strong – not watered down.

One of my favorites is Starbucks’ Chocolate Cold Brew (described by them as “Starbucks® Cold Brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and topped with a silky, chocolaty cream cold foam”) but even Starbucks can be a bit inconsistent, making it way too sweet at times.

So, I had to figure out how to make a perfect cup of Chocolate Cold Brew at home so that it could be exactly the way I like it.

First, you start by making a cold brew coffee.

What is cold brew? Cold brew is “infused coffee” that is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. This slow infusion method extracts a smoother and less bitter (acidic) flavor from the coffee beans than traditional (hot) brewing, while also resulting in a stronger coffee (in both flavor and caffeine-content).

After blending the cold brew with your flavoring of choice (for this recipe we used mocha syrup), you top it with a homemade cold foam.

What is cold foam? I would describe cold foam as the cold version of that light and fluffy frothed milk that you typically enjoy on cappuccinos or foamy lattes. It sits on top of the drink until you stir it in.

The secret to our homemade cold foam recipe is that we use both heavy whipping cream and milk, which allows the cold foam to have the rich, indulgent flavor of heavy cream as well as the ability to froth up into a luscious, silky foam that sits on top of the coffee, while the milk helps lighten up both the texture and calorie content of the chocolate cold foam.

More Uses for Chocolate Cold Foam

Once you’ve made our chocolate cold foam recipe once and see how easy it is to make, you might want to find more ways to enjoy it on other drinks – here are a few suggestions:

• enjoy on top of regular iced coffee
• iced espresso
• iced frappes (like our vanilla frappuccino)
• iced tea – like iced chai or iced London Fogs (not the soda-style iced tea)

To make your own cold brew, roughly grind 1 1/2 cups of coffee beans and add to 6 cups of water. Refrigerate overnight and then drain and dispose of the coffee beans, saving the coffee for the recipe. (You can use pre-made cold brew, but when it’s this easy to make, why pay a premium?)

How long does cold brew coffee last in the fridge? Homemade cold brew coffee (as long as it has been strained and the coffee grounds discarded) can last in the fridge for 7-10 days.

How long does cold foam last in the fridge? Cold foam can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Chocolate Cold Brew Ingredients

• Cold Brew Coffee
• Mocha Syrup, or less to taste
• Heavy Whipping Cream (35%)
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Cocoa Powder
• Ice

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: add garnishes like chocolate shavings, a sprinkle of cinnamon, extra syrup drizzle, etc as desired.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Large Pitcher
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Wooden Spoon or Whisk
• Mixing Bowl
• Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer

How to Make Chocolate Cold Brew

Place cold brew in a pitcher and stir in the mocha syrup. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract and cocoa powder together for 4-5 minutes until soft peaks form.

Fill your serving glasses with ice and fill with mocha-infused cold brew.

Top each glass with 2-3 Tablespoons of the chocolate cold foam.

Refrigerate remaining coffee and foam until ready to enjoy.

Makes 6 servings.

Pin this Easy Homemade Cold Brew recipe to satisfy your next Starbucks craving:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our chocolate cold brew recipe:

I hope you love this easy chocolate cold brew recipe as much as I do!

For more delicious drinks, check out our full (non-alcoholic) drink recipe collection here:

For more breakfast ideas, check out our full breakfast recipe collection here: