Someone asked me a question the other day. It’s one I’ve actually thought about myself over the years but never attempted to try yet. “Can I use cold foam on hot coffee?”
So the question got me thinking, and I determined to find out whether that was a thing.
Let’s start by explaining what cold foam is?
Considering that foam is steamed milk, you may question what cold foam is. Starbucks baristas use a special blender to thicken and blend nonfat milk, which is fascinating. While it doesn’t include any cream, it has a creamy, somewhat sweet taste and hovers to the top of the cup excitingly.
Whipping cold milk into a froth creates cold foam. The absence of heat is the primary distinction between this and other steamed or frothed milk! Even while cold foam may have been around for a while, Starbucks is often credited with bringing it into the mainstream. In 2014, Starbucks introduced its sweetened cold foam. It’s now possible to add it to any iced Starbucks beverage.
Vanilla syrup and nonfat milk make up cold foam sweeter than whipped cream. Frosty topping that softly melts into your drink as you sip it up is made by whipping it.
Nonfat milk, heavy cream, and a flavoring syrup are mixed to make the cold cream foams.
Can you order or put cold foam on hot coffee?
You must have heard that it’s not safe due to temperature differences. But that’s not the case, although coffee connoisseurs advise avoiding adding cold milk to hot coffee since it ruins the taste of freshly made coffee. Their advice is to reheat any milk, foam or not, but this is not a food safety problem.
If you’re afraid that the heat may curdle or damage the cold milk in the cold foam, relax! There will be no difference in how the milk in cold foam reacts to heat compared to whipped cream or creamer.
However, it is safe to pour cold foam over hot beverages, but since it melts into the drink so rapidly, it is not done very frequently.
Although, I experimented with a hot, no-water chai, a hot pumpkin spice latte, a hot latte, and an espresso-based brûlée latte to see what it might taste like. All were warm and sickeningly sweet, and the texture was odd, not as smooth and silky as it should have been. I had a few sips of each and then tossed them.
For me, Just don’t put cold foam over hot beverages!
How does cold foam taste on hot coffee?
The flavor of cold foam over hot beverages isn’t horrible since it’s just milk and sugar. Still, there are certainly better choices.
While cold foam tastes excellent on hot drinks, it will dissolve instantly. While it doesn’t have the same richness as whipped cream or frothed milk, it nonetheless adds a creamy element to the hot beverage.
Consequently, steam-wand-created whipped cream or frothy milk is preferred for hot beverages since it does not melt as rapidly. It also adds more creaminess to the hot beverage than cold foam.
Cold foam’s key selling point is its unique ability to gently melt over ice-cold beverages, unlike other foams and creams. Using cold foam on hot drinks is unnecessary since alternative methods provide the same results while requiring less frequent removal from the drink than cold foam.
Whipped cream is a heavy cream that has been whisked until it becomes light and fluffy. Now, you might be wondering what the difference between cold foam and frothed milk is.
You can pour cold foam, and it’s similar to the heated, steamed milk foam used in lattes. On the other hand, whipped cream is a thicker version of sour cream that can keep its form.
That’s not all.
The Houston Chronicle says, “Cold foam is made from nonfat milk and will still give you a frothy, airy texture to top off your coffee. Additionally, cold foam milk will add more nutrition, whereas whipping cream adds extra sugar, saturated fat, and approximately 100 calories (give or take) per coffee order.”
What’s the flavor of cold foam?
It all hinges on how you enjoy your coffee. For those who want a creamier and more delicious latté and don’t mind the lack of fat in the nonfat version, a Starbucks or other retailer’s flavored cold foam topping could be a better choice. If you want a stronger cup of joe, this is not the beverage for you: If you use cold foam, it will only float on top of your coffee and won’t do anything to enhance the flavor. Consumers who like non-dairy kinds of milk, such as soy milk, won’t be able to enjoy it.
The best milk to use for your cold foam.
You must have wondered what milk is the best for cold foam.
Most people think it’s the total fat since it’s richer and creamier, it should be the better choice. But it’s not exactly so.
When preparing the foam, the ideal milk to use is 2 percent fat milk or low-fat milk. These kinds of milk can create high-volume, long-lasting tiny milk bubbles that make cold foam so delicious.
Consider this: the more air you introduce into the milk, the more bubbles it generates. This produces a beautiful and smooth textured cold foam that is fantastic on top of various iced coffee beverages.
It’s safe to say that utilizing nonfat milk will increase your chances of achieving the desired texture of the creamy, fluffy, cold foam.
Starbucks’ standard cold foam is a firm foam generated by blending cold nonfat (skim) milk in a special blender. Starbucks uses this stiff foam to make its coffee. However, you may also order plain (unsweetened) cold foam or any cold foam you choose at the time of purchase. In this section, we will discuss some famous Starbucks cold foam drinks.
Starbucks Cold Foam Varieties
Starbucks offers 9 distinct cold foam tastes.
