Cold Foam Is a Frothy Topping That’s Poured over Iced Drinks — Most Often over Coffee Drinks. It’s Texture Is More Velvety Than That of Whipped Cream and Is Traditionally Made Using Nonfat Milk Rather Than Cream. This Is Key Because Lower Fat Milk Has a Higher Protein-to-Fat Ratio. “When You Froth Milk, the Goal Is to Create a Stable Network of Air Bubbles Surrounded by a Thin Film of Water and Protein, ” Explains Food Scientist and Registered Dietitian Jennifer Pallian, Bsc Rd, Creator of Foodess. Com. “Nonfat Milk Generally Creates More Foam, and It’s More Stable Than the Foam Produced by Higher-Fat Milk Options. ”

What’s the Difference Between Cold Foam & Whipped Cream?

Whipped Cream Is Generally Made by Literally Whipping up Heavy Cream While Cold Foam Is Made by Whipping up Non-Fat Milk. Taking Starbucks as an Example, They Add a Little Vanilla Syrup to Both Their Cold Foam and Whipped Cream Toppers. a Serving of Starbucks Cold Foam Has 35 Calories and Zero Grams a Fat. Compare That to a Serving of Starbucks Whipped Cream, Which Has 60 Calories, 1 Gram of Sugar and 6 Grams of Fat. So Opting for Cold Foam over Whipped Cream Will Save You 25 Calories, a Gram of Sugar and 6 Grams of Fat — Nice, Right?

What Tools Do You Need to Make Cold Foam?

There Are Four Different Tools You Can Use to Turn Nonfat Milk into Cold Foam. Here Are Pallian’s Top Picks and How to Use Them to Achieve a Foamy Consistency in Minutes:

How to Make Cold Foam at Home

Ready to Make Your Own Cold Foam? We Asked Pallian to Share Her Best Basic Recipe, Plus a Couple Fun Flavor Options. They’re So Easy, You Can Be Enjoying a Sweet Sip in Just 90 Seconds. Prefer Something Dairy-Free? Keep Scrolling for a Vegan Cold Foam Recipe.

Can You Store Cold Foam to Use Later?

Cold Foam Loses Its Airy Texture the Longer It Sits, So It’s Not Ideal for Storing in the Fridge. Luckily, You Can Make This Fluffy Topping in Minutes Whenever You Want to Add a Creamy Touch to Homemade Drinks.

How to Make Starbucks Cold Foam at Home

By David Miller

• Oct 8, 2026 • 6 min read

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

It’s the Coolest, Creamiest Trend to Hit Coffee Shops Like Starbucks: Topping Drinks with Cold Foam. the Delicious Treat Is Pillowy Like Whipped Cream but Has Half the Calories and None of the Fat. So You Get Maximum Mmm Without the Fattening Ugh. and You Don’t Need to Part with $5 at Your Local Coffee Shop to Take Advantage of the Trend. You Can Easily Make It at Home for Pennies. the Best Part? You Don’t Need Any Fancy Gizmo or Exotic Ingredient: All It Takes Is Non-Fat Milk, a Mason Jar and 90 Seconds to Whip up Cold Foam.

David Miller

Executive Financial & Market Analyst

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.

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