Steamed and frothed milk has been used for decades to top lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and more. In 2018, Starbucks introduced a similar but new concept nationwide: cold foam. Similar to both of those light-as-air toppings, Starbucks' signature cold foam has since been recreated by competitors like Dunkin' and Jamba Juice—and by creative at-home coffee baristas.

Prepare to save time and money by skipping the drive-through or coffee shop line. Ahead, we're spilling all the details about how to make cold foam right in your kitchen. Ideal for topping a wide variety of coffee shop favorites, our DIY cold foam can hold its own atop your go-to coffee drink or tea, slowly seeping down to infuse it with just enough richness and vanilla flavor.

What Is DIY Cold Foam?

Cold foam is frothed milk (or nondairy milk alternative), often flavored with a sweetener and extract. It's similar to the steamed milk that tops lattes and cappuccinos, just at a cool temp.

Since it won't melt into your hot drink, a dollop of cold foam creates a light, sweet layer of crema that gently settles into the beverage as you sip it. For an extra 50 cents, you can add cold foam to many Starbucks drinks. It's also included in menu items like cold brews, iced mochas, iced espressos, iced matcha tea lattes, and the trendy "pink drink."

Ingredients for DIY Cold Foam

You need just three ingredients to learn how to make cold foam from our Test Kitchen recipe.

• Milk (or alternative "milk"): Skim milk works great. Since it has a higher percentage of protein per ounce than whole milk or 2 percent, it whips up in a thick, sturdy style. Of course, those other fat percentages also work, as does heavy cream or half and half if you want something even more decadent. Coconut cream, almond, oat, and coconut milk work as a plant-based swap.
• Sweetener: Simple syrup delivers sweetness without any lingering flavor, so it's our top pick for DIY cold foam. To make, add equal amounts of sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the sugar is dissolved, then transfer to a mason jar or other airtight storage vessel. Use within one month. If desired, you can use an equal amount of maple syrup, honey, or a store-bought flavored coffee syrup to sweeten your DIY cold foam instead.
• Extract or spice: An optional—but highly recommended—part of our DIY cold foam formula, we like to jazz up our cold foam with vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Feel free to get creative and flavor your cold foam with something else. A dash of matcha tea powder is stellar to top tea lattes, or try a pinch of pumpkin spice to top your coffee latte. You can even mix in a small spoonful of fruit puree. Or try another flavor of extract like almond or maple.

How to Make Cold Foam

Homemade cold foam looks impressive but is a breeze to make. Before diving into how to make cold foam, round up those ingredients and your foaming tool of choice. You have a few options.

• Milk frother: This is the easiest, speediest, and smallest-to-store option.
• Immersion blender: Basically like a larger version of the frother (that can accomplish many other tasks like blitzing up soups and sauces, too).
• French press: Pour the ingredients into the pitcher, then use short pumps of the press until the milk begins to foam.
• Regular blender: For big batches of DIY cold foam, use your large countertop blender or a smaller smoothie blender. Add all the ingredients to the pitcher or cup and blend until the milk looks foamy and full of volume.
• Mason jar: For an arm workout and serving of DIY cold foam all at once, add the ingredients to a mason jar. Top with a lid and shake vigorously until the milk is foamy.

Here are the ratios of ingredients you'll need to make DIY cold foam.

• ¼ cup milk (or milk substitute)
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (or spice, extract, or flavor-booster of choice)

1. Add milk, syrup, and extract to a tall glass, pitcher, or jar. Place the milk frother into the vessel, allowing the whisk portion to submerge fully.
2. Turn on the milk frother and blend until the milk starts to thicken and stabilize, or about 20 seconds. Slowly lift the wand towards the top of the milk, then out of the glass.
3. Use a spoon to gently transfer the DIY cold foam to the top of your drink.

If you have any extra foam, transfer it to a mason jar with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to three days. Before serving, use a milk frother to bring it back to life—or give the jar a few vigorous shakes until it's foamy again.

Once you know how to make cold foam, this recipe can be utilized instead of the milk or cream in your usual coffee or tea drink or in addition to it. Feel free to leave it floating on top or stir it into the drink; either way, you'll experience the sweet, rich flavor with each sip. To add a special touch to happy hour, you can use this DIY cold foam to top spirit-free mixed drinks or cocktails like eggnog, hot chocolate, or milk punch.