13 Keto-Friendly Drinks at Starbucks — Including Frappuccinos

Coffee lovers rejoice: There are dozens of keto Starbucks drinks that will aid your weight-loss goals. Starbuck’s keto drinks can give you a much-needed caffeine boost without the added carbs — but only if you order correctly. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Starbucks keto coffee options to help you get started.

Hot Starbucks Keto-Friendly Options 

The bad news about many drinks at Starbucks is that they typically contain a lot of sugar — be it simple syrup or other flavored syrups — which breaks the low-carb rules of the keto diet. While you can opt for zero-carb sugar-free syrups at Starbucks, these add-ins contain artificial sweeteners that can upset helpful gut bacteria. Whipped cream is another delicious topping you’ll have to forgo on the keto diet at Starbucks. 

Another factor that can make or break your keto Starbucks order is the milk. The default 2-percent milk and even skim milk has way more carbs than you want. Even half-and-half, which is called breve at Starbucks, can be too carb-heavy, especially if you’re ordering a larger size. 

The keto-appropriate option is to ask for heavy cream. However, keep in mind this calorie-rich option still counts towards your daily caloric intake, so you may want to ask for half heavy cream and half water for a lighter sip.

As for Starbucks’ hot drinks made from mixes or concentrates, these guys, sadly, are off limits, because they’re loaded with sugar and carbs. This means refreshers, lemonade, chai tea latte mix, and green tea latte mix (matcha powder).

But let’s move on to the good news: There are still plenty of hot beverages at Starbucks that can still taste indulgent. Below are Starbucks’ keto-friendly drinks:

1. Hot coffee. This one is a no-brainer, and it’s number one on Starbucks’ keto menu. Black coffee is zero carbs and zero calories, so you may want to train your brain to enjoy the bitterness.
2. Caffè misto with heavy cream. A caffè misto is half coffee and half steamed milk, which you can substitute with heavy cream. The taste is similar to a latte, but it may be a bit milder because it uses brewed coffee instead of espresso.
3. Hot tea. Another low-carb option is to choose one of Starbucks’ many teas. Ask your barista what options your local store stocks.
4. Hot tea lattes. Tea lattes made from mixes and concentrates may be no-gos, but you can add heavy cream to hot tea made with tea bags for a keto-approved drink. If you need to sweeten your drink, use keto sweeteners like Stevia. We also suggest heading to the spice bar to add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cocoa powder.
5. Lattes. Lattes are made with espresso shots and steamed milk. To make your latte keto, ask the barista to steam heavy cream instead. For those days you’re craving something sweet, add sugar-free syrups, but keep in mind that these contain artificial sweeteners, and that you may need to subtract carbs from other meals.
6. Low-carb mochas. Starbucks has a sugar-free mocha syrup (as well as sugar-free peppermint syrup), which they use in their skinny mocha options. (This sauce still contains artificial sweetener.) Just be sure to ask for steamed heavy cream instead of milk and ditch the whipped cream. Asking for an Americano (espresso and hot water) with a splash of heavy cream and a pump of sugar-free syrup is another option that will give you the same chocolate-y taste.
7. Low-carb caramel macchiato. A classic caramel macchiato at Starbucks is made with espresso, steamed milk, vanilla syrup, and caramel sauce. For a keto-friendly low-carb version, ask for an Americano with three parts water and one part heavy cream. Sugar-free vanilla syrup is the keto way to go, and it’s up to you whether to add the caramel sauce, which adds roughly two carbs to your drink. 

Cold Starbucks Keto-Friendly Options

1. Iced coffe. Starbucks automatically sweetens their coffee with Classic syrup, which can add 15 to 30 grams of carbs to your drink order depending on the size. Instead, ask for a sugar-free iced coffee and sweeten yours with stevia or other keto-approved sweeteners.
2. Iced tea. The same rules apply when it comes to ordering iced teas: No classic syrup. 
3. Keto Starbucks pink drink. Starbucks’ Pink Drink may be pretty to look at, but the nutrition facts certainly aren’t. This drink, which is made from Strawberry Acai base and coconut milk has more than 27 grams of carbs — yikes! To make the Pink Drink keto-friendly, ask for an unsweetened iced Passion Tango Herbal Tea with a splash of heavy cream. A dash of sugar-free vanilla syrup is optional.
4. Cold brew. Both regular cold brew and Starbuck’s Nitro Cold Brew are calorie- and carb-free — perfect for the keto diet. However, cold brews with flavorings and cold foam should be avoided.
5. Keto iced lattes and caramel macchiatos. When ordering iced lattes or caramel macchiatos, follow the same rules as if they were hot for a drink that fits with the keto diet. 
6. Keto low-carb Frappuccinos. Did you ever think you would be able to drink a Frappuccino on the keto diet? You can!  The secret is to order an iced coffee blended Frappuccino style with heavy cream. Again, sugar-free vanilla syrup can be added. 

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