What’s Vegan At Starbucks?

Starbucks is a global cafe chain that’s a favorite place to get coffee for a lot of us. However, as a vegan, if you’re wondering what’s vegan at Starbucks, you’re in luck. It does offer plenty of vegan options, and you just have to know what they are.

Of course, as a vegan, you can’t have any of the hot or iced drinks with dairy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of their delicious coffees on your way to work. Plus, some of the seasonal drinks also have vegan alternatives.

Over the years, almost every food and beverage chain has had to adopt vegan ingredients in some way. This is a good sign for vegans and veganism, in general, as we finally have more options to choose from like the rest of the people.

Vegan Options At Starbucks

So basically, you just have to swap the milk in the drinks with a plant-based milk alternative. Even if you choose a drink off the menu, you can simply ask the barista which milk you want. Oh, and you also have to be wary of the whip as that’s dairy-based as well.

Here’s a detailed guide about both hot and iced coffee drinks at Starbucks with all vegan ingredients.

Vegan Hot Drinks at Starbucks (Non-Dairy Options: Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Soymilk, and Oat Milk)

Caffeine Free

Let’s take a look at the non-caf drinks at Starbucks with vegan milk:

Classic Hot Chocolate with any of the plant-based milk alternatives and no whip.
Hazelnut Hot Chocolate with any of the plant-based milk alternatives of your choice and one or two pumps of Hazelnut syrup and no whip.
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate with any of the plant-based milk alternatives and Salted Caramel syrup, of course. (No whip)
Toffee Coconut Hot Chocolate, which is made from coconut milk and toffee nut syrup typically, is vegan anyways when without the whip.
Smores Hot Chocolate, made with your choice of plant-based milk, marshmallow syrup, and toffee nut syrup without the whip.
Cinnamon Dolce Cream with any of the plant-based milk alternatives but no whip or cinnamon dolce topping.
Steamed Apple Juice, Mint Majesty Tea (mint and lemon verbena), and Peach Tranquility Tea (peach, pineapple, chamomile blossoms, lemon verbena, and rose hips) are all vegan hot drinks at Starbucks.

With Caffeine

If you like your caffeine, here are your vegan options:

Americano doesn’t contain any milk and is made just espresso shots and hot water, so it’s vegan.
For brewed coffees like Blonde Roast, Decaf Pike Place, Pike Place, just ask if they contain any dairy ingredients.
Of course, espresso is vegan (but keep a light hand).
Espresso macchiato with any of the plant-based milk alternatives.
Cappuccino with your choice of plant-based milk alternative.
Cafe Latter with any of the plant-based milk alternative options.
Cinnamon Dolce Latte with plant-based milk of your choice and no whip or cinnamon dolce topping is vegan.
Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte with any of the plant-based milk options.
Apple Crisp Macchiato with any choice of plant-based milk alternative.
Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte is vegan already as it’s made with Almondmilk.
Peppermint Mocha Latte with any of the plant-based milk alternatives and no whip or even dark chocolate curls (although dark chocolate is vegan, we’re not sure if those curls are).
Chestnut Praline Latte with any of the plant-based milk options and no whip.
London Fog Tea Latte with any of the non-dairy options.
Toffee Nut Latte with any plant-based milk alternative options and no whip or toffee nut sprinkles.
Butterbeer Latte made with soymilk latte, caramel syrup, toffee nut syrup, and cinnamon dolce syrup, and sea salt is vegan.
Coffee Cake Latte made with oat latte, caramel syrup, toffee nit syrup, and cinnamon dolce syrup is vegan.
Samoa Cookie Latte with any plant-based milk and caramel syrup.
Salted Caramel Mocha with any of the vegan milk options and no whip (can substitute with caramel syrup)
Earl Grey, Emperor’s Clouds Tea, Royal English Breakfast Tea, and Mist Tea are all vegan.

