Cinnamon Roll Latte with Cream Cheese Cold Foam

There are some flavors that just belong with coffee, and cinnamon rolls are definitely high on that list. It screams something along the lines of a mash up of church basement, grandma’s house, Saturday morning college diner to me, and it’s all my very favorites. It’s the epitome of comfort. So if you mix it all together… Warm cinnamon, brown sugar, coffee, and cream cheese frosting? There was really no way this combination wasn’t going to end up as a latte eventually. Hello, Cinnamon Roll Latte with Cream Cheese Cold Foam.

And while this definitely feels like a fall coffee recipe, cinnamon rolls aren’t exactly seasonal – which means I’m giving myself permission to make this one all year long.

Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Roll Latte

If you like sweet, flavored coffee drinks, this one checks pretty much every box.

• It uses simple ingredients you probably already have.
• You don’t need a special cinnamon roll coffee syrup (honestly this is one of the easiest lattes!).
• The brown sugar and cinnamon give the coffee that warm cinnamon roll filling flavor.
• Cream cheese cold foam makes the drink taste like it has cream cheese frosting on top.
• You can make it hot or iced (the cold foam works better on iced but it does the trick on a hot latte too!).
• It’s an easy way to make your regular morning coffee feel a little more “treat every day like it’s a treat” worthy.

The cream cheese cold foam is really what makes this drink different from a regular cinnamon latte. If you haven’t made it yet, start with my Cream Cheese Cold Foam recipe. It’s made with regular full fat cream cheese and makes the perfect creamy topping for this latte.

What Does a Cinnamon Roll Latte Taste Like?

Think of the flavors in the center of a cinnamon roll: buttery brown sugar, plenty of cinnamon, and a little vanilla. Combine those flavors with espresso and milk, then add a creamy, slightly tangy topping inspired by cream cheese frosting.

That’s essentially what we’re making here.

The brown sugar gives the latte a deeper sweetness that works especially well with cinnamon. Vanilla rounds everything out, while the cream cheese cold foam adds richness without having to turn the entire drink into an overly heavy dessert coffee.

Ingredients for a Cinnamon Roll Latte

• 2 shots espresso (still love these nespresso pods for all things latte!)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• Cream Cheese Cold Foam, for topping
• Extra cinnamon, for garnish

Don’t Have an Espresso Machine?

No problem. You can substitute about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of strongly brewed coffee for the espresso. I also really love this instant espresso powder for an iced latte.

How to Make a Cinnamon Roll Latte

Step 1: Make the Cinnamon Brown Sugar Mixture

Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to your mug.

Brew two shots of hot espresso directly over the mixture, then stir well until the brown sugar has dissolved. Adding the cinnamon and sugar while the espresso is still hot helps everything combine much more easily.

Step 2: Add Vanilla

Stir the vanilla extract into the sweetened espresso.

At this point, you’ve basically created the cinnamon roll “filling” portion of the latte—sweet brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla combined with strong coffee.

Step 3: Add the Milk

Warm and froth your milk using your preferred method, then pour it over the espresso mixture.

You can use whole milk, 2%, oat milk, or whatever milk you normally prefer in your lattes.

Step 4: Add Cream Cheese Cold Foam

Prepare a batch of my Cream Cheese Cold Foam and spoon or pour a generous layer over the top of the latte.

This is the part that really gives the drink its cinnamon roll flavor. Instead of simply making a cinnamon latte, you’re essentially adding the cream cheese “frosting” right on top.

Finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

How to Make an Iced Cinnamon Roll Latte

Prefer iced coffee? This recipe is just as good cold.

Start by brewing the espresso and stirring in the brown sugar and cinnamon while the espresso is still hot. Add the vanilla and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.

Fill a glass with ice, add the milk, and pour the cinnamon espresso mixture over the top.

