Do you like a little extra sweetness with your morning brew?
Whether you're a devoted coffee connoisseur or a casual caffeine enthusiast, Starbucks syrups can turn an ordinary brew into a personalized masterpiece.
But with a variety as extensive as Starbucks' syrup lineup, how do you choose the perfect flavor?
From the classic Vanilla Syrup to the discontinued Raspberry Syrup, we'll walk you through each one, exploring their flavors and ideal pairings.
Grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to embark on a syrupy adventure!
First things first, what exactly is a coffee syrup?
A coffee syrup is a concentrated, flavored liquid designed to enhance the taste and aroma of hot and cold coffee.
A good coffee syrup should strike a harmonious balance between sweetness and flavor, enriching your coffee experience without making you feel like you are over-indulging in sweets at Willy Wonka’s Factory.
Unlike syrups used in cocktails, coffee syrups are specially formulated to complement the coffee's rich, roasted flavors without overpowering them. Cocktail syrups don’t tend to go well with hot beverages.
Cooking syrups and sauces are usually too thick and too sweet to be a good option for coffee, especially iced coffee drinks.
We recommend sticking to coffee syrups if you are thinking about sweetening your coffee.
With 19 different syrup flavors, Starbucks definitely has an option for every kind of person with a sugar craving. Whether you want something simple or like to get your “Pumpkin Spice” on in autumn, this famous coffee chain has you covered.
Let’s briefly talk about each flavor.
This classic syrup adds a sweet, smooth, and comforting essence of vanilla to your favorite Starbucks drinks. It's a versatile choice, enhancing the flavors of coffee, espresso, and even iced beverages. This is one of Starbucks’ most frequently used syrups to add a touch of warmth and familiarity to various concoctions. You can’t go wrong adding this to any drink.
You’ve probably heard someone in Starbucks say, “Two pumps of vanilla syrup, please!” It’s a crowd favorite for a reason. Give it a shot if you haven’t already.
Are you trying to reduce your sugar intake by using only sugar-free syrups?
The Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup is a guilt-free option for those looking to reduce their sugar intake while still enjoying that delightful vanilla flavor.
For those seeking a twist on the classic, Toasted Vanilla Syrup delivers a warm, toasty note to your coffee (or tea). It's a popular choice among those who desire a cozier, more indulgent flavor profile.
This syrup goes gith with warm milk-bassed coffee drinks, like lattes and cappuccinos. It seamlessly complements the rich coffee notes with a toasty embrace.
Starbucks’ Hazelnut Syrup delivers a nutty flavor profile with a dash of sweetness. This syrup is a go-to option for those who enjoy hazelnut lattes and macchiatos, as it creates a harmonious blend of coffee and hazelnut that's both comforting and rich in flavor.
This is one of my favorite syrups to add to a latte when the weather is getting cold outside.
The Cane Sugar Syrup is all about simplicity and natural sweetness. Crafted to enhance your coffee without the need for artificial frills, this syrup maintains the coffee's authentic taste while providing a touch of genuine sugar cane flavor.
Cane sugar is simply dehydrated juice from the sugarcane plant. I’ve traveled to a lot of coffee-producing countries where sugarcane grows abundantly, and fresh-squeezed sugarcane juice is absolutely delicious (and very natural). This syrup pairs well with any coffee drink, whether it’s hot or iced.
Infused with the rich and caramelized taste of brown sugar, this syrup transforms your coffee into a sweet and slightly smoky delight. Brown Sugar Syrup is often used in espresso-based drinks, creating a warm and indulgent sweetness that pairs beautifully with the depth of coffee.
I think Brown Sugar Syrup highlights the frothy milk in a cappuccino very well. It also helps give chocolate an extra kick in drinks like mochas.
A sweet treat for your taste buds, Sugar Cookie Syrup lets you indulge in the delightful taste of freshly baked sugar cookies without having to eat anything. It’s certainly a nostalgic blast back to childhood when the smell of warm cookies in the oven would fill the house.
If you are a sugar addict, this syrup is for you. Add it to your hot chocolate or oat milk latte to satisfy your sweet tooth and give you the sensation of sipping a warm cookie. Like a good cookie, this syrup goes well with milk.
Another crowd favorite, Starbucks' Caramel Syrup introduces a luscious, buttery, caramel flavor to your drinks, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and warmth. It's the key ingredient in crafting beloved caramel macchiatos and caramel lattes, offering a special treat for those looking for a sugar rush.
This syrup goes well with milky and chocolatey drinks. Add a pump (or three) to your next latte or macchiato order… that is if it doesn’t already come with this popular add-on.
As its name suggests, Classic Syrup is a straightforward, no-frills sweetener that allows the true flavors of your coffee to shine. It's an essential component for creating the iconic Starbucks iced coffee and shaken teas.
How does this differ from the Sugar Cane Syrup? That syrup has a more “raw” or “natural” flavor that tastes like sugar. The Classic Syrup has more of a generic sweet flavor that goes well with most drinks.
