Holiday favorite · expected back Nov. 5
Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte and Crème
The whole caramel brulée family in one place: the coffee-free Crème, the Latte, iced and Frappuccino versions, what “brulée” means, and a homemade caramel brulée sauce with that crunchy topping, so you can have it any time of year.
Quick answer. The Caramel Brulée Crème is steamed milk with caramel brulée sauce, whipped cream and a crunchy caramelized-sugar topping, with no espresso. Add espresso and it becomes the Caramel Brulée Latte, one of Starbucks’ best-known holiday drinks. Both are seasonal and are expected back with the Starbucks holiday menu on November 5, 2026.
Meet the Caramel Brulée Family
| Drink | Coffee? | How it is built | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caramel Brulée Crème | No | Steamed milk + caramel brulée sauce + whipped cream + brulée topping | Kids, evenings, anyone avoiding coffee |
| Caramel Brulée Latte | Yes (espresso) | Espresso + steamed milk + caramel brulée sauce + whipped cream + topping | The classic holiday latte |
| Iced Caramel Brulée Latte | Yes | Espresso, milk and sauce over ice, with whipped cream and topping | A holiday drink on a warm day |
| Caramel Brulée Frappuccino | Yes (coffee) | Blended coffee, milk, ice and sauce, with whipped cream and topping | Dessert-style blended drink |
| Caramel Brulée Crème Frappuccino | No | Blended milk, ice and sauce, no coffee | Coffee-free blended treat |
“Crème” is the Starbucks word for a coffee-free, milk-based drink, like the year-round Vanilla Crème. That is the key difference between the Caramel Brulée Crème and the Latte.
What Does “Caramel Brulée” Mean?
Brûlée is French for “burnt,” as in crème brûlée, the custard dessert with a torched, crackly sugar top. Starbucks’ caramel brulée is a deep, toasty caramel cooked a little darker than regular caramel, plus a topping of crunchy caramelized sugar bits that mimics that crackly crust.
What does it taste like?
Richer and less sugary-sharp than a standard caramel drink, with a gentle burnt-sugar bitterness, a buttery finish and little crunchy bits on top. In the Latte, the espresso cuts the sweetness; the Crème tastes like a warm, caramel milk dessert.
Caramel brulée vs. regular caramel drinks
- Caramel Macchiato: vanilla syrup, milk, espresso on top and a buttery caramel drizzle. Lighter and vanilla-forward.
- Caramel Brulée Latte: darker caramel sauce mixed through the drink, plus whipped cream and crunchy topping. More dessert-like.
- Salted caramel drinks: salt-forward caramel; caramel brulée is about toasted, burnt-sugar flavor instead.
Calories, Caffeine and Nutrition
Because these are holiday drinks, Starbucks removes their nutrition pages when they leave the menu, and it has not yet posted figures for the 2026 season. We will add official calories, sugar and caffeine for the Crème and Latte by size as soon as they appear on starbucks.com. Third-party calorie trackers list very different numbers, so we do not repeat them here.
What we can say from the build: the Crème has no espresso, so it is not a coffee drink, and both drinks are sweetened with sauce and topped with whipped cream. To lighten either one, ask for nonfat milk, fewer pumps of sauce or no whipped cream. In the meantime, compare other drinks on our Starbucks nutrition page.
Make Caramel Brulée at Home (Any Time of Year)
The sauce is the secret. Cook caramel a shade darker than usual and make a quick batch of crushed caramelized sugar for the topping. One batch of sauce makes 6 or 7 drinks.
Caramel brulée sauce
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Crunchy brulée topping
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for the crunchy brulée bits)
For one latte or crème
- 3 tablespoons caramel brulée sauce
- 2 shots (2 oz / 60 ml) espresso, or ½ cup strong coffee (skip for the Crème version)
- 1 cup (8 oz / 240 ml) 2% or whole milk
- Sweetened whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
- Cook the caramel. In a heavy saucepan, stir the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, swirling the pan, until the syrup turns a deep amber, a shade darker than regular caramel. That slightly burnt edge is the “brulée” flavor.
- Finish the sauce. Take the pan off the heat and carefully whisk in the warm cream (it will bubble up), then the butter, vanilla and salt. Cool 10 minutes; it thickens as it cools. Makes about 1 ¼ cups.
- Make the brulée topping. Melt ¼ cup sugar in a small dry pan over medium heat, swirling, until amber. Pour it thinly onto parchment paper, let it harden for 10 minutes, then crush it into small crunchy bits.
- Build the drink. Stir 3 tablespoons of sauce into 2 shots of hot espresso in a 16 oz mug. For a Caramel Brulée Crème, skip the espresso and stir the sauce straight into the hot milk.
- Add milk and top. Steam or heat the milk to 140–150°F (60–65°C) and pour it in. Top with whipped cream and a spoonful of the crunchy brulée bits.
Tips, variations and storage
- Watch the color, not the clock. Pull the caramel at deep amber; a few seconds more and it turns bitter.
- Warm the cream first so the caramel does not seize.
- Iced Caramel Brulée Latte: mix the sauce into the espresso, add 1 cup cold milk and ice, and top with whipped cream and topping.
- Frappuccino-style: blend 1 cup ice, ¾ cup milk, 3 tablespoons sauce and 2 shots cooled espresso (or none for the Crème version).
- Dairy-free: use coconut cream in the sauce, vegan butter, oat milk and coconut whipped cream.
- Shortcut: stir a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla into store-bought dark caramel sauce.
- Storage: sauce keeps 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge (warm it to loosen). Keep the topping in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week; humidity makes it sticky.
Watch: Caramel Brulée Sauce + Latte
Looking for more holiday-style drinks? See the holiday menu, or our caffè latte page for the base latte technique.
Caramel Brulée FAQs
What is the Caramel Brulée Crème at Starbucks?
It is the coffee-free version of the Caramel Brulée Latte: steamed milk with caramel brulée sauce, topped with whipped cream and a crunchy caramel brulée topping. Like other Starbucks “crème” drinks, it has no espresso.
What is a Caramel Brulée Latte?
A Starbucks holiday latte made with espresso, steamed milk and caramel brulée sauce, finished with whipped cream and crunchy caramelized-sugar topping.
What does caramel brulée taste like?
Like a deeper, toastier caramel with a light burnt-sugar edge, similar to the crackly top of a crème brûlée. The crunchy topping adds texture.
When is the Caramel Brulée Latte available?
It is a holiday drink. Starbucks’ holiday menu is expected to return on November 5, 2026, and it typically stays through the holiday season while supplies last.
Does the Caramel Brulée Crème have caffeine?
The Crème version is made without espresso, so it has no coffee; the Caramel Brulée Latte has espresso. Check the Starbucks app for exact caffeine when the drink returns.
Is the Caramel Brulée Latte gluten free?
Starbucks does not label its handcrafted drinks gluten free and notes that it cannot guarantee unpackaged items are allergen-free because of shared equipment. Check the ingredient list in the Starbucks app if you have celiac disease or a gluten allergy.
Can I buy Starbucks caramel brulée sauce or syrup?
Starbucks has not consistently sold the café caramel brulée sauce at retail. The home version sauce on this page is the easiest way to make the drink at home.
Crème brûlée vs. crème caramel: what is the difference?
Crème brûlée is a baked custard with a hard, torched sugar top. Crème caramel (flan) is a custard baked over liquid caramel and turned out of the dish so the soft caramel sauce runs over it.
Availability is based on Starbucks’ expected November 5, 2026 holiday launch and may vary by store. Official nutrition will be added when Starbucks publishes it. starbukmenu.com is not affiliated with Starbucks Corporation.
