16 Popular Dairy Free Starbucks Drinks
You’ve made the decision to avoid dairy. But let’s face it, you still crave those creamy drinks at Starbucks. What choices do you now have at your favorite coffee shop?
The good news is there’s a whole menu of tasty Starbucks drinks that nix the dairy. And if you want to go outside that menu, you can replace the dairy in some of your favorite drinks with non-dairy milk substitutes.
Let’s tackle the list of dairy-free Starbucks drinks that you can add to your coffee playlist.
Starbucks Zero Dairy Drinks: Summary
First, let’s talk about the options. When you want to go dairy-free, there are two ways to do it.
You can either limit your choices to beverages that have no dairy and are not creamy, like a plain black coffee. Or you can choose plant-based milk drinks that have no dairy in them but are still creamy.
The good part about plant-based milks is that they are delicious options that often seem just like milk (or sometimes, even better!).
If you decide to go the non-dairy milk substitute route, Starbucks dairy-free drinks use four types of plant-based milks that you can explore:
- Almondmilk – this blend mixes almonds with sweeteners and thickeners
- Coconutmilk – this Starbucks blend of coconut with sugar and thickeners is highly sweetened, but makes a delicious addition to many coffee drinks
- Oatmilk – a blend of oats and thickeners, this is less sweetened than coconutmilk but still packs in the sugar. Note – Due to supply constraints Oatmilk availability at Starbucks varies.
- Soymilk – this soy milk is a highly sweetened blend of soy with thickeners
Did you notice I didn’t put a space between the word milk and the main ingredient? Joining the two words into one is how Starbucks identifies its signature non-dairy blends.
Most Starbucks drinks that have milk in them can also be made dairy-free. When I say most, that means that some can’t be converted to dairy-free.
That’s because some essential ingredients are made with dairy, like chocolate mocha or caramel syrup. If you want to be completely dairy-free, you would simply have to avoid those ingredients.
When it comes time to choosing optional toppings for your Starbucks dairy-free drinks, remember that some toppings contain dairy.
For example, sweet cream, whipped cream, java chips, or anything with caramel are all made with dairy. Take a good look at the ingredients list, and decide if you need to steer clear of the ones that have dairy in them.
Later on I’ll list all the Starbucks ingredients that have dairy, because there are some surprises!
What can you expect when moving away from dairy? When you order a dairy-free milk drink made with plant-based milk, one notable change is in the microfoam.
If you love the foam you get atop your cappuccino, it probably won’t be the same if you swap in dairy-free milk. Why?
The protein in diary helps create those fine bubbles that make your steamed milk cappuccino topping so divine. Dairy-free milk options don’t have that same protein content, and usually don’t aerate as well as milk.
The resulting microfoam isn’t as light and airy. If you want your microfoam desires met as closely as possible, oat milk is probably your best bet. It’s creamy and still foams up quite well.
When you’re looking for vegan Starbucks drinks, another change is the price. Starbucks may charge you more for your drink if you’re customizing it with dairy-free milk. You can ask before ordering.
If you’re allergic to dairy or are lactose intolerant, be aware that even though Starbucks uses separate drink mixing equipment and steamers, there is still the risk of cross-contamination with milk.
So while a drink can technically be called dairy-free because they haven’t added any dairy to it, the beverage may still have come in contact with cow milk dairy.
Best Dairy-Free Starbucks Drinks In 2024
Which dairy-free Starbucks drinks top our list? Here are the best non-dairy drinks.
1. Iced Honey Almondmilk Flat White
Creamy and dairy-free, this iced coffee drink starts with three shots of ristretto espresso and three pumps of their honey syrup blend.
Then it gets a serving of almond milk blend to create a slightly nutty coffee treat.
At 140 calories for the Grande size, it does have a lot of sugar (22 grams) and fat (3.5 grams). On a positive note, it has 2 grams of protein and will help to keep you alert with 195 mg of caffeine. You could also make this with oat milk for a honey oatmilk latte.
Related Read: Starbucks Latte Coffees
2. Honey Almondmilk Flat White
Creamy through and through, this dairy-free flat white has three shots of blonde espresso ristretto and steamed almond milk.
Since it has four pumps of honey syrup blend, this dairy-free milk drink is quite sweet. It has 170 calories, 24 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of fat.
Related Read: Is Blonde Espresso Stronger?
3. Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
The base for this dairy-free iced coffee drink is three shots of blonde espresso. Then a whopping four pumps of brown sugar syrup keep this drink sweet.
The barista will shake the blonde espresso, brown sugar, and cinnamon powder together. Then she will add the oat milk and ice.
Even though it’s quite sweet, this dairy-free Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso has just 120 calories, 13 grams sugar, and 3 grams fat.
4. Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew
A splash of velvety almond milk weaves its way through the dark cold brew and ice of this beverage.
Two pumps of honey blend make it sweet. This dairy-free cold brew drink is one of the lower-calorie options, with just 50 calories, 10 grams of sugar, and 0.5 grams of fat.
The reason for the low calories is that it has just a splash of almondmilk, so you appreciate the taste of the cold brew.
That means you can stay caffeinated with about 200 mg of caffeine without the guilt-causing calories. You could also request this with oat milk for an oat milk honey latte.
5. Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
Admire the nitro as it cascades through the creamy cold brew base. Silky almondmilk and honey syrup make this dairy-free cold brew drink a delicious treat that has just 50 calories.
And that’s not a typo, it really is low calorie. This nitro cold brew is one of my favorite dairy-free Starbucks drinks because it gives you the feeling of a luscious dessert without the calories.
This cold coffee has 10 grams of sugar and keeps you awake with 290 mg of caffeine.
