How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (2024)

It’s no secret—Starbucks drinks aren’t made with real caramel or fresh fruit. Every Frappuccino, sweetened latte, and refresher gets its signature flavoring from concentrated syrups, sauces, and powdered mix-ins. However, not all Starbucks syrups and sauces are dairy-free, and it can be confusing. Case in point: the caramel syrup is vegan but the caramel sauce is not. Here is everything you need to know about these flavor-enhancers so you can order with confidence the next time you stroll up to a Starbucks.

How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (1)Starbucks

Are Starbucks syrups vegan?

Starbucks has drinks down to a formula, creating a perfectly engineered product by combining caffeine with a sweet approximation of vanilla, toffee nut, or chocolate. In a way, the artificial roots of these sweeteners are a benefit to vegans, as they recreate the taste of dairy-based foods without the use of dairy. Here are your options for dairy-free syrups and sauces at Starbucks:

1 Mocha sauce

The key to any Starbucks chocolate drink—be that mocha or hot chocolate—is a few pumps of this thick, chocolaty sauce. It’s used to flavor drinks and is often drizzled on top for an extra burst of deep chocolate flavor.

Pro tip: For a sweet ending, ask your barista for one pump of mocha sauce at the bottom of a dairy-free Coffee Frappuccino. That last sweet sip is similar to discovering the chocolate center at the end of a Trader Joe’s Mini Ice Cream Cone.

2 Strawberry purée sauce

This fruity, thick sauce is featured in the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino. It’s made with real strawberry purée, white grape juice concentrate, xanthan gum, citric acid, and fruit- and vegetable-based food colorings.

Pro tip: You can make the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino vegan by ordering it with oat, almond, coconut, or soy milk and asking for no whipped cream.

3 Coffee &CrèmeFrappuccino syrups

If you order a frappuccino at Starbucks, you’re going to see your barista pumping one of these into your drink. The Coffee and Crème frappuccino syrups aren’t flavoring agents—they’re essential ingredients that help make these chilled beverages smooth and creamy instead of icy. Both are completely vegan, so no need to get anxious as you watch the barista pumping mystery syrups into your cup. It’s all good.

Pro tip: the Coffee syrup is used for caffeinated beverages; the Crème is for uncaffeinated. Thankfully, there’s no need to specify when you order—the baristas have this down pat.

4Classic syrup

In other words, this is a simple syrup—the same thing that’s used to sweeten up cocktails. It’s used in everything from Frappuccinos to iced coffee. Simple syrup doesn’t have a flavor other than sweet, so use it sparingly.

Pro tip: Baristas typically use three pumps of syrups for a tall drink. For a less-sweet option, ask for one or two, tops.

How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (2)Starbucks

5 Vanilla powder

True, this is not syrup or a sauce, but it’s a common flavoring agent found in bestselling beverages such as the Caffé Vanilla Frappuccino. Fun fact: it’s not that artificial. It truly contains vanilla bean.

Pro tip: Ask for a scoop of vanilla powder in a dairy-free hot chocolate for a more complex flavor.

6
Matcha tea blend

Thankfully, there are no hidden animal ingredients in Starbucks’ matcha. The blend does contain sugar, though, so it’s not quite for the matcha purists.

Pro tip: If you’ve yet to step on board the matcha train, this sweetened version may be a palatable first step if you want to get into matcha like the cool kids.

7 Chocolate malt powder

Malt traditionally contains dairy, but during a plant-based kick, Starbucks debuted this new ingredient without using any animal products. You’ll find it in the Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso, which debuted in 2021. It’s a mouthful to say, but it’s one of our favorite debut drinks in a long time.

Pro tip: If you enjoy a less-sweet beverage, keep the amount of malt powder the same but ask for an extra shot of espresso. In our humble opinion, this is the perfect ratio of coffee-to-chocolate flavor.

8 Flavored syrups

Ready for the list? These vegan-friendly syrups can be added to any beverage for a hint or a tidal wave of sweet flavoring. They include Cinnamon Dolce, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hazelnut, Peppermint, Raspberry, Toffee Nut, Caramel, and Sugar-free Vanilla.

Pro tip: While not promoted, Starbucks carries peppermint all year round. Good to know if you’re in the mood for a non-dairy Peppermint Mocha in July.

