Starbucks Sauce Vs Syrup (What’s the Difference + Additional FAQs)
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If you’re going to Starbucks, you might want to know the difference between Starbucks sauces and syrups before placing your order.
Well, read on to find out all the great facts I found about Starbucks sauces vs syrups, including which is the tastiest option!
Starbucks Sauce vs Syrup in 2022
Starbucks’ syrup has a more liquid consistency than 2022’s thicker Starbucks sauce. Also, Starbucks syrup is more useful in the kitchen, poured into chilled or cold beverages, and distributed well within the cup. Sauce is better for hot drinks made by Starbucks, while syrup can be used for anything.
Would you like to learn more about Starbucks sauces and syrups, including what the main differences are? If so, you need to read on to find out what I learned while researching the topic!
What’s the difference between sauces and syrups at Starbucks?
While you might think Starbucks sauces and syrups are interchangeable, there are actually some differences between them, such as:
- Starbucks syrup can be used for preservation and cold drinks
- Sauce is only good for hot drinks unless you just want a nice look at the bottom of the glass as it doesn’t mix as easily as syrup
- Starbucks syrup is about 20 calories
- Starbucks sauce about 30 calories per serving
- Clear Starbucks syrup is mostly vegan, although some will contain honey
- Most sauces contain dairy, few vegetarian options
- You can buy Starbucks syrup for home use, not sauce
- Starbucks offers more syrup options than sauce options
For example, when you see drizzle on top of a drink at Starbucks, you see a sauce, and what you don’t see inside the drink is a syrup.
What is Starbucks’ sauce for?
Starbucks sauces are mainly used in hot drinks, ice cream, cookies, cakes and other pastries.
Sauces like caramel drizzle are mostly used to garnish drinks.
Also, sauces for hot drinks are usually only available during the holidays (eg, crème brûlée latte), excluding white chocolate mocha and regular mocha.
What’s the difference between caramel sauce and syrup at Starbucks?
The biggest difference you’ll notice between Starbucks’ caramel sauce and syrup is consistency and texture, as Starbucks syrup has a higher liquid consistency than sauce.
For example, if you use Starbucks’ caramel sauce in a cold drink, it will pour right on the bottom because it’s thicker, heavier, and doesn’t mix well in a cold drink.
It should be noted, however, that Starbucks’ sauce mixes well in an iced latte, as the barista will mix the syrup into the hot espresso before pouring it into the cold toppings.
So if you want a caramel drizzle as your primary sweetener in a cold drink, I recommend asking for a drink with espresso.
Where does Starbucks get its syrup from?
Starbucks syrup is made under the Fontana brand, which you can find at several retailers (including stores like Amazon or Walmart) or through Fontana’s website.
If your Starbucks drink already contains syrup, then you don’t need to be charged anything for the extra syrup, so if you’re charged then you could be ripped off.
That being said, if the drink does not contain syrup, you may pay up to $0.60 per pump of syrup added.
How much Starbucks syrup should you use?
If you’re ordering a syrupy Starbucks drink, you don’t need much to flavor the drink, and it’s easy to use too much syrup if you’re not careful.
However, the number of pumps will depend on how big your drink is, as larger cups require more syrup pumps than smaller cups.
Also, the number of pumps depends on whether it’s hot or cold, since hot beverages don’t require as many syrup pumps as cold ones.
Starbucks usually gives a Frappuccino or macchiato less syrup pump than a regular coffee or latte.
How many pumps of sauce are in Venti?
A venti should come with five pumps of sauce, four pumps if it’s a grande, and three pumps if it’s a tall version.
However, if the beverage is iced, then it should include six pumps, as iced beverages require more than just hot beverages.
What syrup flavors are available at Starbucks?
Starbucks offers quite a few syrup flavors and is constantly updating its syrup list with new flavors for customers. Currently, Starbucks offers the following syrups:
- brown sugar
- classic
- caramel
- hazelnut
- Funnel Cake (Seasonal)
- Unsweetened Cinnamon Sweet
- cinnamon sweet
- pineapple ginger
- Unsweetened Vanilla
- vanilla
- Toffee Nuts
- Mint (seasonal)
- hazelnut
- raspberry
- Irish Cream (seasonal)
- Apple Brown Sugar (seasonal)
- Sugar Cookies (Seasonal)
- honey mix
- Chestnut Pralines (seasonal)
What sauces do Starbucks have?
As mentioned, Starbucks doesn’t have as many sauce flavors as syrup flavors, but you’ll find sauce flavors, including:
- black caramel
- mocha
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Creme Brulee (seasonal)
- Pumpkin Spice (seasonal)
To learn more, you can also read our posts on what Starbucks egg bites are, what Starbucks syrup you can buy, and what oat milk Starbucks uses.
in conclusion
The difference between Starbucks sauces and syrups is that syrups have a higher liquid consistency, are sweeter, are more versatile, and are easy to mix in hot or cold beverages.
Also, Starbucks offers far more syrup flavors than sauces, which you’ll typically see used as a drizzle on whipped cream or pastries, or in most hot beverages.
