All Starbucks stores carry heavy cream to add to coffee and tea drinks, and is used as an ingredient for many Starbucks baked goods such as scones.
However, if you’re trying to recreate that taste at home, you may be wondering what heavy cream Starbucks uses, and how to buy some for your own use. Keep reading if you’d like to learn what I found out!
What Heavy Cream Does Starbucks Use In [currentyear]?
Starbucks relies on local dairy providers for the milk and cream used in their stores in [currentyear]. So, the exact brand of heavy cream used by Starbucks varies from region to region. In some parts of the US, Starbucks stores use Borden dairy products like milk, heavy cream and half and half, while many stores in Canada use Dairyland.
If you want to know more about the heavy cream used by Starbucks, the calorie content and what substitutes you can request, read on to find all the answers below!
What Kind Of Heavy Cream Does Starbucks Use?
Starbucks uses heavy cream to add to drinks, which gives them more flavor, texture, and nutritional content.
The exact brand of heavy cream used by Starbucks stores varies according to each region, since Starbucks uses local providers for their dairy products.
For example, in some parts of the US, Starbucks stores use dairy products like milk, cream, half and half and heavy cream made by Borden, while some Canadian regions use Dairyland milk products.
What Kinds Of Cream Does Starbucks Use?
Starbucks uses a few different kinds of cream in drinks, including heavy cream, sweet cream, half and half and whipped cream.
Heavy cream is the thick layer of cream that’s skimmed off the top of the milk. As the name suggests, it’s dense, flavorful and rich in fats.
Half and half is made of half heavy cream and half milk. It’s slightly lighter than heavy cream and also contains less fat.
Sweet cream is made by mixing heavy cream with 2% milk and vanilla syrup. It has a lighter and sweeter taste than heavy cream, and contains vanilla syrup.
Whipped cream at Starbucks is made with 8 pumps of vanilla syrup and heavy cream, and is used as a topping for many of their drinks.
How Many Calories Are There In A Splash Of Heavy Cream At Starbucks?
While Starbucks doesn’t share the calorie content of their heavy cream, you can get an idea of how much it might be by looking at the comparable nutritional values for heavy cream from a trusted source.
According to Dairy Pure, a leading national dairy provider, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream contains 60 calories, and one tablespoon equals half an ounce.
With this information, you can estimate the amount of calories that the heavy cream adds to your drink according to the size.
How Much Heavy Cream Does Starbucks Use In A Grande Drink?
Starbucks baristas use a standard amount of dairy in making their drinks, whether they’re using heavy cream, half and half, or milk.
In a Grande size iced drink, the standard amount of dairy used is 2 ounces. Listed below are the amounts of dairy added to different sized iced drinks at Starbucks:
- Tall – 1 ounce
- Grande – 2 ounces
- Venti – 3 ounces
Sometimes when using heavy cream, baristas will reduce the amount used, because if they use the full amount the drinks look too milky and they have to start all over.
So, instead of adding the full amount of heavy cream, the baristas may just add a “splash” and the customer can add more for themselves.
When using the Starbucks mobile app to order, you may see the option for creamers, including heavy cream, listed as “Splash of” instead of an exact measurement.
If you need to know the exact amounts of heavy cream added to your iced drink, you can refer to the list above.
What Can You Substitute For Heavy Cream At Starbucks?
Heavy cream adds a delicious flavor and richness to any drink, but it also packs on the calories. So, you may want to substitute it with a lighter creamer.
There are a number of dairy and nondairy substitutes for heavy cream at Starbucks. You can get any of these substitutes for heavy cream:
- Sweet cream
- Half and half
- Nonfat milk
- 2% milk
- Whole milk
- Almond milk
- Soy milk
- Coconut milk
- Oat milk
Each substitution will change the calorie content as well as the taste of your drink.
Is Sweet Cream The Same As Heavy Cream At Starbucks?
Starbucks sweet cream is not the same as heavy cream, though heavy cream is one of the ingredients used in making it.
Sweet cream at Starbucks is made by mixing heavy cream with 2% milk and vanilla syrup. With the vanilla syrup, which also includes sugar, sweet cream tastes quite different from heavy cream.
Does Starbucks Charge Extra For Heavy Cream?
In general, you won’t be charged extra for adding heavy cream to your drink.
However, if you request for your cream to be steamed, you may be charged for extra milk, as baristas have to use extra cream to steam properly.
Official Starbucks policy is to charge for any dairy over 4 ounces, and some baristas may add an extra charge for heavy cream to your total bill.
If you are looking to learn more, you can also read our posts on Starbucks barista, how to order coffee at Starbucks, and what Starbucks drink has the most caffeine.
Conclusion
Starbucks uses local dairy providers for the milk, cream and half and half used in their stores, so the exact brand of heavy cream will vary from one region to another.
However, whichever brand of heavy cream your Starbucks uses, you can be sure that it will meet their quality standards and add taste and rich flavor to your drinks.