Finish it with a thick layer of cream cheese cold foam and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

If you’re making the iced version, don’t skip dissolving the brown sugar in the hot espresso first. Brown sugar doesn’t dissolve nearly as well once everything is cold.

The Cream Cheese Cold Foam Is the “Frosting”

You could make this latte without cold foam, but then you’d really just have… a cinnamon brown sugar latte.

And that’s delicious—but we’re going for cinnamon roll here.

My Cream Cheese Cold Foam uses regular brick cream cheese to create a thick, creamy foam with that familiar cream cheese frosting flavor. When you sip it together with the cinnamon and brown sugar coffee underneath, you get a little of that sweet-and-tangy frosting flavor in every sip.

If you’re as cold foam obsessed as I am, you can also try some of my other homemade versions, including Salted Caramel Cold Foam, Apple Crisp Cold Foam, Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam, and Toasted Marshmallow Cold Foam.

Can I Use Cinnamon Syrup Instead?

Absolutely. If you already have a cinnamon, cinnamon brown sugar, or cinnamon roll coffee syrup that you love, you can use that in place of the brown sugar and ground cinnamon.

But one of my favorite things about this recipe is that you don’t need another bottle of coffee syrup for it. It’s my go to in a pinch, which means it comes together easy with things I already have.

Brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla create a surprisingly convincing cinnamon roll flavor using ingredients I almost always have on hand.

Tips for the Best Cinnamon Roll Latte

• Dissolve the sugar while the espresso is hot. This gives you a much smoother latte, especially if you’re making it iced.
• Don’t go overboard with the cinnamon. Ground cinnamon doesn’t dissolve completely in coffee, so a little goes a long way.
• Use brown sugar instead of white sugar. That little bit of molasses flavor is part of what makes the latte taste more like cinnamon roll filling instead of simply cinnamon coffee.
• Don’t skip the cold foam. The cream cheese cold foam is what ties the entire cinnamon roll concept together.
• Adjust the sweetness to taste. If you like coffee shop drinks on the sweeter side, increase the brown sugar slightly. For a stronger coffee flavor, start with a little less.

What Milk Works Best?

Whole milk will give you the richest, creamiest latte, but you can use whatever you normally keep in the refrigerator.

Oat milk is especially good with cinnamon and brown sugar (looking at you, oatmilk brown sugar shaken espresso), so it’s a great dairy-free option for the latte portion. Just keep in mind that you’ll also need to adjust the cream cheese cold foam if you need the entire drink to be dairy free.

Cinnamon Roll Latte FAQ

Can I make a cinnamon roll latte without espresso?

Yes. Substitute about 1/3 to 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee. Espresso will give you the most flavor, but strong coffee works well for an easy homemade version.

Can I make this latte iced?

Yes, and I definitely recommend you do! Dissolve the brown sugar and cinnamon in the hot espresso first, then add it to a glass with milk and ice. Top with cream cheese cold foam.

Why use brown sugar in a cinnamon roll latte?

Brown sugar adds a deeper, slightly caramelized flavor that tastes more like the cinnamon-sugar filling inside a cinnamon roll.

What makes this taste like a cinnamon roll?

The combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and coffee creates the warm cinnamon roll filling flavor, while the cream cheese cold foam acts as the cream cheese frosting.

Can I make the cream cheese cold foam ahead of time?

Yes, sort of. Check out the Cream Cheese Cold Foam recipe for the full preparation and storage instructions.

Cinnamon Roll Happiness in a Mug

This Cinnamon Roll Latte with Cream Cheese Cold Foam is one of those recipes that sounds like it should require a collection of specialty syrups, but it’s surprisingly simple. Brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, espresso, and milk take care of the latte, while that thick cream cheese cold foam turns it into something that really does taste inspired by a giant, thick frosted cinnamon roll.

Make it hot when you’re craving something warm and cozy, or pour it over ice when you want your cinnamon roll fix without giving up iced coffee season.

Either way, don’t be shy with the cold foam. The “frosting” is the best part.