This Cinnamon Roll Iced Latte tastes like a cinnamon roll and an iced coffee met in your favorite café.
It has bold espresso, homemade cinnamon syrup, creamy vanilla milk, and a fluffy cold foam topping.
It feels special, but everything is easy enough to make at home.
Makes: 1 iced latte, plus extra cinnamon roll syrup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Latte Assembly: 5 minutes
Total Time: About 37 minutes the first time; about 5 minutes once the syrup is made
Why I Love This Recipe
I love an iced latte that feels like a treat without needing a long list of flavored syrups. This one gets most of its flavor from a simple homemade cinnamon roll syrup.
The first sip is cool and creamy, followed by strong espresso and warm cinnamon. Vanilla rounds everything out and gives it that sweet bakery flavor that reminds me of cinnamon rolls.
Once the syrup is waiting in the fridge, making the actual latte takes only a few minutes. That makes it one of those recipes that feels much fancier than the amount of work involved.
- It tastes like a coffee-shop drink. Espresso, cinnamon, vanilla, and creamy milk give you plenty of flavor.
- The sweetness is easy to adjust. Start with less syrup and add more after tasting.
- The syrup lasts beyond one drink. One batch makes enough for several iced coffees.
- Cold foam makes it extra creamy. The fluffy topping gives each sip a little vanilla creaminess.
- You don’t need complicated ingredients. Most of the recipe uses basic coffee and baking staples.
What You’ll Need
Homemade Cinnamon Roll Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For 1 Cinnamon Roll Iced Latte
- 2 shots espresso, about 2 ounces, freshly brewed and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons homemade cinnamon roll syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, cold
- 2 tablespoons vanilla coffee creamer, cold
- 1 cup ice cubes
Vanilla Cold Foam
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk, cold
- 1 tablespoon vanilla coffee creamer, cold
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for topping
Cinnamon Roll Iced Latte Recipe and Instructions
Step 1: Start the Cinnamon Roll Syrup
Add 1 cup water, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 4 cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan. Set it over medium heat.
Stir as the mixture warms until the brown sugar dissolves. Bring it to a gentle boil. You should no longer see grains of sugar sitting at the bottom of the saucepan.
Step 2: Simmer the Syrup
Once the mixture reaches a gentle boil, lower the heat. Simmer the 1 cup water, 1 cup dissolved brown sugar, and 4 cinnamon sticks for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
The syrup should look smooth and slightly thicker, but it will still be fairly thin while hot. Do not cook it until it becomes thick like pancake syrup because it will thicken more as it cools.
Step 3: Add the Vanilla and Cool
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the syrup cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Allow the cinnamon syrup to cool until it is no longer hot. The cinnamon sticks can stay in the syrup during cooling for a stronger cinnamon flavor.
Step 4: Strain and Store the Syrup
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a heat-safe glass jar. Pour the cooled syrup through it and remove the 4 cinnamon sticks.
Seal the jar once the syrup is completely cool. You’ll need 2 tablespoons of this homemade cinnamon roll syrup for one latte.
Step 5: Brew and Cool the Espresso
Brew 2 shots espresso, about 2 ounces total. Let the espresso sit for about 5 minutes so it isn’t piping hot when it hits the ice.
For faster cooling, place the espresso cup in the refrigerator for a few minutes. You want strong espresso flavor without melting all the ice right away.
Step 6: Build the Iced Latte Base
Fill a tall clear glass with 1 cup ice cubes. Pour 2 tablespoons cooled homemade cinnamon roll syrup over the ice.
In a small measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup cold unsweetened vanilla almond milk with 2 tablespoons cold vanilla coffee creamer. Froth briefly on the cold setting, just until creamy, then pour it over the syrup and ice.
Step 7: Add the Espresso
Slowly pour the 2 cooled shots espresso, about 2 ounces, over the milk, creamer, 2 tablespoons cinnamon roll syrup, and 1 cup ice.
You’ll see pretty coffee layers at first. Stir everything together with a straw or long spoon so the cinnamon sweetness reaches the whole drink.
Step 8: Make the Cold Foam and Finish
Froth 2 tablespoons cold unsweetened vanilla almond milk with 1 tablespoon cold vanilla coffee creamer until light and foamy.
Spoon or pour the foam over the latte. Finish with 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Serve right away while the drink is cold and the foam is fluffy.
Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)
Brown sugar builds the cinnamon-roll flavor. Brown sugar contains molasses, so it has deeper caramel notes than plain white sugar. Those flavors work well with cinnamon and espresso.
Heating pulls flavor from the cinnamon sticks. Simmering the sticks in the syrup helps release their warm cinnamon flavor. Letting them sit in the syrup as it cools gives them even more time to infuse.
Vanilla goes in after cooking. Vanilla contains delicate aromatic compounds. Adding it after the syrup comes off the heat helps keep more of that sweet vanilla aroma.
Cooling the espresso protects the ice. Very hot espresso quickly melts ice. Slightly cooled espresso keeps the latte colder and prevents it from becoming watery too fast.
Cold foam changes the texture. Frothing adds tiny air bubbles to the milk and creamer. That gives the top of the latte a soft, creamy texture that feels a little like cinnamon roll icing.
Pro Tips
- Let the espresso cool for a few minutes before pouring it over the ice. This keeps the drink from becoming watered down.
- Start with 1 tablespoon of syrup if you prefer less sweetness. Taste the finished latte and add more if needed.
