Iced Protein Matcha
Starbucks Protein Coffee Drink Guide: Lattes and Matcha with Protein Cold Foam
Your best bet for protein is an iced matcha made with boosted milk, which carries 36 g per grande. Lattes made the same way run 27 to 29 g, and a foam topping adds roughly 15 g on top. The ranked table below compares grams and delivery-app prices, then food and bottled options follow.
36 gTop iced matcha
27 to 29 gLatte range
15 to 18 gFoam adds
$5.75+Cheapest
Top protein orders
Iced Caramel Protein Matcha
Iced Vanilla Protein Latte
Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte
Vanilla Protein Latte
Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box
Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket
Every Starbucks protein coffee drink gets its protein from one of two places: protein-boosted milk mixed into the latte, or a protein cold foam poured on top. A grande made with boosted milk carries about 27 to 36 grams of protein, and a cold foam drink carries about 19 to 26 grams. This guide ranks the drinks, explains both add-ons, covers the protein boxes and bottled shakes, and shows how to raise the protein in your own order.
Browse the full Starbucks menu if you want to see every other category.
Starbucks Protein Cold Foam and Protein-Boosted Milk Explained
Protein cold foam is a flavored cold foam made with whey protein, poured over a cold drink. Protein-boosted milk is 2% milk mixed with whey protein isolate and sunflower-derived lecithin, used in place of regular milk. Both launched on the Starbucks menu in late September 2025 in the U.S. and Canada.
Starbucks Protein Cold Foam and Protein-Boosted Milk Explained
| Detail | Protein cold foam | Protein-boosted milk |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Topping for cold drinks | Replacement for dairy milk |
| Protein added | About 15 to 18 g | About 12 to 16 g in a grande |
| Reported price | About $2 extra, varies by store | About $1 extra, varies by store |
| Where it goes | Most cold drinks | Most hot and iced dairy drinks |
The foam comes in banana, vanilla, sugar-free vanilla, chocolate, matcha, salted caramel and brown sugar, plus plain. Starbucks has also listed seasonal pumpkin and pecan versions. Drinks that include foam land at about 19 to 26 g of protein per grande, while the lattes with boosted milk reach 27 to 36 g.
Both add-ons use whey, which comes from milk. That makes them unsuitable for anyone who avoids dairy, and they are not vegan. The boosted milk is not sold on its own, and it cannot be added to drinks that arrive premade with 2% milk. Prices are reported figures from launch coverage and the Starbucks protein page, and they can change, so check the app. For the full list of toppings, see the cold foam flavors page.
Starbucks Protein Drink Options: Lattes and Iced Protein Matcha
The protein lineup is built from two bases, espresso and matcha, in hot, iced and sugar-free versions. Each is made with protein-boosted milk and sold as a regular menu drink, so you do not have to customize anything. The grams below are for a grande, and Starbucks notes that the amounts can vary because each drink is made by hand.
Prices here are delivery-app starting prices, shown on each card.
Protein Coffee at Starbucks: Vanilla and Caramel Protein Lattes
These are lattes made with boosted milk, and the menu has vanilla and caramel versions in both temperatures. The hot Vanilla Protein Latte has 27 g of protein per grande, and the iced version has 29 g, because the iced build uses more milk. The caramel lattes follow the same pattern.
Vanilla Protein Latte
Iced Vanilla Protein Latte
Caramel Protein Latte
Iced Caramel Protein Latte
Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte
Starbucks lists the grande Vanilla Protein Latte at 310 calories and 34 g of sugar, and the Iced Vanilla Protein Latte at 270 calories and 29 g. The sugar-free iced version comes in at 200 calories and 9 g of sugar, with 29 g of protein.
A regular grande latte has about 12 g of protein, so these drinks roughly double or triple it. Reviewers describe them as smooth and not chalky, with the sugar-free vanilla tasting noticeably sweet in an artificial way. If you like a normal latte, you will find the texture familiar, only a little thicker.
Protein Matcha: Hot, Iced and Sugar-Free
The protein matcha drinks are the highest in protein on the menu. The Iced Protein Matcha has 36 g per grande, the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha has 36 g, the Iced Caramel Protein Matcha has 31 g, and the hot Protein Matcha and Caramel Protein Matcha have 28 g.