9Flavored refresher bases

Every fruity Starbucks Refresher Base—from the Pink Drink to the new Paradise Drink—is vegan. They contain a mix of water, sugar, natural flavors, citric acid, natural green coffee flavor, white grape juice concentrate, and Rebaudioside-a—an artificial sweetener that is a derivative of stevia, but 240-times sweeter.

Pro tip: Remember, refreshers contain caffeine!

How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (3)Starbucks

What’s not vegan at Starbucks?

Ordering vegan at Starbucks often comes with necessary customizations. Here are the sauces to avoid:

1 Caramel sauce/drizzle

Stay away from any beverages that contain this sauce. Alternatively, ask for the caramel sauce to be substituted with caramel syrup inside of your beverage.

2 White chocolate mocha sauce

Like most white chocolate, this sauce contains dairy. Sorry, previous White Chocolate Mocha lovers. At Starbucks, stick to the regular mocha.

3 Chai tea concentrate

Alas, seek chai elsewhere. This spicy concoction contains honey. It’s found in both the Chai Crème Frappuccino and the chai latte.

4 Honey blend

Found in the Honey Almond Flat White as well as any seasonal honey-flavored beverage, this mix contains actual honey.

5 Pumpkin spice sauce

Following several years of consumer outrage when the secret was let out that Starbucks’ cult-favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte did not contain any pumpkin, the company pivoted and added pumpkin purée. Unfortunately, Starbucks did not omit the dairy while changing the recipe, keeping the Pumpkin Spice Latte out of reach for vegan customers. But if you’re in the United Kingdom, you have the green light, as UK Starbucks’ PSL is dairy-free when ordered with plant milk. Stateside? When fall rolls around, seek out for a taste of this iconic beverage.

6 Sweet cream

Introduced to add a subtle sweetness to the coffee chain’s line of cold brews, this creamy substance is not vegan and is made of dairy-based cream. Each flavor iteration—Sweet Cream, Irish Cream, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel—all contain dairy. When ordering cold brew or nitro, it’s best to enjoy it black.

Which Starbucks toppings aren’t vegan?

1 Whipped cream

Sometimes, it’s necessary to state the obvious. Starbucks has made major strides in providing a medley of non-dairy milk options (soy, coconut, almond, and oat), but the company has yet to introduce a vegan whipped cream. However, hope is on the horizon. In September 2021, the company teased a plant-based whipped cream made with … wait for it … lentils. No sign of its return as of January 2023, but we’re looking.

2 Frappuccino chips

Found in the Double Chocolatey Chip and the Java Chip Frappuccinos, these chocolate chip bits contain milk. Omit them to veganize these drinks.

3 Cinnamon dolce topping

Made exclusively for the warming Cinnamon Dolce Latte, this edible drink adornment is not vegan—it contains extractives of butter made from cow’s milk. Vegans can still enjoy this year-round beverage by ordering it with plant-based milk, no whipped cream, and no topping. The syrup used to make the drink is flavorful enough to still produce an outstanding pick-me-up.

How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (4)Starbucks

Vegan toppings and add-ins at Starbucks

While there are a few restrictions as to what kinds of add-ins you can get at Starbucks, there are also a few picks for plant-based add-ins.

1 Caramel sugar topping

This crunchy, caramelly powder is vegan! Ask for it on a hot beverage that involves foam—it just dissolves if there’s nothing to suspend it on top of the drink. Try it on a hot Toffee Nut Latte made with your favorite dairy-free milk.

2 Cookie crumble

Blended into the Java Chip Frappuccino (which can be veganized by asking for no Frappuccino Chips or whip), these tiny cookie morsels are accidentally vegan. Whether we should be consuming cookies in our coffee is an entirely different discussion.

3 Freeze-dried fruit

A staple of the Refreshers drinks, all of the freeze-dried fruits at Starbucks are free from animal ingredients, so you can combine to your heart’s delight.

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For more on vegan coffee, read:
  • The 8 Best Vegan Milks for Making Lattes at Home
  • 7 Ways to Order Your Vegan Starbucks Drinks Healthier
  • 9 Caffeine-Free, Kid-Friendly Vegan Drinks at Starbucks

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How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (5)

Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.

