Coffee is a simple and great way to share the warmth of the holiday season with those you care about. With tasty coffee, seasonal flavors —and a little imagination, a certain special caffeinated drink might just be the star of your holiday events this year!

The Caramel Brulée Latte is one of Starbucks’ favorites representing the change of seasons. In this article, I will discuss what the Caramel Brulee Latte is and other related intriguing facts.

What is a Caramel Brulee Latte?

Brulée in french means burnt or scorched. Basically, it references the firm sugar coating on Creme Brulee Latte. The caramel brulée latte is an espresso-based beverage loaded with caramel flavor. The latte features a caramel flavor (called brulée sauce by Starbucks) and little shards of broken salted sugar on top, a brulée topping.

Typically, Caramel Brulee Latte is launched in the autumn and sold at Starbucks until April. It comprises espresso or hot coffee, caramel brulée sauce, milk, whipped cream, and caramel brulée crumbles.

Caramel brulee latte taste

The taste is pretty similar to that of a standard caramel latte, however, the brulée sauce adds a smoky flavor to the drink, making it both sweet and smokey. This sets it apart from the more creamy regular Starbucks caramel syrup.

Honest review:

Even though the Caramel Brulee is a delicious and sugary coffee drink, it actually failed to impress when compared to other creative Starbucks inventions. In my perspective, there is nothing that really sets it apart from the usual Popular Caramel Latte.

It is intended to have a topping that is reminiscent of crème brûlée, a classic delicacy, and I think that the small crumbs on top are supposed to represent that topping. However, the difference in flavor was not noticeable.

If anything, it has a slightly smokier flavor when compared to a standard Caramel Latte, which makes perfect sense given that brulée is the French word for burnt.

Caffeine content

While the Caramel Brulee latte has a high sugar content (as one would anticipate from a caramel drink), I like how low the caffeine percentage is. The average amount of caffeine in a grande latté is 150 milligrams. In terms of caffeine content, this is about the same as a cup of coffee. It provides you with the necessary energy to go through the day. It’s also less than a fifth of the recommended daily dose for an adult, which is 400mg.

Caramel Brulee Latte Sizes	Caffeine Content	Calorie Content
Short (hot)	220	75 mg
Tall (cold)	300	75 mg
Tall (hot)	310	75 mg
Venti(cold)	520	225 mg
Venti (hot)	500	150 mg
Grande (cold)	400	150 mg
Grande (hot)	410	150 mg

Source: Starbucks

Caramel Brulee Latte ingredients

This drink is made using Starbucks’ Signature Espresso blend of espresso. They also use Caramel Brulee sauce. Ingredients in the sauce include sugar, corn syrup, skim milk powder, natural flavors, and salt as a preservative.

Starbucks utilizes 2 percent milk, usually, it’s the standard unless otherwise indicated.

How to order a Caramel Brulee at Starbucks

Iced Americanos are available in decaf or unsweetened iced coffee, so ask for one of those options.
Request only one (1) Pulp of the caramel sauce
One (1) dab of caramel syrup should suffice
Make your half-and-half if you’d like (or almond milk for non-dairy)
Add a packet of Splenda or another calorie-free sweetener as an optional bonus.

Starbucks Caramel brulee making process.

Making this coffee drink at home requires a few ingredients, but it’s a breeze to put together.

If you can’t get your hands on Starbucks syrups, mixes, and machines, this is as near as you’re going to get to their recipe. Experiment with several kinds of milk and sweeteners to find the one you like best!

How to make Caramel sauce

You can create your caramel sauce in a matter of minutes, and it tastes better than anything you can buy in a jar. I use only three items to produce mine.

To prepare a simple caramel sauce, heat the sugar until it liquefies over medium-high heat. Boil without stirring until it achieves a rich brown color.

Add the butter and continue whisking until everything is well combined. After removing the pan from the heat, add the cream and whisk it until smooth.

You may also try Montana’s Caramel flavored Sauce for an extra smooth and chocolatey taste. If caramel sauce isn’t your thing, don’t feel obligated to have this drink; there are other alternatives to caramel sauce.

Making the Caramel Brulee latte

To prepare this caramel brulée latte, you’ll need:

Ingredients

1 Espresso shot,
Sauce made from caramel brulee.
Whipped cream
milk
Sugar
Salt

Coffee – When it comes to the coffee you use for this drink, you have a few alternatives. There’s no preference for espresso, but a strong coffee would do.

Caramel Brulee sauce – The caramel brulée sauce is the secret ingredient in this beverage! For a stunning combination, you can use a blend of two syrups; a popular combination is Torani caramel and French vanilla.

Milk – Use whichever sort of milk you choose or have on hand. This recipe also works just fine if you use unsweetened almond or coconut milk, giving you a dairy-free alternative.

Whipped cream – Feel free to try out different kinds of whipped cream.

Making process:

Using a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer on the stovetop.

Into the cup, add vanilla syrup and caramel sauce and mix until the texture is smooth.

Fill your serving cup with espresso or your coffee of choice.

Pour your espresso into the serving cup, followed by the steamed milk, or do the opposite if you want to have a layered texture similar to that of Latte Macchiato, you may stir it in, —or not?

Now, top off with whipped cream and drizzle the Brulee sauce on top.

Bonus Tips

Caramel syrup lacks the depth of authentic, homemade caramel sauce. The syrup overpowers the drink, making it excessively sweet and thin. For added flavor, try salted caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce is commonly manufactured from cow’s milk, so verify the ingredients before using it.

In an airtight container, refrigerate any leftover Brulee topping at room temperature for up to one week. It is made of sugar and water, so it may be kept fresh for a long time.

Variations:

It’s like getting a coffee from Starbucks; you may customize it to your best liking!

Eliminate the sugar. Use premade sugar-free whipped topping and sugar-free caramel sauce.

Make it vegetarian or vegan. Use your favorite vegan milk and caramel sauce from a jar or handmade.

Low-fat or low-calorie options are best. Make your caramel sauce, nonfat dairy milk, or nut milk like almond milk reduced in calories. You may use prepared low-fat whipped topping in its place.

Reduce the amount of milk you use. There’s a lot of milk in this latte, between the frothed milk and the whipped cream on top, you might want to opt for a lighter beverage by lowering the amount of milk.

That being said, milk is the second most crucial avenue for customization. If you use traditional whole milk, your latte will be creamy and thick, but your beverage will have its distinctive flavor profile if you use almond milk or oat milk instead.

The sugary flavor of the sweetened almond milk may be overwhelming when combined with the brown sugar, but unsweetened almond milk is an excellent alternative.

Oat milk is actually the underrated option that provides texture and thickness, which many people find attractive. Alternative types of nut milk, such as cashew and hazelnut, are also excellent choices. We gave coconut milk a go, but we don’t think it was a good choice since it clashed with the tastes of the other ingredients.

Final thoughts

Starbucks is a place where you can express yourself. You’ll never grow tired of your favorite beverage since there are many ways to tweak it. The Caramel Brulee Latte is no exception.

There are many versions of the drink, starting with an iced Caramel Brulee latte. You only need to replace the steamed milk with whole milk, pour it over ice, and continue to use the same toppings, and you will have an iced beverage that is both tasty and refreshing.