Elphaba's Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)

Next time you’re feeling wicked tired, give my copycat Starbucks Elphaba’s Cold Brew recipe a try! Between the sweet vanilla-mint cold brew and the creamy, dairy-free matcha cold foam you’ll be flying high on your broom in no time. 🧙‍♀️

Ever have those days where you can’t decide between iced coffee or tea? With this brilliant mashup, you don’t have to choose! Deep, dark cold-brew and earthy matcha are a match made in heaven—especially when you throw some homemade coffee syrups in the mix.

While my list of Starbucks favorites is long and ever-growing, their newest has stolen my heart. Inspired by the upcoming Wicked movie, this lovely layered libation is a study in delicious contrasts—cool peppermint freshness and warm vanilla sweetness, strong coffee softened by dairy free cold foam, rich lacquered brown against pale green pastel. 

It might look and sound odd at first blush, but the whole moral of Elphaba’s story is you can’t judge a witch by her appearance. Her namesake drink has the depth and complexity you’d expect, and I think you’ll end up loving it as much as the misunderstood heroine herself.

Jump to:

• What is Elphaba’s Cold Brew?
• What does it taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Matcha Cold Brew Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Vanilla Mint Cold Brew With Matcha Cold Foam
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• FAQs
• DIY Starbucks Elphaba’s Cold Brew Nutrition
• Other Starbucks Copycat Cold Brew Recipes
• Elphaba's Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)

What is Elphaba’s Cold Brew?

To celebrate the release of the upcoming Wicked movie, Starbucks created two drinks—Glinda’s Pink Potion and Elphaba’s Cold Brew. While the former is bright and fruity, this latter is decidedly more dark and mysterious. I suppose in longhand, it’d be called a peppermint vanilla cold brew matcha cream latte—quite a mouthful!

What does it taste like?

This daring drink starts with a smooth foundation of cold brew coffee, the roasty flavors bold and robust. Swirls of peppermint syrup bring a cool, refreshing zing and aromatic vanilla adds a sweet, comforting warmth. 

This ethereally light matcha cream cold foam cascades through the sweetly minty coffee base, adding a lush, creamy texture. While vibrantly colored, matcha has a surprisingly gentle earthiness—the perfect way to tie all these seemingly disparate flavors together. Crafted from oat and soy milk, the foamy topper ensures every dairy-free sip is as inclusive as it is indulgent. 

Together, these elements combine into a delightful treat that’s as enchanting in taste as it is in appearance—a verdant, cloud-like cap atop a deep, mysterious brew. It’s perfect for anyone looking to add a magical twist to their coffee routine!

Why You’ll Love This Matcha Cold Brew Recipe

• Fun & New - If you’re someone who likes to shake things up and keep them exciting, this dairy free cold brew recipe is a great place to start!
• Beautiful & Buzzy - That matcha foam topper isn’t just a looker—it adds an extra bit of caffeine to your drink. I don’t know about you, but I’ll always take all the get-up-n-go I can. 🫠
• Simple & Budget-Savvy - Making your own café-style coffee drinks is always a smart financial move. Plus, even if you make everything from scratch, you’re looking at just 7 basic ingredients—one of which is water.

Ingredients Needed

As promised, you only need a few pantry staples to make Elphaba's cold brew recipe:

• Barista-Style Oat Milk & Soy Milk - This dynamic duo provides enough fat and protein to blend into a heavenly cold foam that’s blissfully dairy-free. If you can, try to get barista-style soy milk too—it whips even better than the original.
• Vanilla Syrup & Peppermint Syrup - You’re welcome to use store-bought syrups, but all you’ll need to make BOTH are water, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Cheap and easy!
• Pure Matcha Powder - Pure is the operative word here; some cheaper brands use icky fillers. If possible, grab “ceremonial” quality matcha for the best flavor.
• Cold Brew Coffee - Making your own is a snap, even if you don’t have specific cold brew equipment. Hop to my post to learn how!
• Ice - Start with filtered water for the cleanest results. 
• Pink & Green Sprinkles - While totally optional, this crunchy colorful addition brings a lovely touch of whimsy to your cup.

