Starbucks is known for offering plenty of delicious coffee flavors. If you prefer cold coffee over hot, you’ll want to know the best options to try this year.
You can experiment with many combinations since Starbucks offers customization on all its drinks.
The best Starbucks iced coffee drinks of 2024 include the caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino, plain cold brew coffee, and the iced blonde vanilla latte. All of these options are flavorful and taste best when served over ice. You can also customize them, changing the drinks to suit your tastes.
This article will show you all the best iced coffee drinks you can try from Starbucks, so keep reading to find out more!
1. Caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino
I’ll start with a classic frozen Starbucks drink, the caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino — the most popular iced coffee from Starbucks.
It has received even more fame through online posts and social media sites like TikTok, so even if you’ve yet to try it, you might’ve heard about it online.
It’s very sweet, but the dark caramel sauce is bitter, which helps to even out the flavors.
The drink includes Starbucks’ iconic roasted coffee blended with a dairy of your choice, caramel sauce, and a topping of caramel syrup.
However, many customers say the best part is the whipped cream and crunchy caramel topping.
These ingredients elevate the caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino above the basic caramel Frappuccino for many people.
You can easily make this drink at home by following this easy recipe.
What is the caramel crunch topping from Starbucks?
The unique topping you can get on the caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino consists of crushed caramel bits.
They’re small pieces of caramel crushed to make them fit better when going through a straw.
Technically, you can add the caramel crunch topping to any drink from Starbucks. It usually goes great on other caramel-flavored iced drinks, although you can always add it to anything.
Some secret menu items also use the topping to change other iced drinks into something new.
2. Cold brew coffee
The cold brew coffee from Starbucks is another classic iced drink you’ll want to try. This coffee is often used as a base in other Starbucks drinks, but you can still enjoy it plain.
If many of Starbucks’ drinks taste overpoweringly sweet to you, then it’s the perfect alternative. The coffee is rich, dark, and not too bitter while still smooth.
Starbucks cold brew gets too steep for about 20 hours without heat.
Since the coffee isn’t brewed with heat, it doesn’t get nearly as bitter as the standard plain iced coffee.
Plus, it’s less acidic, so it’s not as harsh on your teeth or stomach.
If you don’t like drinking your iced coffee black, you can always customize it to be a bit sweeter. Simply ask the barista to include your favorite milk and sweeteners.
They can even add syrups, so the possibilities are endless with what drinks you can make.
Still, a basic cold brew coffee is delicious on its own, so you’ll want to give it a try.
3. Iced blonde vanilla latte
Next is the iced blonde vanilla latte, perfect for those who don’t want their coffee to be too strong.
The vanilla roast is much lighter and sweeter than the Starbucks roasted coffee, and many baristas say this drink is best with either whole milk or oat milk since these options don’t take away from the smoothness of the drink.
Overall, you’ll receive a very creamy, sweet iced coffee. If you don’t want your drink to be as sweet, you can always ask for fewer or no sweeteners.
Since the vanilla roast is already sweeter than other types of coffee, it’s something to consider. And you can also make this drink at home by following this recipe!
4. Iced brown sugar oat milk espresso
If you love oat milk, this iced drink focuses on it as a main ingredient.
Everything your barista adds to your cup pairs exceptionally well with the oat milk base, making for a wonderfully smooth drink.
The brown sugar helps to add more depth to the drink, too.
The drink also comes with a cinnamon topping, which helps to further balance out the taste of the oat milk and sweeteners, resulting in a drink with flavors from the holiday season.
It’s a very creamy drink with plenty of caffeine from the espresso shots. Many customers recommend trying it out earlier or when you need an extra boost.
However, you’ll want to ensure you don’t drink too many espresso shots daily.
The exact amount in your cup changes depending on the cup size you order.
For example, the iced Venti drinks get three shots of espresso, which may be too much for someone sensitive to caffeine.
This in-depth article lets you learn more about the different cup sizes and their names!
5. Iced caffé mocha
Chocolate and coffee go well together, especially when it comes to cold drinks. So, you’ll definitely want to try the iced caffé mocha next time you need a chocolate fix.
The mocha syrup Starbucks uses in this drink is rich and flavorful, combined with their espresso, making for a deep, chocolatey taste.
It can be a bit too rich for some, but the milk and ice help keep it from being bitter.
6. Iced caramel macchiato
The iced caramel macchiato is a huge fan favorite among Starbucks customers. This drink has the famous caramel sauce, which many consider one of the cafe’s best toppings.
