Chestnut Praline Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)

Get your coffee all dressed up for the holidays with my copycat Starbucks Chestnut Praline Syrup. This cozy, Christmas-y recipe is simply made with just 6 ingredients—perfect for getting you in the Yuletide spirit.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” might be the opening lyrics to The Christmas Song, but that’s a reality I look forward to every year. Collecting the hard, brown little triangles from a nearby park and roasting them to soft, sweet perfection is a family tradition. Whether snacked on solo or added to my favorite dinner and dessert recipes, chestnuts are the jam.

So, if you’re looking to expand your winter coffee menu beyond classics like cinnamon dolce lattes, peppermint mochas, and gingerbread lattes, you’ve come to the right place. This infused simple syrup recipe is bursting with earthy, nutty notes and caramelized sugar charm! 

Whether you’re looking to sweeten your cold brew, fix yourself a Starbucks chestnut praline latte, make a sensationally seasonal homemade coffee creamer, or even gussy up your favorite desserts, this DIY coffee syrup is the answer. 

Jump to:

• What is chestnut praline coffee syrup?
• What does it taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Chestnut Praline Syrup Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Chestnut Praline Syrup At Home
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• FAQs
• DIY Starbucks Chestnut Praline Syrup Nutrition
• Other Homemade Coffee Syrup Recipes
• Chestnut Praline Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)

What is chestnut praline coffee syrup?

As with most of my coffee flavoring recipes, this praline chestnut syrup is an infused simple syrup. If you’re yet unfamiliar, simple syrup is a clear, neutral flavored liquid sweetener made from just sugar and water. The basic ratio is equal parts water and white sugar, but there are nearly infinite ways of customizing it.

Here, we break with tradition, using both granulated and brown sugar to make our syrup base—the latter adds a caramel complexity thanks to molasses. We then infuse this magical brown sugar syrup with toasted pecans (the classic nut for pralines) and chestnuts for a cozy wintry twist. 

What does it taste like?

If sitting by a crackling fire while puffy snow falls outside, blanketing the world in crisp white and muted sounds could be distilled into a jar, this chestnut simple syrup would be it. Brown sugar adds burnt sugar sweetness, pecans add buttery toastiness, and the chestnuts bring their unique nutty sweet potato goodness to the table. Delightful!

Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Chestnut Praline Syrup Recipe

• Quick & Easy - It’s called simple syrup for a reason, folks! All in, you’re looking at just 10 or so minutes of active time to make this holiday-ready wonder.
• Budget-Friendly - Tis the season for gifting, celebratory drinks with friends, and otherwise spending more than you normally would. Keep your wallet at least *a little* fatter by making your own chestnut praline latte syrup so you can make all your favorite Starbucks dupes at home!
• Perfect for Gifting - Speaking of gifting and thrifting, homemade coffee syrups packaged in cute bottles make for an excellent, inexpensive offering—especially when they’re so seasonal. You can even go all out with a bag of coffee and a recipe card for your favorite way to put it to use!

Ingredients Needed

As promised, we’re keeping things basic. Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Pecans - For that classic praline taste. Note that it’s cheaper to get pecan pieces than it is to get fancy halves—it’ll taste the same either way.
• Chestnuts - Depending on where you live, you might be able to forage your chestnut haul—just make sure you know the difference between the edible ones and the toxic ones. If not, many grocery stores sell them around the holidays. You can also get bags of peeled and cooked chestnuts from some international markets and Costco!
• Water - If possible, start with filtered water for the cleanest (read: chlorine-free) taste.
• Brown Sugar - Feel free to use either light or dark brown sugar depending on how much molasses flavor you want.
• Granulated Sugar - Using some white sugar ensures the nutty flavors aren’t drowned out in brown sugary sweetness. Superfine/caster sugar is the same thing and can be used in a 1:1 ration with regular sugar—the only difference is the size of the sugar granules!
• Vanilla Extract - For adding the invitingly aromatic warmth I expect when I read “praline.”

Substitutions

Need to make some changes? I’ve got you covered: 

• Pecans & Chestnuts - If you can’t get your hands on chestnuts, you can use all pecans. You’re also welcome to mix and match other nuts if you’d like. Just make sure to toast them first for the best flavor!
• Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar - While you could use all one or the other, I think the best flavor comes from using both white and brown sugar. For less-processed substitutes, try muscovado sugar or grated jaggery or piloncillo for brown sugar and pure cane sugar or turbinado for the granulated.
• Vanilla Extract - You can swap in an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder, or use half as much ground vanilla bean. Alternatively, use half of a fresh vanilla pod with the seeds scraped out and added to the mix. 

