DIY Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte

I love the seasonal drinks at Starbucks but they can be very expensive if you indulge too much. The new seasonal drink in the UK is a Vanilla Spice Latte. At £3.30 for one grande drink I thought I could recreate the syrup at home. I’ve already made an eggnog latte, chocolate chip latte and a cupcake latte.

Starbucks describes it as “Starbucks signature espresso combined with freshly steamed milk, rich vanilla, and subtle hints of cardamom and spice. Topped with whipped cream, crushed vanilla bean and a touch of sugar”. I was a bit baffled about what the “other spices” could be.

A quick peek at the counter where the syrups are stored told me that it was a Vanilla Cardamom syrup. I couldn’t taste any other spices and this confirmed there probably weren’t any. I stopped short of asking to see the bottle though!

Vanilla Spice Latte
An American Cupcake in London Original (inspired by Starbucks)

Vanilla Cardamom Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom plus a few smashed pods
1/2 tablespoon vanilla

For the Latte
3-4 teaspoons Vanilla Cardamom syrup (or to taste)
1-2 shots espresso
1 cup hot frothed milk
Whipped cream, for topping
Vanilla Sugar, for topping

1. Make the syrup. In a saucepan bring the water, sugar and cardamom to a boil. I ground the cardamom as best as I could. In the end I also tossed a few sightly crushed pods in to infuse. Let boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain the mixture and pour into a sterilized jar. Keep refrigerated for up to one month.

2. Make the latte by pouring the espresso and syrup into a mug. Top with the hot frothed milk and foam. Add a swirl of whipped cream if desired and a sprinkle of vanilla sanding sugar. I didn’t have sanding sugar so I used some vanilla powdered sugar.

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