Can You Get Any Sugar-Free Syrups At Starbucks?
Syrups play a crucial role in many of the most beloved Starbucks drinks, ranging from espressos and Frappuccinos to teas. Despite fancy names like "Chestnut Praline," Starbucks syrups are essentially liquid sugar infused with various flavorings. Adding just one pump of syrup to any beverage can instantly sweeten the drink and enhance its overall taste.
As delectable as these syrups are, they can be a problem for people who are mindful of their weight or aiming to reduce their sugar intake. If you're seeking alternatives beyond asking the barista to customize your order and reduce the syrup in your drink (or drop it altogether), there's good news: Starbucks does offer sugar-free syrup options. Instead of being derived from sugar, the sweetness of these syrups comes from artificial sweeteners like maltodextrin and sucralose, also known as Splenda.
Currently, it seems like you only have a single option "officially" available if you want to go the sugar-free route: vanilla. The menu used to be far more diverse but, due to a lack of demand, sugar-free flavors were stricken from the menu one by one until we were left with only vanilla. To make sure that you're not missing out on any special sugar-free flavors that are location-specific, you should ask the barista about the available options before finalizing your order.
What sugar-free syrups used to be available at Starbucks?
Starbucks used to offer more sugar-free syrup options than it does today. Over the years, many flavors were discontinued due to a lack of popularity among consumers. For example, there was once a sugar-free version of the caramel syrup. Despite significant marketing efforts for this syrup line, it failed to resonate with coffee enthusiasts. Eventually, the company made the decision to discontinue the line.
In the past, a special Christmas-themed offering called sugar-free peppermint syrup was available at Starbucks, too. However, the company decided to discontinue this flavor in 2017. Much like the sugar-free caramel syrup, the sugar-free peppermint version just wasn't popular enough. It didn't take much convincing for Starbucks to drop the syrup and just offer the sugary version every winter.
The same goes for the sugar-free hazelnut syrup, which got the ax from Starbucks in 2016. Similarly, the skinny mocha sauce was struck from the company's menu in 2020. With the discontinuation of the sugar-free cinnamon dolce syrup in 2021, the last sugar-free syrup left standing is the sugar-free vanilla.