berries

This strawberry vanilla cold brew latte with oat milk is simple to make and packed with flavor. This updated take on traditional cold brew coffee combines a sweet and fruity strawberry vanilla syrup with creamy oat milk and homemade cold brew. This strawberry latte is perfect for the warmer months of the year or anytime you want to enjoy the unexpected yet delicious combination of strawberries and coffee!

The idea for this coffee drink popped into my head a couple of weeks ago when strawberries began making their way back into season in Houston. Normally I’m not much for inventive flavors when it comes to coffee, but the idea of a strawberry latte just kept gnawing at me. We drink coffee with pastries, which may very well be strawberry-flavored, so it didn’t see too bizarre, right?! I’m happy to report this strawberry vanilla cold brew latte is just as delicious as I imagined!

What is a Cold Brew Latte?

Unlike a traditional latte that contains espresso, a cold brew latte is typically made with cold brew concentrate and milk. The ratio of cold brew to milk will vary slightly based on the person making it and whether or not they are using cold brew or cold brew concentrate. Cold brew concentrate is simply the result of cold brewing coffee grounds in cold water for 12-18 hours. Once steeped then strained, the concentrate can be enjoyed as-is for a very strong flavor or diluted with milk or water. For this version of a cold brew latte, I prefer 1/2 cup cold brew concentrate to 1 cup milk. For a lighter coffee flavor you can do 1/2 cup cold brew that has already been diluted with water.

Key Ingredients for My Strawberry Vanilla Cold Brew Latte

• Strawberries — fresh strawberries will yield the best flavor but you can also use frozen ones.
• Cane Sugar — helps draw out the strawberry juices while thickening and sweetening the syrup.
• Lemon Juice — brightens up the strawberry flavor.
• Vanilla Extract — lends flavor to the syrup. For a more intense vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste.
• Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate — as mentioned above, this is simply undiluted cold brew. If you’d like to make your own, I have a recipe for you right here!
• Oat Milk — you can’t have a latte without milk! I love oat milk or cashew milk here but feel free to use your favorite.

Recipe Components

STRAWBERRY VANILLA SYRUP – The flavor of this latte comes from a homemade simple syrup made with water, sugar, fresh strawberries, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. You’ll mix together the water, sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice in a small pot or sauce pan. Let this mixture simmer for a bit to extract the juice of the strawberries and thicken the syrup. Once it cools off, you’ll strain the strawberries out and stir in the vanilla.

OAT MILK – I used a store-bought oat milk for mine and it was really delicious! You could also use cashew milk, soy milk, or whatever you prefer at the moment.

COLD BREW COFFEE – I prefer to make my own cold brew at home since it’s incredibly easy and I can use my favorite coffee beans. If you’re making your own, you need ground coffee and filtered water. Typically it will “brew” at room temperature anywhere from 12-18 hours. I like mine brewed for about 14 hours. To make this recipe easier, feel free to use your favorite store-bought cold brew concentrate.

Recipe Tips

• I’ve found that fresh, in-season strawberries will yield the best tasting syrup. You can also use frozen strawberries if you like. If you go that route, there’s no need to thaw them! You can add them straight to the pan.
• When you’re straining the berries out of the syrup, you want to gently press the berries to encourage the syrup to drain. If you press really hard, you’ll start to push solid bits of the berries into the syrup. We’re going for a smooth syrup here that doesn’t leave any chunky bits of berry in our latte!
• I layered each component in my glass for the photos for aesthetics but I highly recommend mixing the syrup with the milk first. The syrup is heavier (more dense) than the other two ingredients so it will easily sink to the bottom if not incorporated into the milk. I recommend doing this with a small whisk or a handheld milk frother for the best results!
• For a less strong coffee flavor, use cold brew that has already been diluted with water rather than a concentrate. If you’re buying it from the store, it will tell you on the label if it is a concentrate or not.
• Leftover strawberry vanilla syrup can be enjoyed over ice cream or stirred into milk or milkshakes for a delicious treat.

Looking for more recipes to celebrate strawberry season? For something cold and creamy, try this vegan strawberry coconut milk ice cream. Or, if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can use store-bought ice cream in these roasted strawberry sundaes with chamomile and St. Germain. If you prefer something cake-y, try this dairy free strawberry upside-down cake with lavender whipped coconut cream.

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