It’s refreshing and sweet, making for the perfect iced coffee to drink on a warm day. The homemade version looks like this:
The drink also includes vanilla syrup, and many customers recommend adding whipped cream for an even sweeter drink.
7. Iced cinnamon dolce latte
Are you a fan of cinnamon flavors? The iced cinnamon dolce latte is precisely what you need.
It comes with cinnamon dolce syrup, adding some spicy and sweet notes to your iced drink. Your barista will top it off with whipped cream and cinnamon dolce bits.
The drink also comes with some brown sugar, so it sounds like it would be overpoweringly sweet, but it’s not nearly as sweet as you’d expect.
The coffee and dairy help reign it in, making for a perfectly balanced yet spicy iced latte.
If you want to learn how to make Starbucks whipped cream at home, check out this article here!
8. Iced dark chocolate mocha
Starbucks’ iced dark chocolate mocha is extremely rich and chocolatey.
The roasted coffee is hidden under the chocolate, but it’s still one of their best drinks due to the deep dark chocolate flavors.
Plus, the dark chocolate is bitter, which helps tone down the mocha’s sweetness.
You’ll want to get milk with this drink, as the chocolate can be too strong if you order it plain.
Still, it’s one of the best iced mocha options this year.
9. Iced flat white
The Starbucks iced flat white drink uses steamed milk, giving the surface of your drink a layer of milk foam.
It doesn’t come with sweeteners, so if you want them, you’ll need to make sure that you ask for them. The result is a very creamy, smooth iced coffee.
Some customers might feel the drink could have more complex tastes, but it’s perfect for a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up.
What is a flat white drink?
It’s easy to confuse flat whites with lattes since both drinks use milk. However, flat whites use less steamed milk, giving them a “flat top.”
The flat white also has a much stronger coffee flavor since it uses multiple espresso shots and less milk than a latte. (Here’s more information about the differences)
Generally, this drink is more popular hot, but it’s still refreshing when cold.
10. Iced honey almond milk flat white
If you want to spice up the iced flat white, add some honey and replace the whole milk with almond milk.
Honey and almond milk go exceptionally well together and complement the deep flavors of the coffee very well.
The honey is light and keeps the drink simple while adding sweetness to your cup.
It’s perfect if you want to try the iced flat white but don’t like the idea of drinking coffee without any sweeteners.
Are you looking for a super sweet drink? This iced coffee tastes like a sugar cookie, making for a fun change of pace from your usual order.
Starbucks uses a special sugar cookie syrup in this drink, and many customers say it has a robust French vanilla taste, but you also get hints of cookie dough.
Most Starbucks fans order this option hot around the holidays. However, the iced version of the drink is perfect year-round, too.
It’s sweet and flavorful, and the almond milk makes it creamier than their other lattes.
12. Iced white chocolate mocha
This mocha from Starbucks combines their famous white chocolate sauce, milk, and coffee.
They top it with whipped cream, and you can add a mocha drizzle for more chocolatey flavors.
The espresso added to the drink is bitter, which prevents it from becoming too sweet.
This drink is famous as a hot coffee, although the iced version is just as delicious even if fewer people know about it.
It’s very smooth and best for enjoying on a hot day. Overall, it’s very light, sweet, and refreshing — making it a popular menu item.
13. Java chip Frappuccino
If you love chocolate and coffee together, you’ll want to try this drink as soon as possible.
It’s a standard mocha Frappuccino, but it has a mocha sauce drizzle and is topped with java chips. Many people view it as a staple Starbucks menu item.
It’s so popular that many Starbucks customers only associate the chips with this particular Frappuccino and call it the “java chip drink” when ordering.
However, you can technically add them to any drink you order.
If you haven’t had a java chip Frappuccino, you’ll want to test it yourself.
It’s one of their most famous drinks; many customers say it’s their favorite iced beverage order.
What are Starbucks java chips?
Starbucks java chips are a bit different from regular chocolate chips.
They’re not as hard as chocolate chips, making them easier to break apart and drink through a straw, but they still add a pleasant crunch to any iced drink.
They also contain less cacao than chocolate, so they’re less sweet. You can learn more about them here.
This iced drink takes the classic mocha Frappuccino and adds delicious cookie crumbles, making it a perfect sweet treat.
Plus, it also replaces the standard whipped cream with whipped cream topped with mocha sauce.
The cookie bits also stay crunchy in the drink, which adds a nice texture, and the drink is very thick and rich, almost like a milkshake — any chocolate lover will surely enjoy it.