Just be aware before adding extra pumps of this syrup to your drink - many Starbucks drinks (like their famous Frappuccinos) already come with this syrup as part of the ingredients!
Peppermint Syrup adds a refreshing and minty kick to your beverages, making it a seasonal favorite. Whether you're enjoying a peppermint mocha or hot chocolate, this syrup transforms your drink into a winter wonderland, with the minty freshness beautifully enhancing the coffee's depth.
Peppermint Syrup works best with hot coffee drinks. I personally love adding it to my oat milk lattes when there is snow outside. It gets me in the holiday spirit!
You’ll either love this syrup or hate it. Toffee Nut Syrup has a strong flavor, and it imparts a distinct nutty flavor to whatever drink you add it to. It’s a fantastic choice for nut lovers, as it pairs exceptionally well with the holiday-themed coffee creations that Starbucks is famous for.
Toffee Nut Syrup is a warm and indulgent coffee syrup that goes great with simpler espresso-based drinks. I would avoid adding it to any iced coffee beverages or to any drink with chocolate in it. The flavor of the Toffee Nut Syrup is so strong on its own, so it’s easier to appreciate its unique taste when you pair it with a simple, warm drink.
Chestnut Praline Syrup is a seasonal delight, infusing your drinks with the warmth and richness of praline and chestnut flavors. What’s a praline? It’s a creamy, fudge, pecan-flavored sweet.
As you might guess, this syrup packs a punch!
Chestnut Praline Syrup is popular during the holidays. This syrup comes standard with any chestnut praline latte, but you can add it to any warm or iced drink for that extra taste of roasted chestnuts and sweet praline.
Starbucks' Honey Blend Syrup combines honey, water, and other natural flavors to add a touch of natural sweetness to your coffee and other beverages (1). This syrup is perfect for balancing the acidity of espresso, making it a versatile choice for creating unique flavor combinations while enjoying the natural sweetness of honey.
If you like the taste of honey, this syrup could be the perfect way to add a bit of sweetness to your cappuccino or latte. I find it goes extra well when added to mochas. Something about the combination of honey and chocolate is so decadent!
Capture the spirit of Ireland with Starbucks' Irish Cream Syrup. This syrup adds a creamy and slightly boozy essence to your coffee or hot chocolate.
It was released in 2019 to create the popular Irish Cream Cold Brew, which features Irish Cream Syrup, vanilla sweet cream cold foam, and a dusting of cocoa powder (2).
This syrup has “hints of cacao and vanilla,” which can make any coffee drink perfect for the holidays, helping you reminisce about those Christmas mornings while drinking hot cocoa with the family.
Are you a fan of your local county fair? Then you might love this Starbucks syrup.
Funnel Cake Syrup brings the indulgent carnival treat to your cup, offering a sweet and doughy flavor that turns your coffee into a delightful fairground experience. With its playful sweetness, this syrup adds a touch of childhood whimsy to your coffee creations, making them feel like a day at the fair.
If you want to try this syrup at its full potential, order a Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino from your local Starbucks.
If it’s currently “sweater-weather” where you live and the leaves are changing colors, it may be time to try this seasonal coffee syrup.
Starbucks drinks frequently use this syrup during the fall season, infusing your coffee with the cozy, nostalgic flavors of apple pie and brown sugar. This particular syrup goes incredibly well with a warm chai tea.
If you want to add some espresso, order a dirty chai with a pump of Apple Brown Sugar Syrup. Nothing screams “autumn” like this drink.
Cinnamon Dolce Syrup infuses your coffee with a warm and comforting cinnamon flavor. Do you like the smell of cinnamon buns baking in the oven? If so, this syrup is for you.
The sweet and spicy flavor of cinnamon combines perfectly with the smooth taste of sugar to create a syrup perfect for lots of iced drinks and hot espresso-based beverages.
I recommend trying Cinnamon Dolce Syrup with any latte topped with whipped cream. It also adds a nice touch to traditional hot chocolate. The Cinnamon Dolce Latte pairs this syrup with sprinkles, milk foam, and whipped cream for a decadent experience.
Starbucks’ Sugar-Free Cinnamon Dolce Syrup is an excellent choice for those who desire the same delightful taste with reduced sugar content. If you want something different than the Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup, this is a great way to add a little extra kick to your favorite latte or macchiato.
Trust me, sugar-free syrups aren’t all bad! They sometimes get a bad rep, but this one is scrumptious.
Capture the essence of ripe peaches in your drink with Starbucks' Peach Syrup. This fruity and refreshing choice is perfect for iced teas and lemonades, adding a burst of juicy peach flavor to your beverages. This syrup is perfect when you want a refreshing iced drink with a sweet punch on a hot summer day.
I personally won’t be adding the Peach Syrup to any coffee drinks… but to each their own!
Every year, there seems to be a massive amount of people waiting to order pumpkin spice lattes. When Starbucks makes this drink available, it’s a sure sign that autumn has arrived.
