Another seasonal winter beverage added to the Starbucks menu is the Pistachio Latte.
If you’re reading this when it’s no longer available or can’t get to Starbucks yet, you can make it any time with our Pistachio Latte recipe, inspired by Starbucks.
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The holidays aren’t the only time Starbucks brings exciting seasonal items to their menu. Even after the holiday season is over and the new year has begun, Starbucks continues the festivities by introducing new seasonal winter beverages.
This includes the Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew (check out our recipe too!) and what we’re making here, the Pistachio Latte.
What is a Starbucks Pistachio Latte?
The Starbucks Pistachio Latte is made with Milk, Pistachio Sauce, Brewed Espresso, Salted Brown Butter Cookie Flavored Topping. You can read where their inspiration to make the latte came from on their website.
They combine flavors of pistachio and brown butter with espresso and steamed milk. Note that their pistachio sauce contains condensed milk, so it is not diary free.
For my Pistachio Latte, we’ll be making our own pistachio syrup. You can purchase this like getting Torani Pistachio Syrup if you don’t want to make your own.
We’ll make the syrup then combine it with espresso, frothed milk and top it with brown sugar. Here’s how to do it.
Pistachio Latte Ingredients
Homemade Pistachio Syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup crushed pistachios
Pistachio Latte
- ¼ cup espresso
- 1 tbsp pistachio syrup (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup almond milk
- ⅛ tsp brown sugar
Tips for Making Pistachio Latte
Espresso
Lattes are espresso based coffee drinks. To make espresso, you’ll need an espresso machine. However, not everyone has an espresso machine at home.
For this recipe, I used and recommend using a moka pot.
This brews an espresso like coffee and is so easy to use. Check out our guide to making espresso without an espresso machine for other brewing tools you can use to achieve an espresso like coffee.
The goal is to make concentrated coffee so you can still taste the coffee among the milk and other flavors added when making a latte.
Milk
I used almond milk to enhance the nutiness of the drink, and also because I preferred a plant based milk alternative.
Feel free to use your milk of preference.
If you go the milk alternative route, you can also use Barista Blends, which are made to froth like regular milk.
Pistachio Syrup
I made my own pistachio syrup at home. It has a subtle pistachio flavor using just 3 ingredients – real pistachios, water and sugar.
If you don’t want to make your own, you can also purchase a pistachio syrup, like this Torani Pistachio Syrup.
Starbucks lists these items as the ingredients in their pistachio sauce that they use for the latte: Invert Sugar, Condensed Nonfat Milk, Pistachio Butter (Ground Pistachios), Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Salt, Preservative Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherols, Monoglycerides.
We won’t be using any dairy so if you use a milk alternative, this will be a dairy free latte.
Toppings
I used a sprinkle of brown sugar and frothed milk to top the pistachio latte.
Starbucks tops their pistachio latte with a Salted Brown Butter Cookie Flavored Topping. The ingredients are listed as Sugars (Sugar, Powdered Sugar), Corn Starch, Sea Salt, Fruit And Vegetable Color (Pumpkin, Sugar Beets, Apple, Carrot, Hibiscus), Natural Flavors, Salt.
I just opted for brown sugar.
How to Make Pistachio Latte
Pistachio Syrup
- Open pistachios and crush coarsely (I used a mortar and pestle.)
- Place water, sugar and pistachios in a pot over medium heat. Stir and turn off heat when sugar dissolves.
- Cover pot and leave pistachios to steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain and store in a mason jar.
Pistachio Latte
- Brew espresso. I used a moka pot.
- Froth milk in a milk frother.
- Mix espresso and pistachio syrup, then pour in milk.
- Top with frothed milk and sprinkle brown sugar.
In pictures…
Step 1
To make pistachio syrup, open pistachios and crush coarsely. I used a mortar and pestle.
Step 2
Place water, sugar and pistachios in a pot over medium heat. Stir and turn off heat when sugar dissolves.
Cover pot and leave pistachios to steep for 20 minutes. Strain and store in a mason jar.
Step 3
Brew espresso. I used a moka pot.
Step 4
Froth milk in a milk frother.
Step 5
Mix espresso and pistachio syrup, then pour in milk. Top with frothed milk and sprinkle brown sugar.
More Starbucks Inspired Recipes You May Like
- Irish Cream Cold Brew: Starbucks Inspired Recipe
- How to Make a Caramel Macchiato (Starbucks Inspired!)
- Salted Caramel Mocha Recipe (Starbucks Inspired Recipe!)
Pistachio Latte Recipe
Pistachio Latte
If you’re reading this when it’s no longer available or can’t get to Starbucks yet, you can make it any time with our Pistachio Latte recipe, inspired by Starbucks.
Materials
Homemade Pistachio Syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup crushed pistachios
Pistachio Latte
- ¼ cup espresso
- 1 tbsp pistachio syrup (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup almond milk
- ⅛ tsp brown sugar
Instructions
Pistachio Syrup
1. Open pistachios and crush coarsely (I used a mortar and pestle.)
2. Place water, sugar and pistachios in a pot over medium heat. Stir and turn off heat when sugar dissolves.
3. Cover pot and leave pistachios to steep for 20 minutes.
4. Strain and store in a mason jar.
Pistachio Latte
1. Brew espresso. I used a moka pot.
2. Froth milk in a milk frother.
3. Mix espresso and pistachio syrup, then pour in milk.
4. Top with frothed milk and sprinkle brown sugar.
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