How to Order Vegan Drinks at Starbucks (2024)

FAQs

Which syrups at Starbucks are vegan? ›

These vegan-friendly syrups can be added to any beverage for a hint or a tidal wave of sweet flavoring. They include Cinnamon Dolce, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hazelnut, Peppermint, Raspberry, Toffee Nut, Caramel, and Sugar-free Vanilla.

Can you get a vegan Frappuccino at Starbucks? ›

The Frappuccino bases (both regular and light) are vegan-friendly, so as long as you avoid dairy-based mix-ins (like java chips, caramel drizzle or dark caramel sauce) and ask for non-dairy milk, you can enjoy most of the blended bevs on the menu.

Is the dragon drink vegan? ›

The refreshing blend of coconut milk, mango, and dragonfruit is now on the summer menu and beyond. Starting today, Starbucks will add the vegan “Dragon Drink” to the permanent menu of its United States and Canada locations.

Are Starbucks Oatmilk drinks vegan? ›

Starbucks gets into dairy-free lattes

In 2021, Starbucks expanded its vegan milk offerings by adding oat milk to its menu, showcasing it in the popular Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Oatmilk Espresso.

Is a Starbucks pink drink vegan? ›

And do you know what the best part about the drink is? It's 100 percent vegan. To order the “Pink Drink,” all you have to do is ask for the Strawberry Acai Refresher to be made with coconut milk instead of water.

Is the apple crisp oatmilk macchiato vegan? ›

Both the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato are vegan as-is.

Why is Starbucks caramel not vegan? ›

The only vegan sauce option is the mocha sauce — all the other sauces are made with dairy. There is a difference between the caramel sauce and syrup — while the sauce (aka drizzle) has animal ingredients, the syrup does not.

Is Starbucks chai latte vegan? ›

What Non-Coffee Hot Drinks are Vegan at Starbucks? So what can you drink at Starbucks if you don't like coffee? Classic Chai Tea Latte BUT make sure that it is made using the Teavana brewed tea, and not their syrup, which is sweetened with honey.

Are Starbucks refreshers vegan? ›

Refresher. Starbucks Refreshers are a fruity pick-me-up and do not contain dairy or animal products. Choose from vegan flavors like very berry hibiscus, strawberry acai, mango dragonfruit or kiwi starfruit.

Is Starbucks caramel crunch vegan? ›

Vegan Starbucks Blended Drinks

The Chai Crème, White Chocolate Crème, Caramel Ribbon Crunch and White Mocha Fraps can't be made vegan.

Can the vanilla bean frappuccino be vegan? ›

How to order: Grande vanilla bean frappuccino. Substitute the milk for soy or coconut milk. 2 scoops of matcha powder and 2 scoops of vanilla bean powder (instead of 4 scoops of matcha)

What's in the pink drink at Starbucks? ›

The ingredients include ice, a strawberry açaí base (which is mostly water, sugar, and white grape juice concentrate), coconut milk, and freeze-dried strawberries. The drink is shaken with ice, and then poured over ice, which leaves a frothy top.

Is the matcha frap vegan? ›

It's hardly vegan, but even more shocking, a grande has 61 grams of sugar, and a venti has 79 grams! So here I've set out to recreate the frappe, but with healthier ingredients, only natural sugar, and a hearty mix of matcha for the green tea lover (I see you!).

Is the matcha latte at Starbucks vegan? ›

If you're a matcha fan, the Starbucks matcha green tea latte is a sweet (and vegan-friendly) treat. Just be sure to opt for almond or coconut milk and skip the whip.

Is a caramel macchiato vegan? ›

A Caramel Macchiato needs a little customization to make it plant-based, but simply ask for a substitute of either soy, almond, or coconut milk and no caramel drizzle.

What is the vegan kids drink at Starbucks? ›

Starbucks for Kids: 9 Caffeine-Free Drinks They'll Love
  • 9 kid-friendly vegan drinks at Starbucks. ...
  • 1 Herbal iced teas. ...
  • 2 Purple Drink. ...
  • 3 Evolution Fresh Juice. ...
  • 4 Chocolate milk. ...
  • 5 Hazelnut milk. ...
  • 6 Crème Frappuccinos. ...
  • 7 Flavored Spindrift.
Aug 9, 2024

Is the non-dairy cold foam vegan? ›

This plant-based version of Starbucks cold foam is vegan-friendly as it uses plant-based milk.

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