Vegan coffee lovers can rejoice! There are plenty of vegan options at Starbucks to choose from! From its famous strawberry açai refresher to a delectable blonde roast drip coffee, Starbucks knows how to cater to its clientele.
Unfortunately, ordering at Starbucks is not always straightforward for vegans and those with dietary restrictions, as modifications often need to be made. This is why we created a thorough guide to save you time and let you know how to make your favorite vegan Starbucks drinks.
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Ordering A Vegan Drink At Starbucks
Starbucks is known worldwide for its customizable and consistent drink options. From cup size to syrup pumps, your drink can be built to complement your taste buds, dietary needs, and preferences.
With so many options and many secret menu combinations to choose from, one of your hardest decisions will be to decide what type of drink you would like to order. This is why we have created a list of Starbucks vegan options to make your decisions making process that much easier.
What drink sizes are available?
- Short (8 oz)
- Tall (12 oz)
- Grande (16 oz)
- Venti (24 oz)
- Trenta (31 oz)
What plant-based milk is available?
Starbucks has built a reputation for being vegan-friendly, in large part due to its great selection of plant-based milk. This is fantastic for vegans and those on a plant-based diet who are looking for a cafe that serves their favorite nut milk or dairy-free alternative.
Currently, Starbucks has almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, and soy milk options available. This is an excellent selection in comparison to many cafes that have only one or no options available.
For hot drinks, oat beverage is popular due to its creamy texture and higher fat content. For those looking to add a boost of protein, soy is perfect, as a soy latte contains 5g of protein. For those cutting back on calories, the almond beverage is a great option, as it contains 50% fewer calories than dairy milk. Alternatively, coconut milk’s sweeter flavor makes it perfect for vegan frappuccinos and cold drinks.
Almond Milk
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Almonds, Sugar, Calcium Carbonate, Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)
Coconut Milk
Ingredients: Water, Coconut Cream, Cane Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less Of Tricalcium Phosphate, Coconut Water Concentrate, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Gellan Gum, Corn Dextrin, Guar Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2
Oat Milk
Oatmilk (Water, Oats), Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed Oil, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Dipotassium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12.
Soy Milk
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Whole Organic Soybeans), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Vanilla Flavor With Other Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2, Riboflavin (B2), Vitamin B12
Problematic Plant-Based Milk Ingredients
Following a vegan lifestyle can be challenging, especially when certain companies do not disclose which products or ingredients contain animal products. Dining out or consuming packaged foods can also be tricky. Often there is no way to confirm with 100% certainty that what you are consuming is, in fact, vegan. This is why it is important to be aware of which items may not be vegan so that you can weigh your options and make the best choice for you.
Natural Flavors
Natural flavors and flavorings are common in commercial products and packaged foods. They are added to improve and enhance the flavors and smells of packaged foods. This is especially true in products with a long shelf life. Unfortunately, companies are not required to disclose if the natural flavor is plant-based or animal-derived. This means that your Starbucks seasonal drink or food may actually contain animal products.
This can be frustrating, as often there is no way of confirming the source. For example, the natural flavor “vanilla bean” used to be derived from the castor sacs of beavers. Today, more commonly, a synthesized vanilla molecule (vanillin) is used instead and is considered vegan. For those that are worried, try to stick to what would more likely be derived from plants. For example, hazelnut syrup is unlikely to contain animal products, while caramel syrup is more likely to contain animal derivatives.
Carrageenan
Carrageenan is a food additive that is commonly used as a thickening agent to increase the shelf life of food products. Diary-free milk alternatives often contain carrageenan to reduce separation and improve consistency. Originally derived from Irish Moss (red seaweed) and native to the British Isles, carrageenan has recently obtained a poor reputation. Carrageenan has been linked to bloating, poor gut health, and even cancer, making it a product that is not suitable for human consumption. Unfortunately, many vegan products contain carrageenan, as it is a plant-based alternative to many animal-based thickeners. Although many companies are now avoiding the use of carrageenan, it is still an ingredient in many vegan-based products and should be avoided if possible.
Does Starbucks have vegan whipped cream?
No. Currently, the Starbucks corporation has yet to announce that they have come out with a vegan whipped cream alternative. Although there are rumors that a lentil-based option is available at select locations in the USA, without confirmation from Starbucks directly, these are only rumors. Hopefully, one day Starbucks will come out with a vegan-friendly whipped cream option at a location near you!
Is Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Vegan?
No, unfortunately, in the USA, the pumpkin spice sauce contains condensed skim milk. This means that there is no way of creating a vegan pumpkin spice latte in the USA at this time. Outside the USA, though, certain locations have plant-based pumpkin spice sauce available, for example, in the UK. So visitors are able to order a vegan pumpkin spice latte by substituting the dairy milk for a plant-based alternative and opting out of the whipped cream.
