Starbucks first announced sweet cream cold foam in 2018 for its salted caramel cream cold brew. The foam then made its appearance the following year for the pumpkin cream cold brew, and it’s been popular ever since. People got creative and started flavoring it with syrups to make their own twists. Enter: strawberry cold foam.
This foam tastes just like strawberries and cream. It’s light, fruity, and velvety, perfect for topping iced coffee, chai, and matcha. The best part? You don’t have to buy it from Starbucks to enjoy; you can whip it up in minutes at home.
Here’s how to make strawberry cold foam for any drink!
What is Strawberry Cold Foam?
Strawberry cold foam is a twist on the classic vanilla sweet cream cold foam! It’s made with either strawberry syrup or puree, heavy cream, and milk. You whip it up using a blender or handheld frother until it’s light and fluffy, then pour it on top of your desired drink.
Unlike whipped cream, cold foam is lighter and pourable. It floats on top of your iced drink and, once mixed in, creates a slightly frothy texture.
There are many ways to make it, but the end result tastes and looks the same!
What Does Strawberry Cold Foam Taste Like?
This cold foam tastes like strawberries and cream or strawberry ice cream! Which makes sense because it’s made from the same ingredients, haha. It’s a little less sweet and creamier, with more of a strawberry white chocolate flavor than anything.
It pairs well with coffee, matcha, chai, and any iced drink that you think would taste better with a little sweetness, cream, and strawberry flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than Starbucks. You’ll save money while making a fresher version!
- Customizable. Adjust the sweetness, creaminess, or even swap in dairy-free milk to suit your taste.
- Pairs with everything. Top it on cold brew, iced matcha, lemonade, or even sparkling water.
- Fun to make. I love watching the cold foam cascade into the drink! Especially when it’s water-based like cold brew coffee.
Strawberry Cold Foam Ingredients You’ll Need
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tbsp strawberry syrup or puree
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
Tip: Make a homemade strawberry syrup or puree for the freshest flavor! It’ll be more tart, juicy, and less sweet.
How to Make Strawberry Cold Foam
- Buy or make strawberry syrup or puree. Strawberry syrup is super easy to make at home, just reduce strawberries, sugar, and water in a pot until it takes on a slightly thicker consistency. Follow my easy strawberry syrup recipe here!
- Add strawberry syrup, heavy cream, and milk to a cup or bowl. Then, whip for 10 seconds using a handheld frother until it’s light and fluffy but still pourable.
- Optional: To get a brighter color, add some beet root powder or red food coloring for a pink color.
- Pour the cold foam on top of your desired drink and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cold Foam
- Use real strawberries. Fresh or frozen strawberries give a brighter, juicier flavor than store-bought syrup. If using frozen, thaw them first for easier syrup-making.
- Strain your syrup. Run the strawberry syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp for a translucent, smooth syrup.
- Chill your cream. Cold cream froths faster and holds its structure better than room-temperature cream.
- Don’t over-whip. Stop blending as soon as the foam thickens and turns silky. If you whip too long, you’ll end up with whipped cream instead (which is yummy, but stiff).
- Sweeten to taste. Start with less sugar or syrup and add more if you like your drinks on the sweeter side.
Variations & Substitutions
- Dairy-free version. Swap the heavy cream with a plant-based creamer like oat, almond, or coconut. Oat creamer works especially well because it froths easily and has a neutral, creamy flavor.
- Quick version. Skip the strawberry puree and use store-bought strawberry syrup (like Torani or Monin) instead. It’s faster and still gives you that fruity flavor.
- Extra dessert-y. Add a spoonful of white chocolate sauce or vanilla syrup to the mix for a strawberry shortcake vibe.
- Lighter option. Use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream if you want a thinner, less rich foam.
- Other fruits. Try blending in raspberries, blueberries, or peaches for fun seasonal twists.
How to Use Strawberry Cold Foam
You can add strawberry cold foam to any coffee and make it feel like a treat. Try it over cold brew coffee, iced coffee, or an iced latte! It also pairs nicely with matcha lattes for a creamier version of a strawberry matcha latte.
If you’re not in the mood for coffee or tea, try topping iced lemonade, sparkling water, or coconut water with cold foam for a refreshing, creamy drink. Some people even use it as a light topping for hot chocolate or dessert drinks.
Basically, if you’d normally add whipped cream, you can swap in strawberry cold foam for a lighter, frothier, and more flavorful option. Even use it on food like on pancakes, waffles, funnel cake, ice cream, brownies, the list is endless…
Easy Strawberry Cold Foam
Ingredients
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tbsp strawberry syrup or puree
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- Buy or make strawberry syrup or puree. Strawberry syrup is super easy to make at home, just reduce strawberries, sugar, and water in a pot until it takes on a slightly thicker consistency. Follow my easy strawberry syrup recipe here!
- Add strawberry syrup, heavy cream, and milk to a cup or bowl. Then, whip for 10 seconds using a handheld frother until it’s light and fluffy but still pourable.
- Optional: To get a brighter color, add some beet root powder or red food coloring for a pink color.
- Pour the cold foam on top of your desired drink and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cold foam without a frother?
Yes! While a frother gives you the smoothest texture, you can also use a French press, a handheld whisk, or even shake the cream in a mason jar until it turns frothy. Heck, Starbucks uses a blender!
How long does strawberry cold foam last?
Cold foam is best enjoyed right away since it naturally deflates over time. You can store it in the fridge for a few hours, but make sure to rewhip it so it becomes fluffy again.
Can I make this with non-dairy milk?
Yes, but it won’t foam quite as well as dairy cream. For the best results, use a non-dairy creamer with added fat (like oat creamer or coconut cream) instead of straight plant milk.
What’s the difference between cold foam and whipped cream?
Cold foam is technically foamed milk, while whipped cream is a stiff, fluffy cream. The former is much lighter and pourable, while the latter is thicker and holds its shape.
What is Starbucks’ strawberry cold foam?
Starbucks makes strawberry cold foam by blending its signature vanilla sweet cream cold foam with strawberry puree.
Other Cold Foam Recipes You’ll Love
If you loved this strawberry cold foam, you need to try making more flavors! Here are some fan favorite cold foams to try next:
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