How To Make Flavored Cold Foam Without A Frother

Last updated on October 26th, 2023 at 19:39

Flavored cold foam is an amazing way to add a dynamic taste and texture to your coffee. In this tutorial article we will show you how to make flavored cold foam without a frother.

Cold foam is an easy-to-make topping that adds a beautiful layer and, although you get a better quality cold foam with a frother, it is not an absolute necessity that you use one – and I will talk about 2 techniques to aerate your foam without using an electric foamer.

Keep reading and keep your eye open for 9 tasty flavored cold foam ideas that you can try out!

What Is Flavored Cold Foam?

Cold foam, no matter where you request it, be it Starbucks, Dunkin’, Costa Coffee or whatever is a beautiful, tasty frothy topping for iced coffee, cold brew, nitro cold brew and even iced lattes. It is usually made from frothed non-fat milk, but milk with some fat content works better. Because cold foam is made with frothy cold milk it will not melt into your drink – it will sit on top and sit there and cascade down over time.

Cold foam can be made with both non-fat milk and 2% milk and heavy cream. Some variations include the use of condensed milk to make it thicker and simple syrup to make it sweet.

How you make it at home will vary according to your own personal gusto. Please do experiment in your quest to make the perfect cold foam and make it exactly to your liking.

This will form the base of what you use to make flavored cold foam.

Flavored cold foam is in the simplest of terms cold foam that has been flavored using a flavoring syrup. Popular flavors include salted caramel, vanilla, chocolate cream and Irish cream – which is amazing with cold brew coffee.

Read: How to make the cold foam from Starbucks

How To Make Flavored Cold Foam Without A Frother

Let’s get right to it and detail how to make a delicious flavored cold foam at home without the need for a frother.

I will add, if you are going to make cold foam, regular or flavored, you will get better results with a frother.

Flavored Cold Foam Ingredients

Making flavored cold foam requires only a few ingredients, which are:

• Heavy whipping cream. 
• 2% milk. 
• Simple syrup (for plain cold foam) or a flavored syrup of your choice.
• Optional: condensed milk.

You can by all means make your base using only heavy whipping cream; however you will get a better texture and a better quality of milk when using it with 2% milk.

The use of condensed milk helps to sweeten up and thicken your base.

Note: Starbucks uses non-fat milk only, and creates the thick cream effect using an electric milk frother that is bladeless.

Read: How to make sweet cream cold foam

How To Make Flavored Cold Foam At Home With A French Press

Make your cold foam recipe by combining your heavy whipping cream and 2% milk in equal amounts, and add one or two fluid ounces of your flavored syrup of choice to your French press.

If you are using condensed milk, this is to be used in an equal amount as your heavy cream and milk. For clarification:

• 1/3 Heavy cream.
• 1/3 2% Milk. 
• 1/3 Condensed milk. 
• 1 fluid ounce (30 ml)  of your flavored syrup of choice. 

Then add one or two fluid ounces (30ml to 60ml) of your preferred flavored syrup to your French press.

Ideally your French press should be at most only 1/3 to 40% full. Close your French press and pump vigorously. Your mixture should more than double in volume.

Serve and enjoy your flavored cold foam over and iced espresso, cold brew, nitro cold brew. Cold foam goes very well with all coffee drinks but is particularly good with iced coffee and cold brew.

How To Make Flavored Cold Foam Using A Cocktail Shaker

Follow the instructions above to make the flavored cold foam. Once it is ready, add two or three ice cubes to your cocktail shaker and shake strongly for a minute or two.

Shaking your cocktail shaker strongly, like the French press technique, will aerate your cold foam and make it nice and fluffy.

Some Flavored Cold Foam Ideas And Inspiration

Now that you know how to make cold foam, and more importantly flavored cold foam, you can start to get creative. You are only limited by your imagination and culinary creativity.

Here are some ideas for a great tasting flavored cold foam:

• Salted Caramel Cold Foam: Use 1 fl oz (30ml) of Salted Caramel flavored syrup.
• Vanilla Cold Foam: Use 1 fl Oz (30 ml) of vanilla-flavored syrup.
• Chocolate Cream Cold Foam: Use 1 Fl oz (30 ml) of Chocolate Syrup.
• Matcha Green Tea Cold Foam: Use 1 teaspoon of Matcha and 1/2 fluid ounce (15 ml) of vanilla syrup.
• Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam: Use 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) of pumpkin spice sauce and 1/2 fluid ounce (15 ml) of vanilla syrup.
• Strawberry Cold Foam: Use 1 ounce (30 ml) of strawberry syrup.
• Irish Cream Cold Foam: Use 1 fluid ounce of vanilla syrup and 1/2 ounce of chocolate syrup. Alternatively, use 1 fluid ounce of Irish cream syrup.
• Caramel Cold Foam: Use 30 ml (1 fluid ounce) of caramel syrup.
• Chocolate Mint Cold Foam: Use 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) and 1/2 (15 ml) ounce of chocolate syrup.

