How To Spike Your Starbucks Vanilla Iced Latte For An Energizing Cocktail

If you're looking to get a boozy coffee fix, a vanilla iced latte from your neighborhood Starbucks could be the place to start. The menu staple combines vanilla syrup, espresso, and milk for a balanced sweetness that doesn't drown out the coffee flavor. There's a variety of liquors that could easily fit into this coffee concoction, but it should be noted that any mixing of alcohol should only be done safely and at home. 

The first boozy pairing for Starbucks' iced vanilla latte is whiskey. The rich, smokey, caramel flavors of whiskey pair well with coffee and vanilla, and you can even make a boozy whiskey whipped cream with it. Next, try a shot of nutty, syrupy amaretto in your iced vanilla latte. Amaretto is a perfect pairing for coffee, and the two enhance the latte's creamy vanilla base. Frangelico adds a similar sweet, nutty flavor with some rich chocolate notes as well. 

Take a step away from the classics and try spiking your iced vanilla latte with coconut rum. The tropical coconut flavor and added sweetness brings a unique take to a booze and coffee combo. Of course, there's always peppermint Schnapps. Peppermint mocha is already a popular holiday flavor, but the combination of peppermint and the iced vanilla latte is next level, and tastes just like a creamy, melty mint candy. All in all, the iced vanilla latte from Starbucks is a forgiving canvas for all of your boozy whims, so get creative with it. 

Coffee and booze are having a pop culture moment right now thanks to the trendy, undeniably delicious, and photo-worthy espresso martini. There's just something about the rich and roasted flavor of coffee that pairs so perfectly with liquor. A little simple syrup and a dairy element ties everything together and makes for a pleasant deviation from the fruity, citrus, and overly sweet flavors that tend to dominate a lot of cocktail menus. With such a spotlight on espresso martinis, it makes sense that coffee giant, Starbucks, would throw its hat in the ring. If you get a chance to visit one of the six Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in the world, you can even take the Starbucks Espresso Martini Workshop for a truly Starbucks-approved coffee cocktail. 

But, if you don't have a Reserve Roastery nearby and have no plans to visit soon, there's some fantastic coffee cocktail recipes you can easily make at home. A perfect Irish coffee will hit the spot just about every time, and you probably already have the ingredients for a white Russian in your home right now. Or, keep it extra simple by starting with your favorite Starbucks coffee drink and raiding your at-home bar cart. The only liquors that don't mix particularly well with coffee are going to be the more fruity or herbal varieties, like gin, absinthe, or fruit liqueurs.