How To Make Chestnut Praline Syrup At Home

This easy infusion comes together in just a few simple steps:

Step 1: Toast Nuts. Add the pecans and chestnuts to a medium saucepan and toast over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so they don't burn.

Step 2: Simmer Nuts in Syrup. Carefully add the water (the saucepan will be hot, so watch out for sputtering!), then stir in the sugars. Bring the syrup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Strain & Add Extract. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain out the nuts (reserve for yogurt or ice cream topping in the fridge).

Step 4: Cool & Store or Use. Allow the syrup to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to a syrup bottle or small container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

• Sugar-Free - Make a diabetic friendly version of this chestnut coffee syrup by swapping in your favorite cup-for-cup white and brown sugar alternatives (e.g. monkfruit).
• Nut-Free - Can’t do nuts but crave that nutty flavor? Try using artificial flavor extracts (real extracts will have the nuts). 
• Extra Budget - For a cheaper version, use pecan extract and chestnut extract to impart the nutty goodness without needing to buy the nuts. Note that you’ll miss out on the leftover candied nuts if you do.
• Add-Ins - Feel free to tinker at will—add a cinnamon stick or cardamom pod for warmth, a dribble of butter extract for richness, or a pinch of salt.

Serving Suggestions

This chestnut pecan simple syrup can be used in dozens of ways—in coffee & tea drinks, breakfast and dessert recipes, and even boozy libations. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Dupe it Out. Make a chestnut praline latte Starbucks would be proud of! Add the syrup to a hot dairy or oatmilk latte, top with whipped cream, garnish with some of the leftover candied nuts, and go to town. Don’t forget to give yourself a tip!
• Keep it Cool. Not into hot drinks? Try using this syrup to sweeten your cold brew, cold foam, or favorite iced coffee drinks. (Think: oatmilk shaken espresso, iced lattes, iced macchiatos, and more!) You could also make Starbucks chestnut praline frappuccino—a wintry treat suited for a snowman.
• Beautify Breakfast. Instead of reaching for maple syrup, try drizzling this pecan chestnut praline syrup over your favorite breakfast dishes. It’s excellent on pancakes, waffles, and oatmeal!
• Cocktails & Carousing. Take Happy Hour to a whole new level by adding this buttery, nutty syrup to your favorite whiskey cocktails. Chestnut old fashioned? SIGN ME UP. 
• Go Nuts! Simple syrup is one of those chameleon ingredients, so have fun experimenting. Use the syrup to make your own aerosol whipped cream, drizzle it on layer cakes before frosting and stacking, add it to your French toast batter instead of sugar, mix it into your bread pudding… Seriously, friends—I encourage you to let loose and play!

Recipe Success Tips

• Use Moderate Heat. While toasted nuts are swoonworthy, burnt nuts are acrid and yucky. Make sure to use medium or medium-low heat, stir often, and stick close by—at first, it seems like nothing is happening, and then everything happens all at once.
• Smart Storage. Having a funnel and proper syrup bottle (e.g. something with a closeable pour spout) will keep your fridge and countertops less sticky. Got extra nuts? They’ll last much longer in the fridge or freezer. 
• Waste Not, Want Not. Don’t you dare toss those quasi-pralines after infusing your syrup! They made wonderful dessert toppers—vanilla ice cream, apple pie, and spice cake are all lovely pairs. You can also swirl them into ice cream with caramel sauce to make a DIY pralines and cream ice cream. Or, try adding a spoonful to your breakfast—I bet they’d be awesome on fall-flavored overnight oats. 

FAQs

DIY Starbucks Chestnut Praline Syrup Nutrition

At the end of the day, this chestnut pecan syrup is almost pure sugar, which is what you’d expect from a coffee sweetener. Each serving clocks in at 88 calories and 22 grams of carbs—all 22 of which are from sugar. There’s a mere 5 mg of sodium–barely a blip–and 0 grams of protein or fat. 

On a diet? You’re welcome to make it sugar-free, which would therefore also make it nearly calorie-free. If you go that route, I recommend choosing more natural options like monkfruit or stevia. Why? Some artificial sweeteners are particularly worrisome from a human health perspective. In fact, as an RDN I’d rather you have real sugar than some of those fake ones! 

All in all, if used in moderation and balanced out with healthy, no-added sugar foods throughout the day, you should feel empowered to add a little extra yumminess to your cup. I say enjoy the chilly season joys like chestnuts while you can! 😉

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 88 calories
• Total Fat: 0 grams
• Protein: 0 grams
• Sodium: 5 mg
• Carbohydrates: 22 grams
• Sugar: 22 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Other Homemade Coffee Syrup Recipes

xoxo Megan