Have you ever wondered how Starbucks makes flavored drinks? Because I have. My favorite drink, Hazelnut Frappuccino, turns the worst days into good ones. No one can tell me that Starbucks is not a magic shop. Just a whiff of their coffee can make you jump up out of a bed.
To say that a cup of that coffee treasures goodness is the secret to a happy and content life is an understatement. Aside from quality coffee beans, one of the secrets of Starbucks is its flavored syrups. Starbucks syrup flavors are added to regular iced coffee to make flavored drinks.
Throughout the years, the number of syrups has grown. As new drinks are introduced, new Starbucks flavor syrups are also introduced. Some syrups are only seasonal, such as the pumpkin spice syrup which is only available during Christmas time.
Here is a rundown on Starbucks syrup flavors:
1. Peppermint Syrup
Peppermint syrup is most commonly paired with mocha to make Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino. Although infamous for its polarizing flavor, it has proven to be a hit to many as it made its debut as a year-long round syrup about a few years ago in several countries. Prior to that, peppermint syrup and the drinks made with it were only available around Christmas time.
Quick Fact: Aside from Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, it can also be used to make Iced Peppermint Mocha, Blond Peppermint Mocha, Holly Jolly Latte, Candy Cane Frappuccino, and Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha.
2. Toffee Nut Syrup
Toffee nut syrup has a warm, buttery, and nutty flavor that works well with the strong and bitter notes of coffee. To best describe the taste of the Toffee nut syrup, I’d say that it resembles closely the taste of salted caramel. Like peppermint syrup, it also pairs well with mocha.
One of the crowd favorites made from toffee nut syrup is the Toffee Mocha Macchiato. Aside from Toffee Mocha Macchiato, toffee nut syrup is also used to concoct secret menu drinks like Butterscotch Latte, Vanilla Pumpkin Nut Latte, Caramel Candy Frappuccino, and Almond Roca Frappuccino.
3. Hazelnut Syrup
Speaking of nuts, another syrup to go nuts over is the Hazelnut Syrup. This classic syrup is so famous that it’s part of the Coffee At Home menu. For that warm and nutty goodness, use one tablespoon of said syrup for every 12 fl oz of brewed coffee according to the Starbucks At Home Website. You have the liberty to use either milk or cream to taste.
The most famous iteration of a hazelnut syrup drink is the French Vanilla Drink. This is made by using hazelnut syrup and vanilla syrup. When paired with mocha sauce, the resulting flavor is everyone’s comfort spread – Nutella. Aside from mocha sauce, it also works well with non-dairy milk like coconut milk and soy milk.
4. Raspberry Syrup
Like the peppermint syrup, the raspberry syrup is also an extremely polarizing syrup. Others love its fresh, sweet, and fruity flavor. However, some find it too overpowering. Raspberry Syrup works best with green tea and black tea. It can also be used to make secret menu drinks like the iced raspberry latte and raspberry caramel macchiato.
5. Caramel Syrup
Another notable Starbucks syrup flavor is the caramel syrup. Caramel syrup is the base syrup for a lot of Frappuccino drinks on the Starbucks menu. Like hazelnut syrup, it also has a warm and buttery taste, minus the nuttiness. Some have remarked that they can taste hints of alcohol in the caramel syrup.
Quick Fact: This syrup is perfect for macchiatos and lattes. Caramel Syrup is used to make Caramel Macchiato, Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, and Caramel Frappuccino.
6. Vanilla Syrup
As the saying goes, simple is beautiful. This best describes Vanilla Syrup. As its taste is just clear and stripped down, it goes well with a lot of drinks. It pairs well with iced coffee, lattes, macchiatos, and even hot and iced tea.
The top drink made with vanilla syrup is the Vanilla Latte. However, the vanilla syrup is also used to make Caramel Macchiato, Iced Caramel Macchiato, Blonde Vanilla Latte, Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino, Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew, Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, London Fog Tea Latte, and Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino.
Vanilla Syrup is also part of the Starbucks Coffee at Home Menu.
7. Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup
This is the sugar-free version of the classic vanilla syrup. The sugar-free vanilla syrup is used in making skinny drinks.
8. Classic Syrup
The classic syrup is Starbucks’ spin on the usual liquid sugar sweetener. This syrup is probably the most famous of all the Starbucks syrup flavors. It is commonly used in iced coffees and shaken teas.