The List: Vegan Options At Starbucks
Vegan Coffee Drinks At Starbucks
Did you know that many of your favorite Starbucks drinks can be made vegan? Craving a nitro cold brew or a white mocha? We have you covered! The list below contains the entire Starbucks menu, with tips on how to make each drink vegan-friendly.
Are you interested in learning about other vegan foods? If so, you might like this blog post, Are Oreos Vegan? Yes And No, Explained!
Hot Coffee Options
- Caffè Americano: No changes. Order as-is.
- Brewed Coffees: Cafè Misto, Featured Starbucks Medium Roast, Featured Starbucks Dark Roast, or Veranda Blend. Order as-is.
- Cappuccino: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk when ordering.
- Espresso Shots: No changes. Order as-is.
- Flat White: Ask for your choice of vegan milk when ordering.
- Caffé Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk when ordering.
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte: Order this latte with your favorite alternative milk, NO whipped cream, and NO cinnamon dolce topping.
- Starbucks Reserve Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk when ordering.
- Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk when ordering.
- Caramel Macchiato: Order with non-dairy milk and NO caramel sauce. You can ask to substitute the caramel sauce with caramel syrup if you like.
- Espresso Macchiato: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk when ordering.
- Caffè Mocha: Order with your choice of non-dairy milk and NO whipped cream.
- Starbucks Reserve® Dark Chocolate Mocha: Order with your favorite vegan milk, NO whipped cream, and NO dark chocolate curls.
- Peppermint Mocha: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk. NO whipped cream and NO dark chocolate curls. (Winter time only.)
Vegan Iced Coffees At Starbucks
- Starbucks® Cold Brew Coffee: Vegan as is.
- Starbucks® Cold Brew Coffee with Milk: Ask for an alternative milk choice.
- Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew. Ask for cold foam made with your choice of non-dairy milk instead of the sweet cream and milk and NO cinnamon dolce topping.
- Nitro Cold Brew: Vegan as is!
- Iced Caffè Americano: No alterations needed. It’s vegan as is!
- Iced Coffee: Vegan as is.
- Iced Coffee With Milk: Ask for your favorite plant-based alternative milk.
- Iced Espresso: Vegan as is.
- Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso with Oatmilk and Toffeenut: If your location offers olive oil, you can order this one. It is vegan as-is. However, I do NOT recommend getting it with olive oil.
- Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: Vegan as is. #winning
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso: No alterations needed. Vegan as-is.
- Iced Shaken Espresso: Order with your choice of vegan milk.
- Iced Flat White: Ask for a vegan milk alternative.
- Starbucks Reserve® Iced Latte: Order with a vegan milk option and enjoy.
- Iced Caffè Latte: Order with plant-based milk. Otherwise, it’s 100% vegan.
- Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte: Order with your choice of vegan milk and NO whip cream and NOT cinnamon dolce topping.
- Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte: Order with your choice of alternative non-dairy milk.
- Iced Caramel Macchiato: Ask for your favorite vegan milk and NO caramel sauce. (Add 2+ pumps of caramel syrup.)
- Iced Cafè Mocha: Ask for your choice of plant-based milk and NO whip cream.
- Starbucks Reserve® Iced Dark Chocolate Mocha: Order with your favorite alternative milk and NO chocolate curls.
- Iced Peppermint Mocha: Ask for your choice of vegan milk, NO whip, and NO dark chocolate curls. (Winter time drink only.)
Vegan Starbucks Frappuccinos®
There are plenty of vegan frappuccino options at Starbucks. Here are your best options and how to order them.
Are you interested in seeing what store-bought pie crusts are available? If so, here are the 25 Best Vegan Pie Crust Brands.
Frappuccinos With Coffee
- Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Order with your favorite alternative milk and NO whipped cream.
- Caramel Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for your choice of vegan milk, NO caramel sauce, and NO whipped cream.
- Coffee Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: This drink does not traditionally come with whipped cream, and the other ingredients are all free from animal ingredients.
- Espresso Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: This drink does not traditionally come with whipped cream, and the other ingredients are all free from animal products.
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for your choice of plant-based milk, NO frappuccino chips, and NO whipped cream. (The Chocolate Cookie Grind Topping is vegan.)
- Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for your choice of vegan milk and NO whipped cream.
Crème Frappuccinos (No Coffee)
- Chai Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for plant-based milk and NO whip cream.
- Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for vegan milk, NO whip cream, and NO frappuccino chips. (The chocolate cookie grind topping is naturally vegan.)
- Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Order with non-dairy milk of your choice, NO whip cream, and NO frappuccino chips.
- Matcha Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Order this creamy blended drink with your favorite vegan milk and NO whipped cream.
- Strawberry Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Ask for alternative plant-based milk and No whip cream.
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage: Order this creamy drink with your favorite alternative milk and NO whipped cream.
Teas That Are Vegan
There are plenty of teas at Starbucks that are vegan, either as it or with some adaptions. There are both hot teas, tea lattes, and iced tea options. What’s your favorite?
