If you like the strawberries and cream latte from Blank Street coffee, then you need to try my DIY version. I melt some Lindt truffles into the espresso, so you get an extra creamy flavor, and add a nice soft vanilla bean cream top that takes it to the next level. Seriously, it’s that good.

Here’s how to make a strawberries and cream latte at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s super easy and better than the ones from the coffee shop!
• You get to try this amazing flavor combination of strawberry and coffee.
• You can customize it to your liking, more strawberry or more cream!
• It’s the perfect Valentine’s special for a party or coffee shop.

What is Strawberries and Cream?

As the name says, strawberries and cream are literally strawberries and cream, usually served in a bowl for breakfast in the UK! It’s especially popular in summer when strawberries are in season.

History: This combination actually dates back to Tudor England, which is credited to have been created by a chef looking for an easy way to recreate pudding to feed guests at King Henry VIII’s banquet. Then, his right-hand man, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, sold it to tennis spectators in his private court, which then exploded in popularity and became associated with Wimbledon!

Traditionally, it was fresh strawberries and fresh cream, unsweetened or whipped. However, these days you can find strawberries with whipped cream, softly whipped cream, and even sweetened unwhipped cream. All are great variations of it! I personally have not tried just straight cream, but with ripe strawberries, it sounds amazing.

Do Coffee and Strawberries Go Together?

Yes! Although the pair might sound strange, coffee actually goes really well with fruits and tart flavors. Coffee itself is a seed of the coffee cherry, and through the coffee processing and fermenting, the bean takes on funky, fruity flavors. It’s not noticeable in darker roasts, but light roast coffees are full of bright flavors.

Many roasters will describe their coffee beans with tons of fruity flavors. From jammy strawberry, grape, melon, and more, so clearly, there’s a relationship between fruits and coffee beans from the start. Naturally, coffee will also taste great with a strawberry in latte form!

Strawberry adds a nice, bright flavor, which gives the coffee some extra depth. Depending on the coffee’s origin, it can highlight the natural flavors of the region.

Strawberries and Cream Latte Recipe: Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this strawberries and cream coffee!

• Strawberries and Cream Lindt Truffles — This is a hack to an easy iced latte, you melt the chocolate into the espresso, and it gives you all the flavor you need! You can use any chocolate that is similar in flavor. If you want to add natural flavor, you can replace this with homemade strawberry syrup and condensed milk.
• Freeze Dried Strawberries — This adds a nice tangy fruity flavor and adds back some of the bright strawberry flavor missing from the chocolate. It also adds a pretty color and a nice aroma! It’s perfect as a garnish, too.
• Espresso — You can use an espresso machine or a pod machine. You can also use instant espresso powder or a stovetop espresso maker. Coffee concentrate also works.
• Milk — 2% or whole milk is best here! Feel free to swap for your favorite non-dairy options, though.
• Ice
• Vanilla Bean Paste — I love the little speckles of vanilla bean in the cream! But you can also use vanilla extract as a substitute; it still tastes just as good.
• Heavy Cream — Full heavy cream with at least 30% fat is ideal for the soft top. Half and half won’t work as well because it has half the fat content. You can also swap for coconut cream or a non-dairy heavy cream alternative!
• Sugar — Regular granulated sugar works best, but light brown sugar, maple syrup, or agave works as well.

How to Make a Strawberries and Cream Latte

1. Brew Espresso. Unwrap the chocolate truffles and add them to your espresso cup. Brew espresso using your favorite beans in an espresso machine or stovetop espresso maker. You can use instant espresso powder as a substitute for coffee concentrate.
2. Melt Chocolate. Once the espresso brews, use a spoon or mini whisk to melt the chocolate into the hot espresso. Make sure it’s fully melted, and there are no large granules left. Move to the side until ready to use,
3. Make Strawberry Powder. Add freeze-dried strawberries to a small cup or bowl, then use a muddle stick or the blunt end of a chopstick to crush the fruit into a powder. You can also blend them in a blender or food processor. Small chunky bits are okay.
4. Whip Cream. Add vanilla paste, heavy cream, and sugar to a small cup, then whip with a handheld frother until it doubles in size and is fluffy. Don’t whip into whipped cream; you want to stop while it is still pourable.
5. Assemble Drink. Add ice, strawberry powder, and milk to a separate glass, then add your espresso. Top with your soft vanilla cream and garnish with a few pieces of freeze-dried strawberry.
6. Mix and Enjoy! Mix with a straw and enjoy!

Other Methods

If you don’t have the strawberry and cream chocolate, that’s okay! You can make the flavor in different (and honestly better) ways:

• Strawberry Jam: For a 2-in-1 sweetener, you can use strawberry jam for the strawberry flavor. Since it’s quite sweet, I wouldn’t add any other sweetener or swap it for the sugar in this recipe.
• Homemade Strawberry Syrup: I love making homemade syrups, and homemade strawberry syrup is super fresh, tangy, and sweet! It’s better than using strawberry jam in my opinion, since it’s less sweet and the strawberry flavor is better. Use my easy strawberry syrup recipe!
• Muddled Strawberries: For a super fresh version, muddle some strawberries at the bottom of your cup and add a little sugar for sweetness. You can also sweeten it with condensed milk for creaminess, which will make it taste more strawberry and cream-like.

Tips for the Best Strawberries and Cream Latte

• Make a Strawberry Cream Top: For extra strawberry flavor, add some of the strawberry powder to the cream top to make a strawberry cold foam. It will have a really nice, fresh strawberry flavor and light pink color!
• Leave Room at the Top: Make sure to leave about an inch of room at the top for the cream top! Otherwise, it will spill over, and you’ll have to clean up a mess…

FAQ’s

Is this caffeinated?

Yes, this recipe has about 120 mg of caffeine in it, which is from the 2 shots of espresso used. If you want less caffeine, use a single shot of espresso, which is 60 mg of caffeine. You can also use decaf coffee or a non-caffeinated drink.

Can I remove the cream top?

Of course! You can modify this recipe to your liking, and you can omit the cream topping for a less creamy version. The iced latte will still taste amazing. I would add the vanilla bean paste to the coffee, then.

Other Iced Latte Recipes to Try

This strawberries and cream latte is seriously so good, and puts me in such a good mood! For other feel-good iced coffee recipes, here are some drinks to try next:

• Tres Leches Coffee
• Sugar Cookie Latte
• Red Velvet Latte
• Banana Pudding Latte
• Pistachio Cream Latte