Related Read: Cold Brew At Starbucks
6. Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso
Do you love your drinks tall, dark and creamy?
Satisfy your chocolate drink cravings with this Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso. It begins with chocolate malt powder and three shots of Starbucks blonde espresso for a caffeine hit.
Then the barista adds almond milk and ice to make it irresistible and refreshing. But what about the calorie count?
You’d think it would pack more of a calorie hit, but there are 110 calories, 16 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of fat. Not bad for a blonde espresso dessert you can sip.
7. Iced Pineapple Matcha Drink
Tropical flavors combine in this invigorating matcha green tea latte with a fruity twist. What goes into this dairy-free iced pineapple matcha drink?
Three scoops of matcha powder green tea are sweetened with pineapple and ginger syrup. Coconut milk adds to the smooth feel of this iced dairy-free drink.
Think of this dairy-free Starbucks drink as a pineapple-coconut green smoothie. It has 170 calories in a Grande, 27 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fat, and 80 mg of caffeine.
Related Read: Matcha Starbucks Drinks
8. Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink
Pink and sweet, this dairy-free iced guava passionfruit drink is a perfect summer-day drink even if it’s not summertime.
Guava juice and passion fruit juice give it a tropical tone that’s finished off with pineapple and ginger syrup. Coconut milk keeps it velvety smooth.
The Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink has 190 calories, 33 grams of sugar, 2.5 grams of fat, and no caffeine.
9. Pink Drink
This pinky drink is all the rage on social media because of its vibrant color. In some areas it’s on the main Starbucks menu, but in other places you’ll need to recreate it.
Don’t worry, it’s easy to do. The dairy-free drink starts with strawberries, açaí, and passion fruit. A serving of coconut milk makes this iced beverage fruity, refreshing, and dairy-free.
The Pink Starbucks Drink has 140 calories, 25 grams of sugar, 2.5 grams of fat, and a surprising 45 mg of caffeine.
10. Violet Drink (Secret Menu)
Just as photogenic as the pink drink, the Violet Drink at Starbucks will wow you with its vibrant colors.
You won’t find it on the menu, but you can ask your barista to whip up this dairy-free beverage for you. Start with a Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers beverage, then add three pumps of vanilla syrup and dairy-free milk (I recommend coconut milk if you don’t mind the sweetness).
Add a scoop of blackberries for a deeper color, and have it all served with ice. Depending on the specific ingredients, this drink could have around 220 calories and 29 grams of sugar.
11. Star Drink (Secret Menu)
Another drink that’s not on the Starbucks menu, your first step to creating a dairy-free Star Drink is to order a Starbucks Kiwi Starfruit Refreshers beverage.
This Starbucks Refreshers Star drink features sweet yet tart kiwi-flavored juice and star fruit juice. It even has kiwi fruit bits for extra texture. Then dress your creation up a bit with a serving of coconutmilk.
If you like it sweeter, add some brown sugar syrup. Then your barista will shake it with ice to mix. Depending on how you order it, count on approximately 240 calories and 27 grams of sugar in this version.
12. Dragon Drink (Secret Menu)
Although there are different ways to order this dairy-free drink, my favorite is to start with the Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refreshers Beverage.
Then add a pump of raspberry syrup and coconut milk. You’ll get real bits of dragon fruit in your drink. Shaken with ice, this refreshing lemonade with sweet mango also has vibrant colors that are so picture-worthy.
It’s one of those non-dairy Starbucks drinks that’s an explosion for your eyes as well as your taste buds.
Since this is made with Starbucks’ highly sweetened coconut milk, this drink does top 300 calories. You can go for the almond milk option to keep the calories in check a bit.
13. Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
This dairy-free honey almondmilk cold brew coffee has the creamy texture of nitro with added almond milk and honey syrup.
You could add toffee nut syrup if you want an extra delicious drink. I like this nitro cold brew mix because it keeps the calories to the minimum by using almond milk, the plant-based milk choice with the least sugar at Starbucks.
That’s why this cold brew iced drink has a minimal 50 calories, 10 grams of sugar, and 0.5 grams of fat.
Starbucks Ingredients that Contain Dairy
Even though you plan your dairy-free diet well, you might be surprised by the Starbucks additions that have some dairy in them.
This goes beyond obvious ones like cream or chocolate sauces. So whether you’re allergic to milk, lactose intolerant, or just don’t want to consume dairy products, here’s the list of Starbucks ingredients that you might want to avoid.
- Caramel Brulee Sauce
- Caramel Drizzle
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Sweet Cream
- Cinnamon Dolce Topping
- Cold Foam (if made with non-plant milk)
- Dark Caramel Sauce
- Dark Chocolate Curls
- Frappuccino Chips
- Lemon Spiced Cold Foam
- Pistachio Sauce
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- Pumpkin Spice Sauce
- Salted Caramel Cream
- Salted Vanilla Sweet Cream
- Smoked Butterscotch Sauce
- Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Sauce
- Vanilla Sweet Cream
- Whipped Cream
- White Chocolate Mocha Sauce
Other Dairy-Free Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
Want to go crazy and creative with Starbucks non-dairy drinks? Here are three Starbucks dairy-free drinks from the secret menu without any dairy.
1. Cake Batter Frappuccino
Base Drink: AlmondMilk Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
Syrup Additions: 1 pump almond syrup and 1 pump hazelnut
2. London Fog Tea Latte
Base Drink: Earl Grey Tea Misto and almond milk
Syrup Additions: 2 pumps of vanilla
3. Cotton Candy Frappuccino
Base Drink: Almond milk in a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
Syrup Additions: 1 pump of raspberry syrup