This drink tastes delicious primarily due to the Pumpkin Spice Syrup that Starbucks uses. It transforms your coffee into a spicy, pumpkin-infused treat, making it a must-try during autumn when you want to cozy up with the flavors of pumpkin pie and warming spices.
Of course, feel free to add this syrup to any coffee drink or hot chocolate. It’s a warming flavor that pairs well with most drinks on Starbucks’ menu.
The pumpkin spice latte has gained so much fame worldwide that many small mom-and-pop coffee shops offer this flavor, even in countries where autumn doesn’t exist as a season (like through Central America, for example).
Starbucks' Raspberry Syrup once added a vibrant and fruity touch to your drinks. It was a popular choice for those seeking a tart berry burst flavor in their coffee and other beverages, providing a refreshing and tangy note that brought a touch of summer to your cup.
It was also a flavor that many people thought was disgusting. Meanwhile, others seemed to love it. It was especially popular in the White Chocolate Raspberry Mochas and Raspberry Lemonades, or fan-made TikTok Starbucks drinks.
Raspberry Syrup has been recently discontinued. It’s unlikely your local Starbucks has any of this syrup left, but it’s worth asking if this flavor combo interests you (3)!
As a coffee purist, I have to recommend a syrup that goes well with many coffee drinks. Sure, the “best” coffee syrup is extremely subjective, but the crazier flavors like Funnel Cake Syrup or Chestnut Praline Syrup are too polarizing to be the best option.
In my humble opinion, the best Starbucks syrup flavor is Vanilla Syrup.
It goes well with most Starbucks drinks, from iced Frappuccinos to hot lattes with whipped cream. Adding vanilla to your favorite coffee drink will give it a warm and comforting sensation without turning the drink too sweet. Plus, vanilla pairs well with milk and chocolate, making it a no-brainer for drinks like mochas, lattes, cappuccinos, and Frappuccinos.
Vanilla also helps add a sweet touch to the (usually) bitter coffee that Starbucks uses. The combination is simply heaven-in-a-drink.
You can purchase Starbucks syrups, but they aren’t generally available for sale at stores. Occasionally, the more basic flavors are available for sale in small quantities. It’s worth asking your barista.
Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other retailers sell the same bottles of syrup that Starbucks baristas use each day. Additionally, Starbucks provides all the needed ingredients and details to make your own syrups at home.
Remember, the specialty and seasonal syrups will be more difficult to come by. Flavors like Vanilla, Caramel, Hazelnut, and Classic are easier to find with retailers like Amazon.
If you’re wondering how other brands of coffee syrups compare to those at Starbucks, you aren’t alone.
We compared the best coffee syrups and found that Starbucks was not the overall winner. We like other brands, such as Monin and Torani, much more.
Monin is USDA Organic and has a highly concentrated flavor made with only natural flavors, while Torani packs a great flavor for a much cheaper cost.
Starbucks syrups are much more expensive and not usually sweetened with sugarcane, the most natural sweetener available. Of the 19 syrups listed in this article, Starbucks only uses sugarcane in one. Fortunately, Starbucks syrups are usually naturally flavored.
Other Popular Starbucks Articles:
Starbucks flavored syrups are primarily used to enhance the taste and aroma of your coffee or beverages. They add a wide range of flavors, from classic vanilla and caramel to seasonal options like pumpkin spice. These syrups allow you to personalize your drink, creating a unique flavor profile.
Starbucks offers a range of flavored syrups, including some that are gluten-free. However, the gluten-free status may vary by region and time. To ensure you're selecting a gluten-free option, it's best to check with your local Starbucks barista or visit the official Starbucks website for the most up-to-date information.
Typically, Starbucks syrup pumps are provided free of charge when you order a beverage that requires syrup. The number of pumps may vary based on the size and recipe of the drink. If you wish to add additional syrup pumps, Starbucks charges a fee.
Starbucks occasionally offers its syrups for purchase, but the availability may vary by location. You can sometimes buy classic syrup flavors like vanilla and caramel in-store. Retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target offer certain syrup flavors for sale.
Starbucks has discontinued certain syrup flavors over the years, and the availability of these flavors can vary by location and season. One notable discontinued flavor is the Raspberry Syrup, which was previously used to add a fruity touch to beverages but may no longer be available. Other more exotic flavors included sangria syrup, Oprah chai, s’mores bars, marble pound cake, chocolate chip muffins, and Valencia orange.
Starbucks frequently introduces new flavors, so discontinued syrups may be replaced by fresh options.
There you have it - 19 different Starbucks syrup flavors!
From the simplicity of Vanilla Syrup or Brown Sugar Syrup to the nostalgic joy of Sugar Cookie Syrup, each option allows for endless customization.
Next time you go to your local Starbucks, you will know exactly which drinks pair well with different syrups.
Try something new or stick to a classic. The choice is yours!
Happy brewing. 😊