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Caffeine Free Starbucks
About the range of decaf and caffeine-free drinks that you can order at Starbucks.
Published January 19, 2022
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
You might be surprised to learn that if you want or need to cut down your caffeine consumption, decaf doesn’t mean that there is no caffeine. Usually, it means that there is less caffeine – around ten percent. For example, if you are looking for decaffeinated drinks at Starbucks, the Pike Place Roast black coffee has 310mg of caffeine in a regular Grande, while there is still 25mg of caffeine if you go for the decaf option. For some, having this minimum amount of caffeine might be fine, while others might want to go completely caffeine free. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of caffeine-free and decaf drink options that you can get from your local Starbucks.
Starbucks is known for serving delicious coffee, but what if you want to avoid starting the day with a caffeine boost in the morning? Does Starbucks have decaf? The good news is that when you head to your local Starbucks, you can get a decaf version of almost any drink that you like. Here are some of the most popular Starbucks decaf options to try.
Decaf White Chocolate Mocha
The white chocolate mocha from Starbucks is a firm favorite among people who love exploring the menu a little deeper. While it might not be as popular as the Pike Place blend, it’s hard to deny that this drink offers a bold, sweet flavor that’s perfect for drinking any time. It’s made with a shot of espresso, which can be decaf upon request, steamed milk and white chocolate mocha syrup, before being topped with whipped cream. If you prefer, you can substitute the milk for fat-free or dairy-free, and you can skip the whipped cream if you want a less calorific drink. It’s a great option from the Starbucks decaf coffee menu if you want a sweet, refreshing coffee, and you can get an iced version too.
Decaf Latte
The latte from Starbucks is a top choice on the drink menu, and the Starbucks decaf latte is one of the most popular options among people who like to have their coffee with less caffeine. If you’re looking for a popular, tried and tested Starbucks decaf coffee, then a latte is a safe choice. It’s made with mainly steamed milk topped poured over a shot of decaf espresso and topped with microfoam. Compared to the other espresso-based drinks offered at Starbucks, the latte is softer and milder due to the steamed milk and foam, which offer smoothness to the flavor without dulling down the taste of the coffee beans. If you want to boost the flavor, you can choose from Starbucks’ range of syrups including caramel, hazelnut, vanilla and more to add to the drink.
Decaf Americano
Americanos are a popular drink in the US, and if this is your go-to brew, you’ll be glad to hear that Starbucks can make it without the usual amount of caffeine. An Americano is basically a watered-down version of an espresso shot that was made popular by American soldiers, who watered down their espressos to substitute the coffee that they drank at home. At Starbucks, a decaf Americano is made with a decaf espresso shot poured into hot water. If you want a cold and refreshing version, you can ask to have it steeped in cold water and served over ice. The decaf Americano is a great Starbucks decaf coffee option for anybody who wants to consume less caffeine without getting rid of the rich and bold flavor of the espresso.
Decaf Flat White
If you’re looking for good decaf drinks at Starbucks, then you should definitely try the decaf flat white. Like the decaf latte mentioned earlier, the decaf flat white consists of decaf espresso with streamed milk. However, unlike the decaf latte, the flat white doesn’t have the layer of foam at the top, making it the ideal choice of drink for anybody who prefers more coffee in the cup and a larger coffee to milk ratio. The texture of this drink is similar to an Americano rather than a latte due to the additional coffee and reduced amount of foam.
Decaf Caramel Macchiato
If you like sweet drinks from Starbucks, chances are that you have tried a caramel macchiato. They are usually one of the first sweet drinks that customers try from this coffee chain. This drink is made with layers of vanilla syrup, espresso, steamed milk, and caramel syrup. The decaf drinks option is a great choice if you want the familiar taste without the caffeine jitters. And it will still give you a great energy boost due to the sugar content. You can order this drink either hot or iced. With an iced caramel macchiato, the caramel is still layered on the top, but unlike with the foamy hot version, it will sink to the bottom quickly which blends the entire drink. If you want a version with less sugar, you can ask for fewer pumps of vanilla syrup or for sugar-free vanilla syrup to be used instead.
Decaf Cappuccino
If you like steamed milk added to your espresso but want a stronger taste of coffee, the decaf cappuccino is one of the ideal caffeine free options at Starbucks to consider. A cappuccino is made with half the amount of steamed milk compared with a latte, which allows more room for the coffee flavor to shine through, even if you go for the decaf espresso option. And, you can add more foam on the top compared to a flat white, so if you like both the flat white and the latte from Starbucks, this drink does a great job of combining the two. You can get cappuccinos either hot or iced from Starbucks, with the iced version made with cold foam milk. You can also ask your barista to add one of the various flavored syrups to your drink if you want something a little different.
Frappuccino
The Frappuccino from Starbucks is the ultimate iced, creamy drink for the summer months, but they do serve them all year round, so there’s nothing wrong with getting one in the winter if you like. When it comes to choosing your Frappuccino, there are both caffeinated and decaf options to choose from. Bear in mind that the coffee flavored Frappuccinos are made with a combination of espresso and a coffee base, so while you can ask for the espresso to be decaf, the coffee base is still likely to add some caffeine to your drink. Alternatively, you can ask for it to be made with a cream base instead. Other decaf Frappuccino Starbucks options include the vanilla cream, strawberries and cream, and chocolate cream which are all completely caffeine-free.
Choosing a Good Decaf Drink at Starbucks
If you are reducing your consumption of caffeine, then you’ll be glad to hear that there are plenty of options to choose from if you want to find the best decaf coffee at Starbucks. You can order any espresso-based drink at Starbucks to be made decaf instead. However, bear in mind that due to lack of demand, Starbucks does not sell a decaf version of their black or green tea. They do have a range of herbal teas that are naturally caffeine-free, though.
How Much Caffeine is in Decaf Exactly?
Despite being the most popular option for people who are cutting back on caffeine, decaf coffee is not completely caffeine free. You might have noticed that even drinking decaf coffee at night could end up keeping you awake, and that’s because it does have some caffeine content. While you can only expect a small fraction of the caffeine that you’d get from regular coffee to be present in your favorite decaf cup, it will be enough to give you a bit of an energy and alertness boost.
If you do not drink a lot of coffee, even decaf coffee might have an effect on you. On the other hand, if you drink caffeinated coffee every day, you might avoid an energy jolt if you go for a decaf option instead. Most decaf espresso drinks that you can get from Starbucks contain around 25mg of caffeine per cup. If you want to avoid drinking too much caffeine when ordering a decaf drink from Starbucks, it’s best to go for a Tall or Grande size as the more shots of espresso there are in the cup, the higher the caffeine content will be.
Completely Caffeine Free Starbucks Drinks
If you want to avoid caffeine completely, then a decaf option from Starbucks might not always be the best option for you as there will still be some caffeine content. Instead, Starbucks does offer a range of drinks that are completely free of caffeine that you may want to try including steamed apple juice, vanilla crème, iced passion tango tea, mint majesty tea, cinnamon dolce crème, peach tranquility, and the iced passion tango tea lemonade.
Whether you’re cutting down on caffeine for health reasons or want a drink that you can enjoy later in the day without it affecting your sleep, the good news is that Starbucks offers a wide range of decaf and caffeine free options to choose from.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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