9. Cane Sugar Syrup
Cane sugar syrup is said to be made with turbinado cane sugar. To those who do not know, turbinado cane sugar is simply minimally processed cane sugar. Because of this, Starbucks Cane Sugar Syrup has a taste similar to brown sugar and caramel.
Quick Fact: It is a healthier substitute for classic syrup and also tastes less sweet. It is typically used in teas. Like the Vanilla Syrup, Cane Sugar Syrup is also sold separately.
10. Honey Blend Syrup
Honey Blend Syrup is a part of the naturally flavored syrup line of Starbucks. Honey Blend Syrup is used in making Strawberry Creme Frappuccino, Breakfast Tea Latte, Royal English Tea, and Iced Coffee.
11. Brown Sugar Syrup
The brown sugar syrup first made its way into the Starbucks Menu in the spring of 2021 as a base for the iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso. As most would guess, brown sugar syrup tastes like molasses. It tastes best in espresso-based and tea-based drinks.
Seasonal Syrups
As earlier mentioned, Starbucks has seasonal offerings. Here are some of the syrups used to make the Starbucks seasonal drinks:
1. Funnel Cake Syrup
Funnel cake syrup is a relatively new addition to the Starbucks menu. It made its debut around 2021 as a seasonal syrup. As its name suggests, this syrup tries a whack at the old classic that we ate in amusement parks and carnivals.
The syrup tastes like sweet almond milk and vanilla syrup. The syrup was specifically made for the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino.
2. Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
Like the funnel cake syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup is also a recent addition to the Starbucks menu. Cinnamon dolce syrup is reminiscent of churros and cinnamon sugar. It works well in lattes. One drink made from this syrup that stands out is the cinnamon dolce latte. A special tip from a barista is cinnamon dolce syrup pairs well with white mocha.
3. Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
Apple brown sugar syrup is also a new Starbucks syrup flavor. As to its flavor profile, the apple brown sugar syrup is a mixture of fall spices, apple pie, and caramel. It was specifically made to be the base of the Apple Crisp Macchiato. As a seasonal syrup, its uses are a bit limited.
Quick Fact: Aside from Apple Crisp Macchiato, it is also used to make Apple Crisp Frappuccino and Apple Crisp Creme Frappuccino.
4. Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Out of all the seasonal syrups, pumpkin spice syrup is probably the oldest and most famous syrup. As everyone may already know, it is used as a base for pumpkin spice drinks.
5. Sugar Cookie Syrup
Like most of the seasonal syrups, the sugar cookie syrup is also a fairly new addition to the menu. This syrup works great with chai and oat milk. Sugar cookie syrup is used to make sugar cookie almond milk latte and sugar cookie almond milk Frappuccino.
6. Chestnut Praline Syrup
The chestnut praline syrup is the base used for the chestnut praline latte. The Chest Praline drinks and the syrup first appeared in the coffee shop’s line in 2014. As with the other seasonal drinks and syrups, chestnut praline syrup is a holiday offering.
As to its taste, chestnut praline reminds of roasted chestnuts. It also has hints of butter and holiday spices like clove, cinnamon, and ginger. It is the base of the Chestnut Praline Latte, Chestnut Praline Frappuccino, and Chestnut Praline Cold Brew.
Starbucks has released numerous syrups over the years. However, a lot of these have also been discontinued for various reasons. Some are simply discontinued because of low demand. Others are just really meant to be limited offerings. But recently some drinks have been discontinued due to a scarcity of ingredients.
Reports say that this may be attributed due to the lockdowns imposed due to the pandemic. Some of the syrups that were discontinued over the years are the following:
- Mango syrup
- Peach syrup
- Gingerbread syrup
- Blackberry syrup
- Sangria syrup
- Pineapple ginger syrup
- Juniper syrup.
Conclusion
Starbucks has a wide array of items on its menu. From its tea drinks to coffee-based drinks, its menu stands out from other coffee chains because of its varied taste. It should also be noted that the store’s offering also differs from country to country.
Aside from that, the menu drinks are also customizable so customers have a free reign as to the taste of their drinks. This probably sets Starbucks apart from the rest. A huge contributing factor to this is the Starbucks flavor syrups.
