Sugar Cookie Latte
- 10 min
- 6 g protein
- 165 kcal
- 1 latte (syrup makes 16)
Updated November 11, 2026
Quick answer
A sugar cookie latte is espresso and milk sweetened with a sugar cookie syrup: sugar, water, a little butter, vanilla and a drop of almond extract. Use 1½ tbsp syrup per 12 oz latte and top it with red and green sprinkles. It costs about $1.10 a cup at home against $5.50 to $7 at a coffee chain.
What makes it taste like a sugar cookie
Butter and almond extract are the two things that turn plain vanilla syrup into sugar cookie syrup.
Vanilla alone tastes like a vanilla latte. A tablespoon of butter gives the bakery richness of cookie dough, and ½ tsp of almond extract adds the faint marzipan note that bakery sugar cookies have. A pinch of salt keeps it from tasting flat.
The coffee-chain version is usually made iced with blonde espresso and oat milk. Lighter roasts let the cookie flavor through; dark roasts bury it.
Homemade vs. coffee shop
| Coffee shop | Homemade | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per drink | $5.50 – $7.00 | about $1.10 |
| Syrup | Pumps of a store syrup | Fresh, 6 ingredients, no preservatives |
| Sweetness | Fixed | Your choice: 1 to 2 tbsp |
| Milk | Oat (extra charge at some shops) | Any milk, no upcharge |
| Calories (12 oz, 2% milk) | about 200 – 260 | about 165 |
Iced sugar cookie latte
Fill a 16 oz glass with ice, add 1½ tbsp syrup and ¾ cup cold oat milk, then pour 2 shots of espresso over the top. For the coffee-shop look, add the espresso last so it layers, and finish with sprinkles on top of a spoonful of vanilla cold foam.
Make it for a holiday crowd
For a crowd, warm the milk and syrup together in a slow cooker on LOW for 2 hours and let everyone add hot coffee. One batch of syrup covers 16 lattes.
| Guests | Espresso | Milk | Syrup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 shots (1 cup strong coffee per 2 shots works too) | 3 cups | 6 tbsp |
| 8 | 16 shots or 4 cups strong coffee | 6 cups | ¾ cup |
| 12 | 6 cups strong coffee | 9 cups | 1 cup + 2 tbsp |
Gift it: sugar cookie syrup in a jar
The syrup keeps 2 weeks in the fridge, which makes it an easy homemade gift. Pour it into a small swing-top bottle, tie on a cinnamon stick, and add the free syrup label from our printable.
Sugar Cookie Latte
- Prep: 5 min
- Cook: 5 min
- Total: 10 min
- Makes: 1 latte (syrup makes 16)
Ingredients
Sugar cookie syrup (about 16 servings)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
Latte (1 serving, 12 oz)
- 2 shots espresso, blonde roast if you have it
- ¾ cup 2% milk or oat milk
- 1½ tbsp sugar cookie syrup
- 1 tsp red and green sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Bring the sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, almond extract and salt until the butter melts.
- Cool and pour into a clean jar. Shake before each use: the butter settles.
- Brew 2 shots of espresso into a 12 oz mug and stir in 1½ tbsp syrup.
- Steam or froth the milk, pour it in, and top with sprinkles.
Nutrition per serving
- 165Calories (kcal)
- 6 gProtein
- 26 gCarbs
- 4 gFat
- 24 gSugar
Estimated with USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Swing-top bottle or jar
- Milk frother or steam wand
Variations
- IcedIce, syrup, cold oat milk, espresso on top, vanilla cold foam.
- Sugar-freeMake the syrup with allulose instead of sugar; about 70 calories per latte.
- ProteinUse ultra-filtered milk: about 10 g protein per latte.
FAQ
Does a sugar cookie latte have caffeine?
Yes, about 125 mg from two shots of espresso. Use decaf espresso for an evening version; the syrup has no caffeine.
Can I make sugar cookie syrup without butter?
Yes. Leave it out and add ¼ tsp more vanilla. The syrup will be clearer and less rich, but it keeps longer (3 weeks).
Why did my syrup turn solid?
It boiled too long and the sugar concentrated. Warm it with 2 tbsp water and stir until it is pourable again.
Is the coffee-shop sugar cookie latte made with oat milk?
The best-known chain version is an iced oat milk drink with blonde espresso. At home any milk works; oat milk is closest to the original.
Free printable
Coffee Syrup Recipe Cards + Bottle Labels
Recipe cards for 8 homemade coffee syrups and matching bottle labels. 3 pages, US Letter.