Substitutions

Need to make some changes to your ingredient lineup? Not to worry: 

• Barista-style Oat Milk & Soy Milk - You can use 2 parts of vegan whipping cream with 1 part of any barista-blend plant-based milk. Alternatively, use 2 parts of dairy cream with 1 part whole milk.
• Vanilla Syrup & Peppermint Syrup - Feel free to use sugar-free versions of either. (Psst! Both posts have instructions on how to make your own sugar-free syrup!)
• Cold Brew Coffee - Strongly brewed conventional coffee or Moka pot coffee can be used instead; just make sure to chill them first. 
• Ice - Double dose of caffeine not enough? I see you. Get even more peppy by using coffee ice cubes.

How To Make Vanilla Mint Cold Brew With Matcha Cold Foam

This green elixir is so quick to make, you’ll feel like you have magical powers! Here’s how to make it:

Step 1: Make Dairy-Free Matcha Cold Foam. Add all the cold foam ingredients to a small mason jar or glass. Froth with a milk frother for 20-30 seconds until fully whipped. Set aside.

Step 2: Sweeten Cold Brew. Add ice to a tall glass, then pour in the peppermint syrup, vanilla syrup, and cold brew. Stir.

Step 3: Top the cold brew with the non-dairy matcha cold foam.

Step 4: Garnish with pink & green sprinkles if desired. Drink up!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

You’re the one brewing this potion, so feel empowered to make the changes you need. Here are a few modifications to try:

• Soy-Free - Can’t do soy milk? You’ll need to replace the protein with some fat to give the cold foam stability. I recommend using 2 parts vegan cream or full-fat canned coconut milk to 1 part oat milk.
• Sugar-Free - Keep things extra light by using sugar-free syrups.
• Other Flavors of Cold Foam - Vanilla and mint are a friendly pair; feel free to swap in dairy-free vanilla cold foam, chocolate cold foam, or toasted marshmallow cold foam instead.

Serving Suggestions

The first time you try this drink, give it a solo run—you’ll be surprised by how flavorful and satisfying it is. But, if you’re looking for something more “magical,” here are some creative ways to serve this enchanting brew:

• Wicked Watching Party - Plan a movie excursion for your next gal get-together. Have everyone bring their favorite go-cups and let them pick between Elphaba's Elixir and Glinda's Potion—perfect for watching the story unfold! Don’t forget to share a giant vat of popcorn—it’s always the best at the theater. 
• Book Club Babes: Hosting book club this month? Offer Elphaba's Cold Brew as your signature drink while discussing your latest fantasy or drama novel. (Hint: Wicked was a book before it was a musical or a movie!) It's a great conversation starter!
• Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: Escape from a busy day by turning your afternoon coffee break into a mini retreat. Pair your sipper with a square of dark chocolate to refuel your mommy magic.
• Gift Some Magic: Assemble a charming coffee gift basket with all the ingredients needed to make Elphaba's Cold Brew at home. Include a recipe card, a small bag of of your favorite beans, a small bottle each of homemade vanilla syrup and peppermint syrup, and a packet of matcha powder. To keep it on theme, use small potion bottles for your homemade syrups and get a plastic cauldron as your basket. 

Recipe Success Tips

• Start Cold - Before you get started, make sure to refrigerate your minty matcha cold brew ingredients. Not only will it be more refreshing, the cold foam will also whip better and last longer.
• Know Your Caffeine Cap - Cold brew coffee packs more of a caffeinated punch than classically brewed coffee or espresso. Make sure to start slow if you’re sensitive to its energizing effects.
• Equipment Smarts - A milk frother will make your life super easy, and they’re not too expensive. Don’t have one? A blender will do the trick!

FAQs

DIY Starbucks Elphaba’s Cold Brew Nutrition

This magical mixture is surprisingly light, coming in at just 130 calories per serving. It’s pretty low in fat, with only 1 gram, and it also provides a gram of protein—not much, but we’ll take it! Plus, it’s only got 28 mg of sodium, which is pretty minimal. Plus, it’s all dairy-free, which is a bonus if you’re avoiding dairy or just want to mix things up. So far, so good!

The only thing to keep an eye on here are carbs—30 grams per serving, with 25 of those coming from added sugars. It’s definitely on the sweeter side, but not outrageous for such a flavorful treat. Want to cut back on the sweetness? Use less syrup, or swap in a sugar-free version.

All in all, I’d say this cold brew matcha mash-up is perfect for when you want something a little indulgent and refreshing without going overboard on calories. Enjoy!  

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 130 calories
• Total Fat: 1 gram
• Protein: 1 gram
• Sodium: 28 mg
• Carbohydrates: 30 grams
• Sugar: 25 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 Starbucks Copycat Cold Brew Recipes

xoxo Megan