8 Best Starbucks Iced Coffee To Try in 2023
Standing in line at Starbucks is like walking the plank. You try to quickly scan all the drinks on the Starbucks menu, so when the guy behind the counter asks for your order, you don’t stare at him blankly.
There seem to be endless coffee options at Starbucks and you don’t want to pick the wrong drink and be disappointed.
We’ve done the research for you and chosen the best Starbucks iced coffee or iced espresso drinks. Next time you’re waiting in line, you won’t be panicking trying to decide on the best Starbucks iced coffees.
And no…
The iced pumpkin spice latte is not one of these options!
And don't like coffee but still want a refreshing caffeine kick? Check our Starbucks refreshers post or try one of the new Starbucks BAYA energy drinks!
Oh and by the way... As an added bonus, we will recommend a few reusable Starbucks tumblers that are perfect for those refreshing Starbucks iced coffee drinks!
What is the Best Starbucks Iced Coffee?
How long is a piece of string? Whether you like a plain iced coffee or something that’s sweet with everything thrown in, like whipped cream, mocha sauce, blonde espresso, etc...
Our list has a little bit of everything to suit different tastes.
- Traditional Iced Coffee or Iced Espresso
A plain and refreshing drink with the bitterness of coffee. - Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
Made with a custom blend coffee for an icy coffee hit. - Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
For those with a sweet tooth, this is a decadent iced coffee treat. - Iced Caramel Macchiato
Made with iced espresso and vanilla-syrup for a balance of flavors in this iced coffee. Add a touch of caramel syrup on top with cream for a real sugar hit. - Starbuck Reserve® Nitro Cold Brew
A velvety crema and a sweetness from the nitrogen bubbles - Iced White Chocolate Mocha
Not for those who are on a diet. This is like a dessert in a Starbucks cup - Iced Chocolate “Almond Milk” Shaken Espresso
Chocolate, almonds, and coffee create the tooth fairy’s nightmare. - Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Slow steeped and topped with a vanilla sweet cream.
1. Traditional Iced Coffee or Iced Espresso
Overview
This freshly brewed iced coffee blend is chilled and sweetened over ice. You can add it to all of the iced coffees and customize it with milk, flavors, toppings, such as whipped cream, and syrups, such as hazelnut syrup, chocolate syrup, or caramel syrup.
| Ingredients | Ice, Brewed Coffee (one espresso shot), Classic Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid] |
| Calories | 80 |
| Caffeine | 165mg |
Bottom Line
A plain yet refreshing hit of caffeine on a warm day makes this iced coffee a hit to get that intense coffee flavor.
If you’re looking for a milk substitute, then try out coconut milk.
2. Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
Overview
This cold brew coffee is made in small batches on a daily basis and made with a custom blend of beans.
It is steeped in cold water for 20 hours to create this iced coffee.
| Ingredients | Brewed coffee, ice |
| Calories | 5 |
| Caffeine | 205mg |
Bottom Line
A smooth and refreshing iced coffee drink.
P.S:
Check out how this drink got transformed into one of those TikTok Starbucks drinks!
The first two Starbucks iced coffee drinks on this list would look perfect in this 24 oz tumbler:
Starbucks Stainless Steel 24-Ounce Double Walled Cold Cup Tumbler
If you click this link & purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Interesting Read: Fact or Fiction: Is Iced Coffee Illegal in Canada?
3. Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
Overview
Love your iced coffee drinks sweet? This cold brew with caramel is topped with a salted rich cold foam.
| Ingredients | Ice, Brewed Coffee (one espresso shot), Salted Caramel Cream [Salted Vanilla Sweet Cream (Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Milk, Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)), Caramel Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate), Salt], Vanilla Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid] |
| Calories | 220 |
| Caffeine | 185mg |
Bottom Line
One of the most delicious and decadent iced coffee drinks on the menu.
4. Iced Caramel Macchiato
Overview
This iced coffee is made with espresso, vanilla-flavored syrup, milk and ice. It’s topped with caramel drizzle for added sweetness.
| Ingredients | Milk, Ice, Brewed Espresso (or Blonde Espresso), Vanilla Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid], Caramel Sauce [Sugar, Corn Syrup, Butter (Cream (Milk), Salt), Water, Heavy Cream, Nonfat Dry Milk, Natural Flavors, Salt, Mono Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Sulfites] |
| Calories | 250 |
| Caffeine | 150mg |
Bottom Line
This is one of those sweet iced coffee drinks that give you both a caffeine hit and a sweet hit.
Request sugar free vanilla syrup to reduce the total calories in this drink.
The Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew & the Iced Caramel Macchiato would look perfect in this clear tumbler:
Starbucks Cold Cup Clear Venti Tumbler
If you click this link & purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Click here if you are wondering what is a macchiato, so you can learn the origins of this drink!
5. Starbucks Reserve® Nitro Cold Brew
Overview
Infused with nitrogen for sweetness, this small-lot Starbucks reserve nitro cold brew has a velvety crema.
| Ingredients | It’s a mystery what's actually in a nitro cold brew as Starbucks doesn’t list any. So we assume it’s made with espresso and infused with nitrogen bubbles. |
| Calories | 5 |
| Caffeine | 250mg |
Bottom Line
The nitro cold brew is a smooth and sweet cold drink with a hint of coffee.