- Regular cold foam. It is a blend of nonfat milk, and two pumps of vanilla syrup, sometimes termed cold foam. With a low-calorie cold foam, substitute sugar-free vanilla for conventional vanilla.
- Cold wonderful vanilla cream foam. It consists heavy cream, two percent milk, and vanilla syrup.
- Salted cold cream foam. It is a blend of vanilla-flavored sweet cream with salt flakes. Before blending, vanilla syrup and heavy cream are placed into a special blender and coated with sea salt.
- Cold Irish cream foam. Irish cream syrup and sweet vanilla cream are added before mixing.
- The cool raspberry foam is a combination of raspberry syrup and sweet vanilla cream that has been whipped into a chilly foam.
- Cold pumpkin cream foam. Pumpkin spice sauce is blended with sweet vanilla cream to generate pumpkin cream cold foam. On top of the foam, pumpkin spices are sprinkled.
- Cold strawberry puree foam. You can have it at any time of year since it’s a secret menu item. Cold foam made with strawberry puree and strawberry vanilla sweet cream cold foam is known as strawberry cold foam.
- Cascara-flavored cold foam. Cascara cold foam used to be prepared by blending nonfat milk and cascara syrup in a special blender, but Starbucks has since abandoned this practice.
- Almond milk foam with cinnamon flavoring. Vanilla syrup, cinnamon powder, and almond milk makeup this cool vegan foam..
Tips for Ordering Cold Foam Drinks at Starbucks
What can you do to ensure you receive the Starbucks cold foam drink you desire? The following are some pointers to keep in mind while ordering a Starbucks drink with cold foams.
Because cold foam comes in such wide varieties, be particular when describing what you’re looking for. This will prevent you from getting a tasteless foam.
Be aware that cold foam may quickly melt when ordering hot beverages, so be careful not to order them. You may garnish your hot drinks with milk foam or whipped cream.
Understand that the dairy in cold foam does not mix well with Refreshers if you’re looking for a cold foam fix!
You may wish to restrict the use of cold foam to less acidic beverages, such as cold brews since acidity and cold foam don’t mix.
List of All Starbucks Cold Foam Drinks
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Vanilla Sweet Cream
- Cold Foam Mocha
- Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
- Iced London Fog Tea Latte with Cold Foam
- Iced Matcha Tea Latte with Cold Foam
- Pink Drink with Cold Foam
- Dragon Drink with Cold Foam
- Salted Caramel Nitro Cold Brew
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha
- Nitro Cold Brew with Cascara Cold Foam
- Iced White Hot Chocolate with Matcha Cold Foam
- Cold Foam Iced Americano
- Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam
- Iced Espresso with Cold Foam
- Iced Vanilla Latte with Cold
Here I will discuss eight of my best Starbucks cold foam drinks.
Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold brew
The vanilla sweet cream nitro cold brew is smooth and somewhat sweet with a full-bodied mouthfeel. Coffee is cold-brewed, and then nitrogen is added using a Nitro Cold Brewing Keg. As a result, the coffee brew has a silky texture and a delicate flavor.
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
The salted caramel cold brew is exactly what it sounds like: their regular cold brew is combined with some of their salted caramel coffee syrup and served in a glass. After that, it is covered with a foam that is not only creamy but also infused with more salted caramel.
Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Vanilla Sweet Cream
An iced cinnamon dolce latte is a delicious coffee drink that is centered on espresso and has a taste of delicious cinnamon. It consists of both espresso (or strong coffee), cinnamon dolce syrup, milk or cream, and ice.
Iced London Fog Tea Latte with Cold Foam
It would be best if you tried the iced London fog tea latte for a delicious, crisp drink that tea enthusiasts truly adore, which is produced with a beautiful blend of citrus tastes, lavender, simple syrup, and Earl Gray green tea. When you add cold foam, the creaminess soars to new heights.
Iced Matcha Tea Latte with Cold Foam
The cold foam iced matcha tea latte from Starbucks is a must-try for everyone who likes matcha tea. You won’t be disappointed if you’re seeking something different when visiting your local coffee shop for your next cup of joe.
Pink Drink with Cold Foam
Those who prefer fruity drinks and cool foam might explore Starbucks’ pink drink with cold foam as an option for their next order. Acai, strawberry, and passion fruit juices combine coconut milk and acai berries to create a luscious, creamy, and delicious drink you won’t want to put down.
Iced White Chocolate Matcha cold foam
This could be an excellent alternative to explore if you prefer white chocolate to milk chocolate in your coffee and chocolate drinks. It’s a little sweeter than most of Starbucks’ other cold foam beverages, making it ideal for those who like sugar. Rich espresso is mixed into creamy milk and then topped with a drizzle of the most delicate white chocolate sauce.
Nitro Cold Brew with Cascara Cold Foam
This beverage is produced using a cold brew Cascara blend of coffee, which means that the coffee has been brewed cold with Cascara syrup, a sweet mix that is formed from the skins of coffee cherries. As its name implies, this drink is served ice cold.