Vegan Iced Drinks at Starbucks (Non-Dairy Options: Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Soymilk, and Oat Milk)

Whether it’s summer or winter, Starbucks Iced Drinks remain popular. But which ones are vegan, and how can you make the others vegan? This list holds the answers:

Ice Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte is made with almond milk, so it’s vegan already. No changes are required!
Iced Peppermint Mocha Latte with any of the non-dairy milk choices and no whip or dark chocolate curls.
Iced Shaken Espresso, Ice Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, and Ice Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso are all vegan drinks.
Ombre Ice Coffee with any plant-based milk option.
Samoa Cookie Frappuccino made with coconut milk and caramel syrup but no whip.
Iced Salted Caramel Mocha with any of the plant-based milk substitutes, caramel syrup (not sauce) without the whip.
Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino with any of the plant-based milk choices and no caramel syrup or whip.
Java Chip Frappuccino with any of the plant-based alternatives to milk and no java chips.
Dunkaroos Frappuccino with your choice of plant-based milk, dolce syrup, and vanilla syrup.
Matcha Frappuccino with any plant-based milk and no whip.
Vegan Nutella Frappuccino made with mocha frap (soy milk) and no whip.
Smores Frappuccino without any dairy-based milk, mocha syrup, or whip.
Iced Matcha Latte with any of the plant-based milk alternatives.
Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte with any of the plant-based milk you like and no whip.
Iced Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Latte and Ice Matcha Lemonade are vegan.
Vegan Dragon Drink (mango, dragonfruit, and coconut milk), Pink Drink (strawberry acai, strawberries/blackberries, and coconut milk), Violet Drink (hibiscus, blackberries, and coconut milk), Matcha Pink Drink (Pink Drink with Matcha), Ice Pineapple Matcha Drink, and Ice Golden Ginger Drink are all vegan.

Low-Calorie Drinks at Starbucks (Size: Grande)

Ok, so if you’re calorie-conscious, first of all, go for the Tall or Grande sizes when ordering any kind of drink. Just by lowering the size, you can reduce some calories at least. However, you can also go for the many low-calorie options that are either vegan or can be made vegan.

Coffee made with any plant-based milk. For sweetness, add sugar-free syrup, like vanilla.
Guilt-Free Creamy Pink Drink without caffeine, which is Passion Iced Tea without classic sweetener. You can add sugar-free syrup and some coconut milk or lemonade.
Green Tea Creme Frappuccino with matcha powder (2 scoops instead of three) and vanilla syrup, coconut milk, and no classic sweetener.
Vegan Frozen Hot Chocolate Frappuccino with soy milk frappe, mocha (2 pumps), hazelnut (1 pump), sugar-free vanilla (2 pumps), and no whip.
Iced Salted Caramel Mocha with plant-based milk of your choice and caramel sauce (which is not vegan) replaced with caramel syrup and no whip cream.
Hot or Iced Cozy Creme Brulee Latte with soy milk, toffee nut syrup (1 pump), caramel syrup (1 pump), and optional cinnamon powder topping.

Starbucks Vegan Food

What about all those food options at Starbucks? Are those vegan? Well, not a lot of them are vegan, which limits your choices. However, you can easily make do with some substitutes and enjoy a good vegan breakfast or lunch.

Here are your vegan food options at Starbucks in the US:

Chickpea Bites
Avocado Protein Box
Plain, sprouted, or multigrain vegan bagels (for spread, go with Organic Avocado Spread, Justin’s Hazelnut Butter, or Classic Almond Butter)
Strawberry Overnight Grains oatmeal (coconut milk, steel-cut oats, chia seeds, and red quinoa, topped with shaved coconuts, toasted almonds, and strawberries)
Classic Oatmeal or Hearty Blueberry Oatmeal (Steamed plant-based milk or hot water and steel-cut oats)
Plant-based Breakfast Sandwich (Impossible Sausage, plant-based egg patty, plant-based cheddar, and English Muffin) (Launched in 2020)
Lentils & Vegetable Protein Bowl with Brown Rice

Vegan Snacks at Starbucks

If you’re just looking for a vegan snack, try these:

