Starbucks Protein Cold Foam
10/1/2025
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When Starbucks launched their protein line of drinks, I knew I had to recreate my favorites in my own kitchen. This protein cold foam tastes JUST like Starbucks, and you can make it with just 3 ingredients at home. Top any coffee drink with this cold foam and enjoy the added benefits of 22g of protein per serving. Enjoy!
why i love this recipe ⤵️
- It tastes JUST like Starbucks protein cold foam, but you can make it in less than 5 minutes in your own kitchen.
- You can make it with vanilla OR chocolate whey protein powder — I’ve tested both, and both are absolutely delicious!
- 22g of protein per serving — does it get any better than that?
Ingredients You Need
- Whey protein powder: This recipe works with both chocolate whey protein powder as well as vanilla whey protein powder. I don’t recommend making this cold foam with any plant-based protein powders. When we tested it with one — it became super thick, almost like play-dough.
- Heavy cream: A little heavy cream is necessary to give this cold foam its texture. if you use just milk and protein powder, it will result in a protein-rich milk with no foamy texture.
- 2% milk: A little 2% milk is added in so that the heavy cream doesn’t turn into whipped cream, rather it turns into a foam. I like using Fairlife 2% milk because it has higher protein than traditional 2% dairy milk. Fairlife has 13g protein vs. the standard 8g. Don’t skip this either!
- Coffee of your choice: I recommend my homemade cold brew OR espresso! It pairs perfectly with this protein cold foam.
Top Tips for Copy Cat Starbucks Protein Cold Foam
This recipe will ONLY WORK with whey protein! I’ve tested it with multiple plant-based protein options, and all of them turned out grainy, dense and not foam-y at all.
Both chocolate AND vanilla whey protein work great! I’ve tested this recipe multiple times with vanilla and chocolate whey protein, and they are both delicious with a luscious cold foam texture.
This cold foam is best served immediately. Unlike coffee creamer, this protein cold foam does not keep well for later as it will lose its volume and become more of a thick protein milk than a cold foam. If you have extra, I recommend storing in the fridge and re-frothing it before serving later.
More Starbucks Copy Cat Recipes
- Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte
- Ice Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Starbucks Protein Cold Foam Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 scoops whey protein powder, vanilla or chocolate (~4 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Fairlife 2% milk
- 1 cup cold brew coffee, or coffee drink of your choice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a tall glass or large bowl and whip together using a milk frother or hand mixer until frothy.
- Add ice and cold brew to your favorite cup and top with the cold foam. Enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- I only recommend using a whey-based protein powder for this cold foam recipe. I’ve tested this with plant-based protein powder and the texture was thick and grainy.
- I do not recommend making extra for later because the cold foam will lose its volume and the texture will become unpleasant.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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