Starbucks uses a chocolate cookie similar to the Oreo to make the cookie crumble topping.
The cookies are crushed into tiny pieces and sprinkled on your drinks.
It takes them much longer to get squishy than expected, so you don’t need to worry about strange textures in your cup.
15. Salted caramel cream cold brew
Many Starbucks customers enjoy the brand’s caramel sauce, so it’s no surprise that another caramel-themed drink made it onto this list.
The salted vanilla cream adds a savory to the sweet drink, adding another layer of flavor and preventing the caramel syrup from becoming overwhelming.
You also get a layer of cold milk foam on the top of the drink. It’s creamy and balances out the taste of the coffee with every sip.
Additionally, you’ll want to ensure you don’t use a straw; otherwise, you’ll miss out on how the foam blends with the iced coffee flavors when you tilt your cup.
16. Vanilla sweet cream cold brew
If you want to try a sweet cold brew but caramel isn’t your thing, this vanilla sweet cream cold brew is perfect.
It features vanilla sweet cream cold foam on top of the coffee, and the added vanilla makes it silky smooth and creamy.
Since it uses cold brew as a base, this drink has a lot of caffeine. Many people like drinking it to help themselves wake up in the morning.
However, it can be too intense for those who rarely drink coffee.
Like the salted caramel cream cold brew, this coffee is sweet. You probably won’t like it if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth.
Although, it’s still an excellent option to try before drinking black cold brew coffee.
Can you order any hot coffee as an iced coffee at Starbucks?
In general, you can take just about any hot coffee and order it as a cold coffee at Starbucks.
For example, flat white and white mocha are both famous hot coffee orders, but you can also order them as iced coffee instead.
If you have a favorite hot coffee you’re getting bored of; you can always change it from a hot to a cold order.
Simply altering the temperature can drastically change your drink’s texture and flavor.
Depending on the season, many customers also determine whether they order their favorite drink as hot or cold coffee.
Which Starbucks iced coffee drink is the most popular?
The most popular Starbucks drink in 2024 is the caramel Frappuccino. Customers love the caramel sauce and syrup, which tastes great cold.
A more “premium” version of that drink would be the caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino, which comes with more caramel toppings.
So, if you have yet to try many of Starbucks’ caramel drinks, ordering a caramel Frappuccino is the perfect place to start.
You can remove some toppings if it’s too sweet for you.
However, if you love the taste and want more, the caramel ribbon crunch version takes the basic caramel Frappuccino and adds caramel sprinkles and dark caramel sauce as toppings, bringing it to the next level.
How should I get my iced coffee at Starbucks?
You should get your iced coffee at Starbucks with your favorite customizations added in.
First, ask for a plain iced coffee, then add any dairy or sweeteners you like.
Some like rich and bitter iced coffee, while others enjoy plenty of toppings.
If you need help deciding what iced coffee to try, you can always ask the barista what their favorites are.
Many are passionate about their coffee drinks and will have plenty of suggestions for you to try.
You might discover new iced coffee flavors you didn’t know you could order this way.
You can also start your order with a cold brew iced coffee as a base since it’s different from Starbucks’ plain iced coffee.
It’s a good option for a smoother, heavily caffeinated drink. Plus, the cold brew comes with hints of chocolate.
If unsure what to try next, you can experiment with the Starbucks app. Many people use it to place their orders and pick them up.
It also gives you more time to look through their iced drinks menu and adjust the toppings and other ingredients in your coffee, which is especially helpful in creating your perfect Frappuccino!
You’re also eligible to earn Stars at Starbucks when using the app, which will get you a free drink on your birthday and even a free refill in selected stores!
More great Starbucks drinks
Ready to learn more about what kind of drinks Starbucks has?
Great!
Below you will find all the lists I’ve created so far:
- Best Starbucks Caramel Drinks
- Best Starbucks Cold Brew Drinks
- Best Starbucks Decaf Drinks
- Best Starbucks Drinks for Kids
- Best Starbucks Espresso Drinks
- Best Starbucks Frappuccino Drinks
- Best Starbucks Holiday Drinks
- Best Starbucks Hot Drinks
- Best Starbucks Latte Flavors
- Best Starbucks Oat Milk Drinks
- Best Starbucks Protein Drinks
- Best Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
- Best Starbucks Vanilla Drinks
And for even more information about Starbucks, check out the Starbucks hub here!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of iced coffee options from Starbucks to choose from.
I’ve talked about the best drinks you can order right now and what to expect from them in terms of flavor.
If you want to learn more about Starbucks, make sure to have a look below!
