If you’re a fan of Dutch Bros Coffee, you probably have a love for their soft top. If you could recreate this topping in the comfort of your own home you could save money, save driving time, and add it to any drink you want. So today, we'll share with you our Dutch Bros Soft Top recipe.
To make a Dutch Bros soft top, add sweet cream, buttermilk, Torani syrup, and sugar to a chilled milk frothing cup. Use a milk frother to whip the mixture until peaks form. Pour or spoon the soft top onto your hot or cold coffee drink and top it off with cinnamon or the spice of your choice.
While there's something special about driving through a Dutch Bros and grabbing your go-to drink, being able to whip up a soft top anytime the craving strikes is pretty awesome too. So, gather your ingredients, and let's bring a slice of Dutch Bros magic into your home!
Related: How to Make a Dutch Bros Caramelizer at Home
What is a Dutch Bros Soft Top?
When it comes to coffee innovations, Dutch Bros knows how to keep things new and exciting. One of their signature additions is the Soft Top. But what exactly is this mysterious topping? If you’ve had it, you know it’s not your average whipped cream. A Dutch Bros Soft Top is a soft, lightly whipped sweet cream topped with a sprinkle of your favorite spice.
This topping gives your drink an extra layer of creamy sweetness. Whether you're sipping on a piping hot latte or a chilled iced coffee, a soft top can be really nice addition to any Dutch Bro drink.
Soft Top Ingredients & Equipment
To make the soft top at home, you’ll need a few key ingredients and equipment. It's easiest if you gather all of these up first and have them ready to go on your counter before you start the recipe. You’ll need:
Ingredients:
- Sweet Cream – Dutch Bros uses a branded half-and-half creamer that is most likely Darigold half-and-half. You can also try regular heavy cream.
- Buttermilk – This will give your soft top that rich taste and silky feel
- Torani Flavored Syrup – The flavor varies by location, but Vanilla (Amazon) or Toasted Marshmallow (Amazon) syrup are popular
- Sugar or Sweetener of Your Choice
- Spice (Optional) – Dutch Bros baristas usually add a sprinkle of cinnamon, pumpkin spice (Amazon), or other seasonal spices on top to finish the drink
Equipment
- Handheld Milk Frother (Amazon)
- Stainless Steel Milk Frothing Pitcher (Amazon)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mug
Dutch Bros Soft Top Recipe
Remember, the soft top is supposed to float on the top of your hot or cold drink instead of melting and mixing in. You’ll need a 2:1 ratio of sweet cream to syrup to get the signature creamy but light and airy meringue-like topping.
- Start by chilling your stainless steel milk frothing cup to make it easier to whip the sweet cream.
- While you're waiting, make the base drink that you will add the soft top to.
- Once chilled add ½ cup of your sweet cream, 2 tablespoons of buttermilk, ¼ cup of the Torani syrup, and a teaspoon or two (depending on your sweetness preferences) of sugar to the pitcher.
- Put your milk frother just below the surface of your mixture and whip it for 30 seconds at a time. The goal is to get the soft top just before stiff peaks form. So, it should hold its shape while being soft and smooth.
- Gently spoon or pour the mixture onto the top of your drink, add a sprinkle of cinnamon or another spice of your choice, and enjoy.
Personally, I like my soft top slightly thicker, so I whip it a little longer until I start to see peaks. This helps it last longer because I tend to drink my coffee slower, so it’s not melting into the drink halfway through. You may also find it too sweet with the full ¼ cup of syrup, so it’s okay to adjust the syrup measurement to your liking.
Related: The key to recreating any of your favorite recipes is the ingredients, and they should match what your shop of choice uses. With this in mind, we've broken down what type of cream your favorite shops use and what type of milk so you can have your favorite toppings and drinks at home.
FAQs
CC: Nicolas Vigier via Flickr
Since this is such a beloved addition to many people’s coffee, it’s common to have questions about it. The top frequently asked questions include:
1. How Many Calories are in a Dutch Bros Soft Top?
For two tablespoons of the Dutch Bros soft top, it’s roughly 50 calories. It also has three grams of carbs and four grams of protein.
2. How Much Does a Dutch Bros Soft Top Cost?
The price will vary from shop to shop, but it is usually an upcharge between $0.25 to $0.35 to add it to your drink. However, according to Reddit, it can be as high as $0.75 an ounce.
3. Dutch Bros Soft Top Vs Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is heavy whipping cream that is whipped until it’s light, fluffy, and has stiff peaks. There's nothing else added to it. A Dutch Bros soft top is a mixture of buttermilk, sweet cream, Torani syrup, and sweetener, all mixed in a bowl and whipped until just before stiff peaks form.
Related: Check out our guide on what food you can buy at Dutch Bros here.
This article was written by Sara. You can learn more about Sara on our About the Team page here.
