Fruit + coffee are a flavor match made in heaven, and this iced strawberry latte is a new twist on a classic iced espresso. If you are a fan of strawberries and you love a morning iced latte, you’re going to love this recipe!
Growing up with a grandma who is from Italy meant we took coffee very seriously. But the great thing about my grandma was that she also loved to have fun and try new flavors mixed with traditional ones.
This recipe was inspired by my strawberry simple syrup and espresso ice cubes. I’m always on the lookout for new and inventive ways to use simple syrups. And so many coffee roasters describe beans as “fruity,” so I thought…why not use a fruity simple syrup to sweeten up my morning coffee?! The result is beautiful and delicious! Pair this latte with some strawberry cheesecake rolls for breakfast and you’re off to a berry good start (hahaha, sorry, sorry).
💕 why you’ll love this iced strawberry latte recipe…
🍓 bursting with berry flavor. This latte is packed with REAL strawberry flavor because it’s made with a syrup that uses real berries. Nothing artificial here!
🤩 easy & customizable. This layered pink drink can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes! You can make it hot or over ice, depending on your preference for coffee!
🤌 unique & nostalgic. This iced coffee is so much more special than your average iced latte! If you were a fan of strawberry milk growing up, you’ll love this latte!
🛒 ingredients
- strawberry simple syrup – strawberry simple syrup is the secret weapon in making this latte burst with berry flavor. Check out my recipe for strawberry simple syrup here if you don’t already have a batch on hand. I love keeping a batch in a small squeeze bottle in the freezer so I can have one of these lattes whenever the mood strikes!
- espresso – this recipe calls for a double espresso, but you can use a single shot of espresso too. Be sure to use freshly brewed espresso if possible, as it has the best flavor.
- milk – while this recipe is made using regular whole milk, you can use your favorite milk or non-dairy milk of choice. Keep in mind, the color of the strawberry foam will change depending on the kind of milk you use. Also, the milk may not froth as well if you’re using a dairy alternative like oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk.
optional ingredients
- strawberries – fresh strawberries are an optional garnish.
- espresso ice cubes – these espresso ice cubes are completely optional, but I like to throw a few into every iced coffee beverage I make to keep the drinks from watering down too much.
- whipped cream – you can top with whipped cream, if you like!
See recipe card for quantities.
🍳 instructions
Step 1: Brew a double espresso following the instructions on your preferred brewing method. Allow it to cool, or shake it briefly with ice to cool quickly.
Step 2: Fill your preferred glass with ice.
Step 3: Add milk to a mixing glass.
Step 4: Pour the strawberry simple syrup into the mixing glass with the milk.
Step 5: Using a hand frother, mix the strawberry syrup with the milk until it’s nice and frothy.
Step 6: Pour your espresso into the glass with ice.
Step 7: Carefully layer the strawberry milk on top of the iced espresso. The key to getting distinct layers is pouring slowly!
Step 8: Serve with a straw and a strawberry slice! You can also drizzle on extra strawberry syrup if you like!
Fun Fact: Technically, iced lattes are made using cold milk and cold espresso and are not served with a thick layer of foam. This recipe is a slight variation because we are using foam!
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
Choose your glass:
- You’ll need a glass that holds at least 8 ounces for each drink you make.
- You can use a rocks glass, a highball glass, or a double-walled glass to serve this beverage.
Breakfast or brunch:
- This is the perfect coffee beverage to serve to guests at a breakfast or brunch. It looks like it took a lot of work to make, but only you will know it truly took just a little effort. 😌
- It pairs perfectly with pancakes, waffles, or french toast!
Garnish:
- while a garnish is not required, it’s a fun extra that gives a nice flavor cue to guests.
- Slice ripe strawberries and place half a berry on top of each latte for a stunning presentation.
- You can also cut a slit into a whole strawberry and place it on the rim of each glass.
- If you don’t have fresh berries, you can place a dehydrated berry on top of the drink as well!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
Espresso
The general rule of thumb for coffee is to use what you love! It doesn’t matter if it’s a dark roast, a light roast, or made from a fancy machine.
I prefer lighter roast espressos because they usually have lighter, fruitier flavors. While I do have a fancy schmancy Breville Barista Pro espresso machine, I have also used and loved Nespresso machines in the past! I’ve also used moka pots to make espresso, and even used strong drip coffee or cold brew, too.
Frothing Milk
Dairy milk
Use milk that has a higher fat and protein content for the best foaming. I used whole milk in this recipe, as it is the classic milk used in lattes, but you can use other milk if you like. Foaming results will vary, but the drink is still delicious whether your milk foams or not! 😉
- non-fat milk – this milk will foam up very nicely, but the air bubbles will be bigger, so it will also break down faster.
- whole milk – this milk is high in fat and protein, so it makes a strong foam that lasts a long time in your lattes.
Non-dairy milk
Since foaming depends on fat and protein, some non-dairy milk can foam, but others don’t foam at all.
- coconut milk – this is a great option for lattes as it is high in fat and froths nicely. You may need to add some water to get the right consistency.
- oat milk – oat milk is tricky: some brands froth well, others really don’t. It’s also important to note that certain brands that do froth better do so because they have additional ingredients like binders and oils added to them.
- soy milk – soy milk is higher in protein, so it froths well in lattes, and the foam lasts a longer time.
- almond milk – this milk tends to be too watery to hold a nice foam for long.
⚖️ scaling tips
It is easy to scale this recipe up if you’re serving strawberry lattes to a crowd!
You can make a large batch of espresso ahead of time and allow it to chill in the fridge. Then, you can whip up a large batch of strawberry foam in a blender to serve everyone at the same time!