- Don’t overcook the syrup. It should still pour easily when hot because it gets thicker as it cools.
- Use large ice cubes when possible. They melt more slowly than small pieces of ice.
- Froth the cold foam right before serving. It has the best fluffy texture when it’s fresh.
Tools You’ll Need
- Small stainless steel saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Heat-safe glass jar with lid
- Espresso machine, moka pot, or another espresso maker
- Small espresso cup
- Handheld milk frother or electric frother with a cold setting
- Tall clear iced-coffee glass
- Long spoon or straw
Substitutions and Variations
Milk: Whole milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or another milk you enjoy can replace the almond milk. Different milks will produce different amounts of foam.
Coffee creamer: Use vanilla, sweet cream, or even a cinnamon-flavored creamer. Keep in mind that sweetened creamer will make the finished latte sweeter.
Espresso: No espresso machine? Use about 1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee or cold brew concentrate.
Brown sugar: Coconut sugar can be used for a darker, less traditional sweetness.
Extra cinnamon flavor: Add a small pinch of ground cinnamon to the milk before frothing.
Sweeter latte: Increase the cinnamon roll syrup from 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons.
Less sweet latte: Use 1 tablespoon syrup and an unsweetened coffee creamer.
Make-Ahead Tips
The cinnamon roll syrup is the best part to make ahead. Prepare it, cool it completely, and refrigerate it in a clean airtight jar.
For best quality, use the homemade syrup within about 2 weeks. Always discard it if you notice mold, fermentation, an unusual smell, or another sign of spoilage.
You can also brew the espresso ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed container overnight. That makes assembling your morning latte especially fast.
Common Mistakes
Cooking the syrup too long: A heavily reduced syrup can become very thick once cold. Five minutes of gentle simmering is enough.
Pouring steaming espresso straight onto the ice: This melts the ice quickly and can leave you with a watery latte.
Using too much syrup before tasting: Cinnamon syrup can become sweet quickly. Two tablespoons is a good starting point, but you can always use less.
Trying to froth warm milk for an iced drink: Keep the milk and creamer cold so the drink stays refreshing.
Skipping the stir: The syrup naturally settles toward the bottom. Give the latte a good stir before drinking so every sip has espresso, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.
What to Serve With
This latte is especially good with breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. Try it with a warm cinnamon roll for the full bakery experience, or pair it with banana bread, blueberry muffins, oatmeal, waffles, pancakes, buttery toast, or a simple breakfast sandwich.
For something less sweet, serve it with eggs and toast or a savory bagel. The salty flavors make a nice contrast with the sweet cinnamon coffee.
Macros Information
Approximate nutrition for 1 latte made with 2 tablespoons of the homemade syrup, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and a typical vanilla creamer:
- Calories: about 150–180
- Carbohydrates: about 29–34 g
- Protein: about 1–2 g
- Fat: about 3–5 g
- Sugar: about 27–31 g
These numbers are estimates. The exact macros will change based on your almond milk, coffee creamer, espresso, and how much syrup you use.
Leftovers and Storage
A fully assembled iced latte is best enjoyed right away. Once it sits, the ice melts and the cold foam loses its fluffy texture.
If you have leftover coffee, refrigerate it separately in an airtight container and use it within a day or two for the freshest flavor.
Keep the cinnamon roll syrup refrigerated in a clean, sealed jar for up to about 2 weeks. Keeping the syrup and coffee separate means you can make a fresh iced latte whenever you want one.
FAQ
Can I make this without an espresso machine?
Yes. Use about 1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee or cold brew concentrate. You want something strong enough that the coffee flavor doesn’t disappear once the milk and ice are added.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes. The recipe is dairy-free when you use dairy-free almond milk and dairy-free coffee creamer.
Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste?
Yes. This recipe already uses vanilla extract. Adding it after the syrup has stopped cooking helps preserve its vanilla aroma.
Can I use ground cinnamon instead of cinnamon sticks in the syrup?
You can, but the result won’t be quite as smooth. Ground cinnamon does not fully dissolve and may leave sediment in the syrup. Cinnamon sticks create a cleaner syrup.
How sweet is this latte?
With 2 tablespoons of syrup, it has noticeable sweetness without completely covering the espresso. For a lightly sweet latte, start with 1 tablespoon.
Can I make the latte hot?
Yes. Skip the ice and don’t cool the espresso. Warm and froth the 1/2 cup milk and 2 tablespoons creamer, then combine them with the espresso and cinnamon roll syrup.
Why did my syrup get too thick?
It was probably simmered too long. Water evaporates during cooking, which concentrates the sugar. Keep the simmer to about 5 minutes and remember that the syrup thickens as it cools.
Can I make a larger latte?
Yes. For a bigger drink, use more milk and ice while keeping the espresso and syrup strong enough for your taste. For a noticeably larger coffee, adding another espresso shot works better than simply adding more milk.
Final Thoughts
This Cinnamon Roll Iced Latte is an easy way to turn your regular iced coffee into something that feels like a coffee-shop treat. The homemade brown sugar and cinnamon syrup brings the cozy bakery flavor, while espresso keeps the drink bold and the vanilla cold foam makes every sip extra creamy.
Make the syrup once and keep it chilled, and your next latte can be ready in about five minutes. Give it a try, adjust the sweetness to make it your own, and leave a comment with how yours turned out or any questions you have.
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