Dried Fruit
Mixed Nuts
Fruit Salad
Fruit Bars
Vegan Superberry Acai Mercato Bowl
Dang Sticky Rice Chips
Hippeas organic chickpea puffs
Bissinger’s 75 percent Dark Chocolate
Cauliflower tabbouleh (Mercato range) (available only in select locations)
Organic Avocado Spread
Sea Salt Potato Chips
Justin’s Hazelnut Butter or Classic Almond Butter
Emmy’s Organic Coconut Cookies (Coconut Vanilla & Dark Cacao)

Basic Vegan Drink Info at Starbucks

Starbucks is a great place to get your coffee from, especially if you like experimental, different flavors. Luckily for vegans, there are a lot of varieties, as you can guess from the list above.

Almost all the drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and frappuccinos are available with plant-based milk options, including almond milk, coconut milk, soymilk, and oat milk. So unlike other coffee chains, you don’t need to walk away every time your friends or colleagues make a plan to hit Starbucks during lunch break.

That said, Starbucks does charge a 50-cent upcharge when you order drinks with a vegan milk substitute. That doesn’t sound fair at all, but it’s a common practice. In fact, in some places, the upcharge can be even higher. For instance, in New York, you can expect to pay 80 cents more for replacing milk with other vegan milk options like soymilk or almond milk.

Starbucks also offers a lot of customization, so you can make or change your drink as per your choice. It’s easier to make replacements in regular drinks like coffee, latte, or frappe, but for others, you may have to make more adjustments.

When in doubt, simply ask the barista if a drink you’re ordering or perhaps a particular component has any non-vegan ingredients.

Some drinks are vegan as-is, so you don’t need to make any changes.

For other drinks, you need to keep two words handy: replace and hold. With replace, you can ask them to substitute an ingredient with another, and by using hold, you can ask them to not use it. Simple!

For example, replace milk with soymilk and hold the whipped cream.

While cross-contamination is not an issue with the drinks, it can be with the food. For instance, the Beyond Breakfast sandwich comes with egg and cheese, as it’s a ready-to-eat sandwich. So if you ask to hold the egg and cheese, know that it’s already been contaminated, and you’re paying for that egg and cheese anyways.

Seasonal Drinks

The list above includes some of the popular seasonal drinks that Starbucks brings back every year, especially around the holidays. However, it also constantly introduces drinks on other holidays.

Again, you can use the replace and hold options to make it vegan if it already isn’t. The best course of action is asking your barista what it has in it and if it can be made vegan. They usually know the best!

Wrap Up

Now that you know what’s vegan at Starbucks, you can head in confidently and get the drink of your choice made with all the vegan ingredients. If you have any confusion, don’t hesitate to ask your barista, no matter how long the queue is behind you.

Also, as a tip for those agonized by the upcharge, you can offset it by using a Starbucks Rewards card.

Starbucks Vegan FAQ

What Pastries Are Vegan at Starbucks?

Unfortunately, Starbucks doesn’t carry any vegan pastries.

Are Starbucks Bagels Vegan?

As Starbucks doesn’t have any flavored bagels, their regular bagel choices, which include the plain, multigrain, and sprouted grain, are all vegan.

Is Starbucks Matcha Powder Vegan?

Matcha powder is made from Japanese tea leaves, which are plant-based anyways. Therefore, matcha powder at Starbucks is vegan. However, it’s not labeled vegan.

Are Starbucks Cookies Vegan?

While not all cookies at Starbucks are vegan, it now carries Lucy’s Cookies, which are vegan and allergy-free.

How Much Extra Does Starbucks Charge for Non-Dairy Milk?

An upcharge of 50 cents is usually added to a drink where you replace milk with a non-dairy milk alternative like oat milk, almond milk, soymilk, or coconut milk. However, this upcharge can also vary by location.

Which Starbucks Syrups are Vegan?

Most of the syrups available at Starbucks are vegan. These include caramel, hazelnut, mocha, peach, toffee nut, vanilla, macadamia, simple, and seasonal gingerbread.