Last verified 17 September 2026
Copycat Vanilla Cold Brew Recipe
How to build the 7 Brew Vanilla Cold Brew at home: 5 ingredients, 8 minutes, 330 calories a serving, and roughly $1.90 cheaper per drink than the $4.55 you would pay at the window. This is the recipe I keep coming back to when I am not standing in line.
What you are aiming for: a Vanilla Cold Brew off the board. The stand's Medium is 330 calories; this version comes in at 330.
A Vanilla Cold Brew is a coldbrew build. Cold brew is already low in acidity, so vanilla does not need to fight anything. It just sits on top. Two teaspoons is plenty, and stir it properly because sugar dissolves very slowly in cold liquid.
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 8 minutes |
| Cook time | No cooking |
| Total time | 8 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Yield | 1 drink (16 oz) |
| Calories (per serving) | 330 kcal |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Caffeine | 154 mg |
| Home cost | $2.65 |
| Stand price (Medium) | $4.55 |
| You save | $1.90 (42%) |
Ingredients
- 120 ml cold brew concentrate
- 90 ml whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla syrup
- a vanilla cold foam
- Ice
Equipment
- 1 L jar
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Paper filter
- 16 oz glass
How to make it
- Combine 100 g of coarsely ground coffee with 800 ml of cold filtered water in a jar. Stir once, cap it, and leave it out for 12-16 hours (or in the fridge for 18).
- Strain through a sieve, then again through a paper filter. Do not press or squeeze the grounds. That is what makes home cold brew bitter.
- Fill a 16 oz glass with ice and pour 120 ml of cold brew concentrate over it.
- Stir in 2 tsp vanilla syrup. Cold liquid dissolves sugar slowly, so give it a proper 20 seconds.
- Float whole milk on top and let it fall through the drink in ribbons, then add a vanilla cold foam.
- Cold brew keeps 5 days refrigerated. This is the one to batch on a Sunday.
Tips that actually matter
- Stir for a good 20 seconds.Sugar barely dissolves in cold coffee.
- Vanilla bean paste beats extract in cold drinks; extract can read medicinal.
- Use 120 ml of concentrate for a strong cup, 90 ml for a lighter one.
Variations
- Vanilla sweet cream cold brew: replace the milk with sweet cream.
- Add 1 tsp of caramel for a vanilla-caramel cold brew.
- Skip dairy entirely for a black vanilla cold brew.
What it costs to make at home
| Component | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| 120 ml cold brew concentrate | $0.55 |
| 90 ml whole milk | $0.48 |
| 2 tsp vanilla syrup | $0.35 |
| a vanilla cold foam | $0.35 |
| Ice | $0.35 |
| Total per serving | $2.65 |
| Stand price (Medium 24 oz) | $4.55 |
| Saving per drink | $1.90 |
Costs assume supermarket prices and a syrup bottle amortised over roughly 25 drinks. The first drink is more expensive than $2.65 because you are buying the bottle; by the fifth drink you are clearly ahead.
How this recipe compares
Across all 46 copycat recipes on this site, this one is the 21st fastest at 8 minutes and the 33rd lightest at 330 calories. 28 calories above the 302-calorie average.
Same technique (coldbrew)
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prices & nutrition are estimates. Confirm at your stand