Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
This refreshing beverage combines the deep, low-acidity flavor of cold brew coffee with a luxurious, sweet-and-salty caramel cream cold foam. The foam slowly cascades into the coffee, creating a beautiful visual and a delightful blend of textures and flavors with every sip. It's a perfect gourmet coffee treat that is surprisingly easy to make at home, rivaling any coffee shop version. This drink offers an indulgent escape for any coffee lover.
Preparation
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Preparation time
Difficulty
Drink Classification
This beverage is classified as an iced coffee drink. It falls into the modern category of specialty coffee beverages, distinguished by its use of cold brew and a flavored cold foam topping.
Serving
Serve this non-alcoholic coffee drink cold over plenty of ice in a tall Highball or Collins glass to showcase its beautiful cascading layers.
Serving size
350-475 ml / 12-16 oz
Alcohol content
0% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Highball
Glass treatment
None
Backstory
Popularized by major coffee chains like Starbucks in the late 2010s, this drink quickly became a menu staple. Its creation capitalized on the rising popularity of both cold brew coffee and flavored cold foams. It elevates the standard iced coffee experience by adding a creamy, decadent topping that perfectly complements the coffee's natural smoothness.
Origin
This style of drink originated in the United States, becoming a widespread phenomenon in the late 2010s as part of the third-wave coffee movement's focus on innovative cold coffee preparations.
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
The drink is most commonly known as Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, a descriptive name popularized by coffeehouse chains. An alternative name, Iced Salted Caramel Cold Foam Coffee, describes its core components just as accurately.
Original name
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
Alternative name
Iced Salted Caramel Cold Foam Coffee
Characteristics overview
This drink boasts a rich coffee aroma with sweet caramel notes, offering a balanced taste of bitter coffee, decadent caramel sweetness, and a hint of salt. It has a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture and is visually appealing with its distinct layers.
Flavor
Coffee, Caramel, Salty, Sweet, Creamy, Rich
Aroma
Roasted coffee, Sweet caramel, Vanilla
Taste balance
Sweet, Bitter, Salty
Aftertaste
Smooth, Creamy, Lingering sweetness
Fizziness
None
Color appearance
Layered, Dark brown coffee, Light beige foam
Texture
Smooth, Creamy, Velvety, Liquid
Seasonality
Refreshing, All-season
Flavor intensity & Experience
The flavor is a rich blend of moderately bitter coffee and pronounced sweet and creamy caramel, with a subtle saltiness to balance the profile. It is a completely still, non-alcoholic beverage.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation
Ingredients
You will need cold brew coffee, heavy cream and milk for the foam, along with caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt for flavor.
- Cold Brew Coffee240 ml / 8 ozUse a ready-to-drink cold brew, or dilute concentrate to your preferred strength (typically a 1:1 ratio with water).
- Heavy Cream60 ml / 2 ozFor a dairy-free version, use full-fat oat milk (barista blend) or chilled coconut cream.
- 2% Milk30 ml / 1 ozHelps to achieve a lighter foam consistency. Can be substituted with more oat milk for a dairy-free version.
- Caramel Sauce or Syrup30 ml / 1 ozAdjust quantity to your desired sweetness. Sugar-free options work well too.
- Sea Salt1 pinchA small pinch enhances the caramel flavor and balances the sweetness.
Ice type
- Cubed
Mixing equipments
The key piece of equipment is a milk frother, either handheld or electric, to create the signature velvety cold foam.
- Milk frother for whipping the cream foam
- Small pitcher or jar for combining foam ingredients
Instructions
The process involves filling a glass with ice and cold brew, then separately whipping cream, milk, caramel, and salt into a foam. Finally, the foam is poured over the coffee to create the signature layered effect.
1. Fill a tall glass (approx. 16 oz / 475 ml) to the top with ice cubes.
2. Pour the prepared cold brew coffee over the ice, leaving about an inch of space at the top for the foam.
3. In a separate small pitcher or jar, combine the heavy cream, milk, caramel sauce, and the pinch of sea salt.
4. Use a handheld milk frother to whip the cream mixture for about 20-30 seconds, or until it has thickened into a soft, pourable cold foam.
5. Slowly pour the salted caramel cold foam over the top of the cold brew, allowing it to float on top and gently cascade into the coffee.
6. If desired, finish with an extra drizzle of caramel sauce over the foam and serve immediately with a straw.
Garnishing
A simple drizzle of caramel sauce over the foam is an optional but highly recommended garnish for extra flavor and visual appeal.
- Caramel drizzle: Optionally, drizzle a small amount of caramel sauce over the top of the foam before serving.
Dietary Information
This drink contains caffeine from coffee and dairy in its cream topping. However, it is naturally egg-free, gluten-free, and nut-free, and can be easily adapted to be dairy-free and vegan using plant-based alternatives.
✕ Contains alcohol
✕ Caffeine-free
✕ Dairy-free
✓ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✓ Gluten-free
✕ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly
Nutrition information
This is a moderately caloric drink, with most of its calories, carbohydrates, and sugars coming from the dairy and caramel sauce used in the cold foam.
Calories
Approximately 200-250 kcal / 837-1046 kJ
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Approximately 20-25 g
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Approximately 18-23 g
Sugar level
Occasions
This drink is perfect as an energizing morning start, an indulgent afternoon treat, or a refreshing beverage on a warm day. It's also a sophisticated addition to any brunch menu.
- Morning pick-me-up
- Afternoon treat
- Summer refreshment
- Brunch
Pairing suggestions
This drink pairs wonderfully with a variety of breakfast pastries and baked goods. The sweetness of items like croissants, biscotti, or coffee cake complements the coffee's rich, bitter notes, making for a perfectly balanced treat.
- Croissants
- Biscotti
- Coffee cake
- Cinnamon rolls
- Glazed donuts
The Indulgent Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Experience
The Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew is a modern coffee house favorite that is incredibly simple to replicate at home. It features smooth, strong cold brew coffee as a base, which is then topped with a decadent, airy cold foam infused with the perfect balance of sweet caramel and savory sea salt. This layered drink is both a visual and textural delight, offering a refreshing yet indulgent caffeine boost perfect for any time of day. Its widespread popularity is a testament to its luxurious feel and irresistible flavor combination.