Simply add the ingredients listed and mix well with your base cold foam. Add your cold foam to your French press to a maximum of 1/3 full and pump until you have a nice fluffy cold foam. Pour and add to your cold brew coffee.

Cold foam is best enjoyed straight away. Make it in small quantities.

How To Make Cold Foam Without Heavy Cream

The majority of air bubbles as you aerate like to get trapped in a fatter, thicker kind of milk which is why heavy cream and 2% milk is preferred with some coffee lovers having a liking to use condensed milk.

This is why using 2% milk (or non-fat milk) with heavy cream on its own or with condensed milk is preferred.

You can make it without heavy cream by replacing it with condensed milk using a half-and-half ratio – use the same amount of 2% milk (or nonfat milk) as you do condensed milk.

What Is The Best Type Of Milk For Cold Foam?

While Starbucks uses nonfat milk to make their cold foam, I have found that best results are achieved with milk that has at least 2% fat. The fat content helps to create more bubbles, and ones that hold for longer.

If you want to use another type of milk to make fluffy milk foam you can use almond milk, oat milk, goat milk with an equal amount or either heavy cream or condensed milk for better results – regardless of their fat content.

Low-fat, or non-fat milk tends not to aerate as well as milk that contains some fat content.

Can You Make Cold Foam With Creamer?

Yes, it is possible to make cold foam with coffee creamer. I’ve experimented a lot in my quest to make the best possible cold foam and used creamer, both liquid and powdered and found the best results are when you use coffee creamer with heavy cream.

On their own, they will create air bubbles that are bigger which fall flat quicker.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make Flavored Cold Foam

Can You Get Any Flavor In Cold Foam

Yes, initially cold foam was only available in one flavor – the original unflavored cold foam and then expanded to include vanilla sweet cream cold foam and since 2018 it has been available in two more flavors which are salted caramel cold foam and chocolate cream cold foam. Keep it in mind that coal foam is not a drink; it is a topping or an enhancement to your coffee.

What Does Starbucks Make Their Cold Foam Out Of?

At Starbucks their cold foam is made with a mixture of heavy cream, 2% milk and classic syrup (also known as simple syrup). They then blend it in a special bladeless blender. To flavor it and make a vanilla sweet cream they use vanilla syrup instead of classic syrup.

To make salted caramel cold foam, Starbucks uses salted caramel syrup instead of classic syrup.

For their chocolate cream cold foam chocolate sauce and vanilla syrup. The cold foam is whipped in a special bladeless blender. It sits on top of your iced drinks, the milk then slowly begins cascading into your coffee drink. The foam on top makes each sip that you take delicious.

What Are The Ingredients For Cold Foam?

The ingredients in cold foam are heavy cream, 2% milk and simple syrup. Optional ingredients include vanilla syrup, salted caramel syrup or any other that you wish to flavor your cold foam with.

Condensed milk is an ingredient that is optional and helps to both sweeten and make your cream heavier, thicker.

Is Starbucks Cold Foam The Same As Sweet Cream Cold Foam?

Yes, cold foam is made and designed to sit at the top of your drink, to float on the surface. As you drink a sip of it you will taste both the flavors of the cold brew coffee and a little of the cold foam too. It is often referred to as sweet cream cold foam due to the sweet taste.

Cold foam, sweet cream cold foam is not to be mistaken with vanilla sweet cream cold foam. Not only does it taste different and have a nice vanilla taste, it is designed to blend in with your drink.

What Is Starbucks Sweet Cream Foam Made Of?

Sweet cream cold foam at Starbucks is made with heavy cream, 2% milk and vanilla syrup. It has a light frothy texture when blended in their special blender and goes great with iced coffee, cold brew or nitro cold brew.

Can You Add Any Flavor To Cold Foam?

Yes, absolutely! You can get creative and add any flavor or combination of flavors to your cold foam. From exotic peppermint and chocolate to a simple dash of matcha powder for an exotic topping.

You are not limited to sauces and flavored simple syrups as you can use a flavor of extract like maple, vanilla or whatever you can think of. You can even use a fruit purée to flavor your cold foam, spices and herbs!

How Does Starbucks Flavor Their Cold Foam?

Starbucks flavor their cold foam by using a flavored coffee syrup, which is a sugar based simple syrup.

Can You Add Any Flavor To Starbucks Cold Foam?

Yes, as long as Starbucks has the flavored simple syrup or sauce you can use any combination of them to flavor your cold foam.

Final Thoughts – How To Make Flavored Cold Foam

Now that you know how to make flavored cold foam, the only remaining questions remaining are – which one are you going to make and what type of coffee drink are you going to try it out with.

Iced coffee and cold brews go very well with cold foam of all types and flavors. 

If you are a dab hand at making cold foam or have a fabulous idea – share it with us on our Facebook/meta page. If it is particularly outstanding we will be delighted to add it to the 9 flavored cold foam idea in this article. 

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