Have you been thinking about leaning into zero waste? If so, you might like this blog post, 25 Best Zero-Waste Toothpastes.
Hot Teas
- Chai Tea: (This is the chai tea brewed from a tea bag, not the chai tea latté.)
- Earl Gray Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Emperor’s Clouds & Mist Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Jade Citrus Mint Brewed Tea: Vegan as-is!
- London Fog Tea Latté: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Matcha Tea Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Mint Majesty: Vegan as-is!
- Peach Tranquility: Vegan as-is!
- Royal English Breakfast Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Royal English Breakfast Tea Latté: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
Iced Vegan Teas At Starbucks
- Teavana® Sparkling Unsweetened Peach Nectarine Green Tea (Bottled): Vegan as-is!
- Teavana® Mango Black Tea (Bottled): Vegan as-is!
- Iced Black Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Black Tea Lemonade: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Royal English Breakfast Tea Latté: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Iced London Fog Tea Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Iced Peach Green Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Green Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Green Tea Lemonade: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Matcha Tea Latte: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Iced Matcha Tea Latte Lemonade: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Iced Passon Tango Tea: Vegan as-is!
- Iced Passon Tango Tea Lemonade: Vegan as-is!
Hot Drinks (Coffee-Free & Tea-Free)
These are non-coffee and non-tea vegan Starbucks drinks that are served hot.
- Hot Chocolate: Order with your favorite vegan milk and NO whip.
- Caramel Apple Spice: Ask for NO whip and NO caramel sauce.
- Steamed Apple Juice: Order as is.
- Steamed Milk: Ask for your choice of non-dairy milk.
- Vanilla Cremè: Order with plant-based milk and NO whip.
Cold Starbucks Drinks (Non-Espresso and Non-Tea)
All of the following refreshing drinks are naturally vegan. No alterations are needed.
- Dragon Drink Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Paradise Drink Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Pineapple Passionfruit Starbucks® Refreshers Beverage
- Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
- Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
- Pink Drink Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
- Lemonade
- Blended Strawberry Lemonade
Is The Impossible Sandwich At Starbucks Vegan?
No, the Impossible sandwich at Starbucks is not vegan. Although vegetarian-friendly, the Impossible sandwich contains aged cheddar cheese and a cage-free egg, which are both not vegan. This is disappointing to many visitors, as a vegan-based option would be suitable for both vegans and vegetarians, making for a more inclusive product. Unfortunately, customizing the sandwich by removing the egg and cheese is not an option, as the sesame ciabatta bun also contains eggs and butter.
Have you ever heard the phrase “eat the rainbow”? If so, you might like this blog post, 112 Fruits That Are Green.
What Food At Starbucks Is Vegan?
When doing a Starbucks run, it can be nice to pick up vegan snacks or a baked good. Starbucks has a surprising amount of vegan-friendly options to choose from. From baked goods to light snacks, vegans finally have a goodie to pair with their hot coffee. Here are your vegan food options to choose from.
Main Food Items
- Plain, Cinnamon, Everything Bagel
- Chickpea Bites & Avocado Protein Box
- Rolled & Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Strawberry Overnight Grains
Snacks
- Avocado Spread
- Fruit
- Dried Fruit
- Mixed Nuts
- Hippeas
- Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips
- Perfectly Salted Chips
- Almond Coconut Cashew Chai KIND Bar
- That’s It Apple & Blueberry Bar
- That’s It Apple & Mango Bar
Are Starbucks Cake Pop Vegan?
No, Starbucks cake pops are not vegan. Starbucks cake pops contain egg whites, nonfat milk powder, whey solids, whey powder, and butter. This means that, unfortunately, cake pops are not suitable for vegans.
FAQ
No, the Starbucks Impossible sandwich is not vegan, as it contains aged cheddar cheese, a free-range egg, and sesame ciabatta bread (contains eggs and milk).
Yes, Starbucks has plant-based food options. For example, the Chickpea Bites & Avocado Protein Box.
Yes, the plain, cinnamon, and everything bagels are currently vegan.
The mocha sauce, strawberry sauce, and apple drizzle are all vegan-friendly. (The caramel drizzle is not.)
The Chai tea concentrate at Starbucks contains honey, which means it is not vegan. This means their “Chai Latte” is not vegan. However, you can opt for their regular chai tea bag, which is vegan-friendly, and pair it with your favorite dairy-free milk.
Final Words
Hopefully, this handy guide helps make your next trip to Starbucks that much easier. Enjoy an everything bagel with avocado spread. Grab one of your favorite drinks, a pink drink, or treat yourself to vegan hot chocolate. You have plenty of options at your local Starbucks!
Are you trying to diversify your diet? If so, you might like this blog post, 100 Foods That Are Yellow.
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Wow! This was so thorough. Thank you so much!!!
So glad you found it useful!