Food-and-drink   |   Homemade Butterscotch Syrup for Iced Coffee + Butterscotch Iced Latte with Cold Foam

Homemade Butterscotch Syrup for Iced Coffee + Butterscotch Iced Latte with Cold Foam

By a Bug & a Bean | Posted on 2025-09-09

Make cafe-style butterscotch syrup at home with butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt—perfect for iced coffee. Includes an easy Butterscotch Iced Latte topped with cold foam and crushed butterscotch candies.

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FLAVOR RECIPE  FALL KITCHEN  

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Table of Contents

• Homemade Butterscotch Syrup (For Coffee & Lattes)
• Butterscotch Iced Latte with Cold Foam & Candy Crunch
• Pro Tips & Variations
• Quick Recipe Card (Copy/Paste)
• Serving & Sharing

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Why You’ll Love This

This rich, buttery butterscotch syrup is designed for iced coffee and lattes: brown sugar, butter, cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt build the true butterscotch profile (distinct from caramel’s white-sugar base). It’s ready in 10 minutes, keeps well, and makes café-style drinks at home.

Homemade Butterscotch Syrup (For Coffee & Lattes)

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter
2. 1 cup packed brown sugar (light for milder, dark for deeper molasses notes)
3. 1 cup heavy cream
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Latte Must-Haves

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk in brown sugar; cook 2–3 minutes until glossy and dissolved.
3. Slowly whisk in cream (it will bubble). Reduce heat; simmer 5–7 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
4. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt. Cool to room temp.
5. Transfer to a clean jar; refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Warm gently if you prefer a thinner drizzle.

Butterscotch Iced Latte with Cold Foam & Candy Crunch

You’ll Need

1. 2 tablespoons homemade butterscotch syrup (above)
2. 2 shots chilled espresso
3. Ice
4. 1/2–3/4 cup milk
5. 1/4 Cup Cold foam
6. 1–2 crushed butterscotch hard candies, for garnish

Step-by-Step

1. Add butterscotch syrup to a tall glass; fill with ice.
2. Pour in chilled espresso (or cold brew), then add milk. Stir to combine.
3. Make the cold foam: froth 1/4 cup milk with 1–2 teaspoons syrup using a handheld frother until thick and silky.
4. Spoon cold foam over the latte. Finish with a light sprinkle of crushed butterscotch candies for an eye-catching, crunchy top.

Pro Tips & Variations

Dial In the Flavor

Use dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses note; the pinch of salt is essential to classic butterscotch balance and helps the flavor pop over ice.

Small-Batch Option

Halve all ingredients to make a quick batch that yields ~6–8 tablespoons—perfect for a weekend of lattes.

Storage & Thickness

Syrup thickens as it chills; loosen with a brief 5–10 second microwave warm-up or a splash of hot water, then cool before adding to iced drinks.

FAQ: What's the Difference between Butterscotch & Caramel?

Butterscotch typically uses brown sugar + butter (and often salt), while caramel starts by melting white granulated sugar; the different base sugars and butter content create distinct flavors.

Quick Recipe Card (Copy/Paste)

Butterscotch Syrup

1. Butter (1/2 cup), brown sugar (1 cup), cream (1 cup), vanilla (1 tsp), salt (1/4 tsp).
2. Melt butter → dissolve sugar 2–3 min → add cream → simmer 5–7 min → stir in vanilla & salt → cool → refrigerate.

Butterscotch Iced Latte with Cold Foam

1. Glass with ice + 2 Tbsp syrup.
2. Add 2-3 shots chilled espresso and 1/2–3/4 cup milk; stir.
3. Froth 1/4 cup milk + 1–2 tsp syrup into cold foam; spoon on top.
4. Finish with crushed butterscotch candies.

Serving & Sharing

Drizzle extra syrup down the inside of the glass for a “coffee-shop swirl,” then top with cold foam and a tiny sprinkle of crushed butterscotch hard candies.