Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Made with a combination of homemade cinnamon syrup, espresso and steamed milk, Cinnamon Dolce Latte is the treat you were looking for! Perfect for the cold season, this spicy latte will warm up your mornings.

You can’t go wrong with a combination of espresso and steamed milk, specially when cinnamon is added to the first two ingredients. Everyone agrees?

I’m a HUGE fan of cinnamon, I add it to everything I can, and this latte tastes like cinnamon perfection! If you’re a cinnamon-obsessed like me, you just found gold: this is the best cinnamon latte you’ll ever make.

What does Dolce mean?

Dolce literally means sweet in Italian. Cinnamon sweet latte - sweet, right?

How does it taste like?

It tastes a lot like vanilla latte, but with a cinnamon pump. Cinnamon Dolce is a rich, sweet and spicy latte.

How many pumps are in a Cinnamon Dolce Latte?

At Starbucks, when ordering a Cinnamon Dolce Latte, you get 4 pumps of cinnamon syrup. That makes a really sweet latte - too sweet for me.

If that’s what you’re looking for, add 2 tablespoons of cinnamon syrup to your latte. That equals 4 Starbucks pumps. If you want a less-sweet version, add only 1 tablespoon of syrup.

How to make cinnamon syrup

Syrups are super easy to make, and the best part: they keep super well in the fridge, so if you spend this extra time doing it, you’ll have enough cinnamon syrup for at least 8 lattes.

For a cinnamon syrup, you’ll need: ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

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There’s no secret here! Mix all the ingredients together (water, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon) and cook until it reaches a syrup consistency. Some tips:

• Use medium-high heat until the mixture boils, then turn the heat to low, stirring constantly. That prevents the sugar from burning.

• Cook until the sugar dissolves completely, and the cinnamon is incorporated. You can check if the sugar is completely dissolved using a spoon. Scoop up a small amount of the syrup and see if you’re able to see any sugars crystals in the liquid. If you still can, cook for longer, until they’re gone.

• A light foam may form on the top of your cinnamon syrup: I cook it for 5 to 6 minutes and that’s enough for this foam to clear out. Cooking for this long also gives me a thick syrup that I can pour over the whipped cream when preparing my latte.

You can make it sugar-free for a skinny version. Substitute the amount of the total sugar (brown + white) for half of your favorite baking sweetener. Or if you’re looking for a version with no hint of sweet, just whip ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon to your milk before frothing.

I store any leftover syrup inside the fridge, in a recipient that I can cover with a lid. Sugar works as a natural preservative, so this syrup keeps longer than a week if stored correctly. Although I stored this syrup for 2 weeks with no problem, after 1 week, I recommend always checking for mold before using it.

How to steam milk for lattes

Steaming the milk makes a significant difference: it gives you a creamier, silkier latte.

You don’t need a steam wand to froth milk. Yes, it’s easier to froth with that, but totally doable by using other methods.

If you don’t have a steam wand, try using a milk frothier. This is the second best option for frothing milk. You can heat the milk before or after frothing.

You can also use a French press for it. Preheat the milk, pour it into the French press, and push and pull the plunger up and down until the milk doubles in volume and creates a microfoam.

If you don’t own a milk frothier nor a French press, you can still do it: you’ll just need a recipient with a lid, and some patience. A mason jar is the best option here, but any recipient you can keep closed tight will do.

Put the cold milk into a mason jar or any jar, close the lid and shake it vigorously. It’s very important here to add COLD milk: do not add hot milk and shake! The lid will pop open or worse, the jar may break, and you’ll hurt/burn yourself. ADD COLD MILK TO THE JAR.

Shake it until the milk almost doubles and a thick foam is formed. When satisfied with the result, take the lid off and heat the milk in the microwave. One minute is usually enough for me.

How to make stronger coffee (if you don’t have an espresso machine)

No espresso machine? No problem!

Let me give you some ways to make your brewed coffee taste a little stronger, in case you don’t own an espresso machine.

• Go with a darker roast. A dark roast will give you coffee a stronger flavor. That happens because in a dark roast, the beans are roasted for longer: the longer, the stronger the flavor gets.

• Change water-grounds ratio. For dripped coffee, the recommended amount of grounds to water is 2 tablespoons to every 6 ounces (177ml). Try 3 tablespoons to the same water amount to a stronger coffee.

Just be careful when changing the coffee-grounds ratio. If you add more than the recommended above (3tbsp to 6 ounces), your coffee may get a too bitter taste.

How to put together this latte

1. Steam and froth the milk. You can use dairy milk or any plant-based milk. For a plant-based version, I love making it with oat milk or almond milk.
2. Brew 60 ml of strong coffee.
3. Mix coffee and syrup. Use 1 tablespoon of syrup for a less sweet version, 2 tablespoons for a version as sweet as the one at Starbucks.
4. Pour milk over coffee mixture.
5. Top with whipped cream, ground cinnamon and if wanted, more cinnamon syrup.

Thinking about making a cold version of it? Make a delicious iced Cinnamon Dolce by adding cold milk instead of hot steamed milk. An iced version of this recipe is also amazing for hot summer days.

Storing

You should not make this latte ahead: put it together as soon as you’re ready to consume it.

The only ingredient that can be made ahead is the cinnamon syrup. This syrup keeps well inside the fridge up for 1 week, if stored in a closed and clean recipient.

If there’s any leftover latte you won’t consume right away, store it inside the fridge. You can then reheat in the microwave or consume it cold.

Looking for more Starbucks copycat recipes?

Mocha Latte - it’s chocolate perfection!

Matcha Frappuccino - the perfect way to start your mornings energized in a hot summer day.

📖 Recipe