Protein Matcha
Caramel Protein Matcha
Iced Protein Matcha
Iced Caramel Protein Matcha
Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha
Starbucks lists the Iced Protein Matcha at 300 calories and 27 g of sugar, with 15 g of that added, and the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha at 250 calories and 12 g of sugar with no added sugar. Matcha adds a modest amount of caffeine, well below a coffee drink. The full matcha menu covers the non-protein versions, and the plain iced matcha latte is the best comparison for flavor.
Protein Cold Brew and Starbucks Protein Iced Coffee
Iced coffee with protein comes in two ways: a cold brew with protein cold foam, or a regular iced drink where you add the foam yourself. The menu lists the Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew at 17 g of protein per grande, made with cold brew, vanilla syrup and vanilla protein cold foam.
Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew
A chocolate cream version has been reported at about 19 g, though it may not be on every menu, so check the app. You can also order the foam on the regular iced coffee and cold brew menu items or on a nitro cold brew, which adds about 15 g to whatever the drink already has. Cold brew keeps the sugar low, so the foam does most of the sweetening.
Starbucks Frappuccino Protein: Can You Add It?
Starbucks says protein cold foam is available for most beverages, but it does not publish a guide for Frappuccinos, so treat a protein Frappuccino as a custom request. A Frappuccino is blended with its own base and usually finished with whipped cream, which makes it a different build from a foam-topped cold drink. Boosted milk cannot be used in drinks that arrive pre-made with 2% milk.
The practical advice is to ask your barista before you order, and to expect the answer to depend on the store. If you want protein and a cold, blended drink, a protein iced matcha or a cold brew with foam is easier to get. See the Frappuccino menu for what the blended drinks contain.
High Protein Drinks at Starbucks Ranked by Grams per Grande
The highest-protein drinks at Starbucks are the iced protein matchas, with 36 g per grande, followed by the iced protein lattes at 29 g. The table below ranks the lineup by protein and adds the delivery-app starting price so you can see protein per dollar.
High Protein Drinks at Starbucks Ranked by Grams per Grande
| Drink | Protein per grande | Delivery-app price |
|---|---|---|
| Iced Protein Matcha | 36 g | $7.35+ |
| Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha | 36 g | $7.95+ |
| Iced Caramel Protein Matcha | 31 g | $7.75+ |
| Iced Vanilla Protein Latte | 29 g | $7.95+ |
| Iced Caramel Protein Latte | 29 g | $7.75+ |
| Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte | 29 g | $7.95+ |
| Protein Matcha | 28 g | $6.85+ |
| Caramel Protein Matcha | 28 g | $7.25+ |
| Vanilla Protein Latte | 27 g | $7.25+ |
| Caramel Protein Latte | 27 g | $7.25+ |
| Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew | 17 g | $7.35+ |
The best value is the Iced Protein Matcha, which gives about 4.9 g of protein per dollar at the delivery-app price, against about 3.7 g for the hot Vanilla Protein Latte. Adding protein cold foam to any drink gives roughly 15 g on top of what it already has.
Low Calorie High Protein Starbucks Drinks
The sugar-free iced versions are the best fit. The Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte has 29 g of protein for about 200 calories, and the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha has 36 g for about 250 calories, both with no added sugar.
Another route is to add protein foam to a drink that starts low in calories, such as brewed coffee or a plain cold brew. The exact totals depend on the foam flavor, so use the app to check them before you pay. For wider comparisons, the calorie guide and the lower calorie drink ideas pages list lighter options across the menu.
Starbucks Protein Box Choices and Other Protein Food
A protein box is a cold snack box built around cheese, eggs or fruit, and it is the main non-drink protein pick on the menu. The delivery menu lists one box, plus a hot pocket and a snack bite, all with the grams in the name or description.
Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box
Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket
CirC Peanut Chocolate Chip Protein Bites
The Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box has 22 g, the Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket has 20 g and the CirC Peanut Chocolate Chip Protein Bites have 10 g. Other box flavors, such as egg and cheese combinations, show up when they are on the menu, and they change by season and store.
Protein Boxes at Starbucks: What Is Inside and Who They Suit
These boxes are cold, grab-and-go meals. The Apples & Cheese Trio box holds Gouda, Colby Jack and aged Cheddar cheeses with crisp apples and olive oil and sea-salt crackers. At $8.35+ on the delivery app, it costs more per gram of protein than most of the drinks.
They suit people who want a light lunch or a snack without sugar-heavy bakery items, and anyone who wants protein without caffeine. They are vegetarian when built from cheese and fruit, though you should read the label on any box with eggs or meat. Pair one with an unsweetened tea or a sugar-free protein latte for a balanced stop.