🔆 top tip
Use milk with a higher fat content for the best foaming. A hand frother, is a super convenient way to get barista-quality foams at home! If you don’t have one, you can also use a cocktail shaker! You can also stir it all together if you don’t care about the milk foaming.
☕️ What makes a latte a latte?
The world of coffee beverages can get confusing with all the names flying around! Here are some quick facts about lattes:
- In Italian, “latte” means “milk.” A latte in Italy is typically served as espresso with heated milk. In America, a latte is typically served as espresso with heated and foamed milk.
- An American latte typically has a ratio of 1:3 or 2:3 espresso to milk. So for every one or two ounces of espresso, there would be three ounces of milk. For comparison, a coffee with cream is typically 6 – 7 ounces of coffee with 1 – 2 ounces of creamer.
- American lattes are traditionally sweetened with syrup or sugar, whereas in Italy they are unsweetened.
- Lattes in America can be hot or iced. In Italy, they are nearly always served hot. Iced lattes are usually served using cold milk, which is poured straight into chilled espresso.
♻️ substitutions & variations
♻️ substitutions
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- milk alternative – I’ve made this strawberry iced latte with oat milk and had great results. The milk doesn’t foam as well, but the flavor is still delicious! You can use whatever milk you prefer to make this recipe.
- cold brew or strong coffee – if you don’t have a way to make espresso at home, you can use strongly brewed coffee or cold brew coffee concentrate to make this latte. Just be sure to let the coffee cool if you are brewing it before making this recipe. You can even use instant espresso!
- store-bought syrup – if you don’t have the time to make your own homemade strawberry syrup, you can use a store-bought variety. I recommend using Torani strawberry syrup or Monin strawberry syrup.
🎛️ variations
Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!
- hot – if you are a fan of hot coffee beverages, try this latte hot instead of iced!
- frozen – blend the espresso and ice in a blender, then top with the whipped strawberry foam for a frappé style beverage!
- babyccino – skip the espresso and serve this iced strawberry latte “steamer” style using just frothed milk and strawberry syrup. This is a kid friendly variation, and it’s also great for people who don’t drink coffee but want to join in at brunch!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🧰 tools needed
- espresso maker – espresso makers can range from $20 to over $1,000 so there’s a lot of wiggle room depending on your budget. I have (and love) the Breville Barista Pro espresso machine, but I have also used the Bialetti stainless steel stovetop espresso maker for coffee recipes. I opt for the stainless steel over the aluminum because aluminum can impart a metallic taste when preparing very acidic foods, and coffee is pretty acidic.
- handheld milk frother – this handheld frother is super convenient when making homemade coffee beverages. It’s a quick and easy way to whip up a cold foam for one!
- drinking glass – use whatever glass you have on hand for your strawberry latte. If you are looking for a fun glass, check out this bubble glass as seen in my photos!
- straw – I love using these short GIR silicone straws for all my at-home cocktails, mocktails, and coffee beverages! They wash up nice, don’t stain or absorb flavors, and come in so many fun colors!
🫙 storage tips
It is best to consume this beverage shortly after preparation because of the addition of a milk-based foam.
The ingredients don’t hold up well to storage, but you can store it for up to 24 hours in the fridge in an airtight container. Just be aware that the foam will dissipate as it is stored.
💬 q+a
Yes! Many coffee beans have a “fruity” flavor to them, so adding strawberry simple syrup amps up this fruit flavor. I like using light to medium roast coffee for this iced strawberry latte, so it’s not too acidic. You can use whatever coffee you have on hand though!
The strawberry simple syrup contains acid from the fruits, so it can curdle the milk. This is why I recommend foaming the syrup together with the milk instead of just adding all the ingredients together at one time.
Always consult your espresso machine’s user manual. Usually, it is fine to add syrup to the milk in your milk frother. I have done it with our Breville Barista Pro with great results! And be sure to clean the machine thoroughly after use.
A latte has a 1:3 ratio of espresso to milk. An iced coffee with milk is a drip-brew coffee that you pour over ice and serve with a splash of milk or cream.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Iced Strawberry Latte
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Equipment
- 1 espresso maker optional
- 1 mixing glass or measuring glass
- 1 8 ounce drinking glass
- 1 handheld milk frother optional
- 1 straw
Ingredients
- 2 ounces espresso one double shot, cooled
- 1 ounce strawberry simple syrup
- 3 ounces milk whole milk
- 1 whole strawberry optional, for garnish
- espresso ice cubes optional, for the iced strawberry latte
Instructions
For an iced latte
- Prepare a double shot of espresso using the method of your choosing, following the manufacturers instructions. Set it aside to cool slightly.
- Fill your preferred glass with ice. You can use all espresso ice cubes, or a mix of espresso ice cubes and regular ice.
- Add 3 ounces of milk to a mixing glass.
- Pour in 1 ounce of strawberry simple syrup into the mixing glass with the milk.
- Mix the strawberry syrup and milk well using a hand frother. Alternatively, use a wire whisk or cocktail shaker.
- Pour the espresso over the ice.
- Carefully layer the strawberry milk overtop the espresso.
- Garnish with a strawberry slice and serve immediately with a straw.
For a hot latte
- Prepare a double shot of espresso using the method of your choosing, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Pour your espresso in an 8-ounce coffee mug.
- Warm milk and syrup mixture, using either a small saucepan, a microwavable glass, or a milk steamer. If using the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals to avoid boiling the milk.
- Froth the milk and syrup mixture using a milk steamer or a handheld frother.
- Gently pour the strawberry milk mixture overtop the espresso.
- Garnish with a strawberry slice and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