This drink wouldn't look too shabby in this teal mint Starbucks tumbler:
Starbucks Teal Mint Bling Studded Tumbler
If you click this link & purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
6. Iced White Chocolate Mocha
Overview
Made with Starbucks signature espresso roast, this iced coffee has a bold and roasted flavor. With a white chocolate sauce, milk, ice, and sweetened whipped cream. To change it up, add a different milk, cinnamon, or mocha sauce.
| Ingredients | Ice, Milk, White Chocolate Mocha Sauce [Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Sorbate, Monoglycerides], Brewed Espresso, Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)] |
| Calories | 420 |
| Caffeine | 150mg |
Bottom Line
If you’re on a diet, this isn’t the Starbucks iced coffee for you. So treat it as an occasional treat!
7. Iced Chocolate “Almondmilk” Shaken Espresso
Overview
Just like James Bond’s martinis, this iced almond milk coffee is shaken not stirred. Made with a blonde espresso, cocoa and topped with almond milk and ice.
| Ingredients | Ice, Almond milk [Filtered Water, Almonds, Sugar, Calcium Carbonate, Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D 2 (Ergocalciferol)], Brewed Espresso, Chocolate Malt Powder [Cane Sugar, Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali, Natural Malt Flavor (From Barley), Natural Flavors, Sunflower Oil] |
| Calories | 110 |
| Caffeine | 225mg |
Bottom Line
The almond milk cuts through the bitterness of the coffee with malt notes from the cocoa.
8. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Overview
A cold brew coffee made with a custom blend that’s been slow steeped. With added vanilla and topped with a house-made vanilla sweet cream.
| Ingredients | Ice, Brewed Coffee, Vanilla Sweet Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Milk, Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)], Vanilla Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid] |
| Calories | 110 |
| Caffeine | 185mg |
Bottom Line
Vanilla does not mean boring with this cold brew. The balance of flavors makes for a delicious iced coffee drink.
Finally, there's this tumbler that seems to be the most popular one amongst Starbucks Lovers, which we think would look fancy holding your iced coffee:
Starbucks Black Matte Studded Venti Tumbler
If you click this link & purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
About Starbucks Iced Coffee Drinks
Starbucks has pretty much any iced coffee drink you think of. These include:
- Cold brew
- Nitro cold brew
- Iced Americano
- Iced coffees
- Iced shaken espresso
- Iced flat whites
- Iced latte
- Iced macchiatos
- Iced mochas
- Iced clover brewed coffees
- Ice Teas
Their traditional iced coffee is made from hot brewed drip coffee which is then cooled down.
The cold brew is slow-steeped in cold water for 20 hours.
This means they have more caffeine because of the longer brewing time. They are also less acidic because they haven’t been in hot water (unlike most of the Real Housewives stars).
The Starbucks nitro coffees are infused with nitrogen bubbles to make them a little sweeter and colder.
RELATED:
- Looking for Cheap Starbucks Drinks? Here are 17 Great Options!
- 9 Best Coffee Syrups for the Tastiest Coffee
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lowest calorie Starbucks iced coffee?
Nitro cold brew has just 1 calorie! There are lots of other drinks under 100 calories including hibiscus iced tea with 35 calories, peach ice tea with 54 calories, and their nitro latte has 75 calories.
Even if you’re watching your calories, you can still enjoy a treat at Starbucks.
Can you make Starbucks iced coffee at home?
Yes! If Starbucks isn’t near you at all, or you just can’t be bothered leaving your house, then you can make your own Starbucks at home.
Starbucks gives you recipes for some of the most popular coffees to make at home. This includes their vanilla sweet cream cold foam, iced caramel macchiato, and some hot drinks too.
Which one has the most caffeine?
As long as you’re only getting the regular one shot of espresso in your drink, then the most caffeinated drink is their Starbucks Blonde Roast with 360mg. The most caffeinated iced drink is the nitro cold brew with 280mg.
If you’re needing the kind of boost that will power a rocket, then these are the drinks you want.
The least caffeinated iced coffees include the iced espresso, iced white chocolate mocha, and iced caramel macchiato all with 75mg.
Of course, if you get anything other than a tall, this will increase.
The FDA recommends no more than 400mg of caffeine a day, so one of the most caffeinated drinks will nearly be your limit for the whole day.
Can you have Starbucks iced coffee without coffee?
You can ask for versions of most of these iced coffees without coffee, you can ask for decaf, or you can order a caffeine free Starbucks drink if you're trying to avoid the caffeine.
Does Starbucks have Boba Tea?
No, but there are some workarounds. Find out by reading this article about ordering Boba at Starbucks.
Bottom Line
What better way to enjoy a beautiful sunny day than sit outside and sip on an iced coffee?
Watch the droplets of condensation slide down the cup as you sip the first taste. Starbucks has a huge selection of espresso-based iced drinks for a quick caffeine fix on a hot day.
If you love coffee, you'll enjoy experimenting with Starbucks iced coffees, but don’t try too many at once or you’ll have to go on a diet.