For hot options, see the lunch and sandwich menu and the breakfast items, where many sandwiches list 17 to 27 g of protein.
Protein Shake at Starbucks: Bottled Options and What to Expect
Nothing here is made to order: there is no in-store protein smoothie or blended shake. The shake options are bottled drinks you grab from the cooler.
The Koia shakes start at $6.15+ on the delivery app and are described as dairy-free and plant-powered. Koia lists its Cacao Bean shake at 20 g of protein in an 11 fl oz bottle. Starbucks also launched a bottled Coffee & Protein drink, sold in grocery stores rather than cafes, with 22 g of protein in 12 fl oz, 5 g of prebiotic fiber and 2 g of sugar, in Classic Caffè and Caffè Mocha. It carries a suggested price of $3.99.
So if you want a plant-based protein drink, the bottled Koia shakes are the only plant-powered choice here. If you want a coffee drink, the in-store lattes are the better pick.
How to Make Your Starbucks Order Higher in Protein
You can raise the protein in almost any order with two add-ons and a few smart swaps. Here is a simple order of steps:
- Start with a protein drink from Starbucks, or swap boosted milk into a dairy latte for about 12 to 16 g more.
- Add protein cold foam to a cold drink for about 15 g more, at roughly $2.
- Pick sugar-free vanilla syrup if you want to cut sugar without losing protein.
- Pair the drink with a protein box, a sandwich or a snack that lists 17 to 27 g.
Check the dairy note before you order. Boosted milk and protein foam both contain whey, so they are not for anyone who avoids milk, and Starbucks does not offer a plant-based version of either. The boosted milk replaces dairy milk, so it is not an option for a drink you order with a plant milk.
The add-on prices are reported averages and vary by store. The app will show the exact cost and protein before you pay.
Starbucks Protein Questions People Ask
How much protein is in a Starbucks protein latte?
A grande protein latte has 27 g of protein when it is hot and 29 g when it is iced. Protein matcha reaches 28 g hot and 36 g iced. Starbucks says amounts can vary because each drink is made by hand, so check the app for your size.
Which protein drink at Starbucks has the most protein?
The Iced Protein Matcha and the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha have the most, at 36 g per grande. The iced protein lattes follow at 29 g. Adding protein cold foam to another drink raises its total by about 15 g.
What is protein cold foam at Starbucks and how much does it add?
It is a cold foam made with whey protein, available in flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, matcha and salted caramel. It adds about 15 to 18 g of protein to a drink and costs about $2 extra. Drinks with foam land at 19 to 26 g per grande.
Is Starbucks protein-boosted milk safe for people avoiding dairy?
No. The milk is 2% milk mixed with whey protein isolate, both of which come from dairy. It is not suitable for a dairy allergy or a vegan diet. Starbucks does not offer a plant-based protein milk, so people avoiding dairy should look at bottled plant-based shakes instead.
Does Starbucks have a protein drink from the regular menu for a low sugar order?
Yes. The Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte has 29 g of protein, about 200 calories and 9 g of total sugar with none added. The Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha has 36 g of protein and 12 g of sugar. Both are on the regular menu.
Can I add protein to a Starbucks Frappuccino or cold brew?
Cold brew, yes: protein cold foam goes on most cold drinks, and the Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew is already on the menu. Frappuccinos are a custom request that depends on the store, so ask the barista before you order.
How much extra do protein add-ons cost at Starbucks?
The foam is about $2 extra and protein-boosted milk is about $1 extra, according to launch coverage and the Starbucks protein page. Both vary by location and can change, so the app is the best place to see the exact total.
Is there a protein shake or smoothie at Starbucks?
There is no protein smoothie or made-to-order shake. You can buy bottled Koia Nutrition Shakes in cacao bean and vanilla bean, which are dairy-free. A bottled Coffee & Protein drink with 22 g of protein is also sold in grocery stores.
What are the Starbucks protein boxes and how much protein do they have?
The delivery menu lists the Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box with 22 g of protein, holding Gouda, Colby Jack and aged Cheddar with apples and crackers. Other boxes with eggs or peanut butter appear when they are on the menu, so check your store.
Are Starbucks protein drinks available outside the U.S. and Canada?
Starbucks announced the protein lattes and cold foam for the U.S. and Canada. Other countries may have different menus or none of these drinks. If you are elsewhere, check the local Starbucks app before you plan an order around them.