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)
More Coffee Classics recipes
Verified · prices & nutrition are estimates — confirm at your stand