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A skinny vanilla latte is espresso, nonfat milk, and vanilla syrup. The calories swing more than people expect, from 60 in a short to 250 in a venti. Use the size table below to check calories, sugar, carbs, protein, and caffeine before you order.
My usual is a grande skinny vanilla latte. Velvety vanilla, milk, and espresso, with nothing I feel funny about ordering. The numbers here are the quick reference I wish I had on the first order.
What a skinny vanilla latte actually is
A skinny vanilla latte is a regular vanilla latte made with nonfat milk instead of 2% or whole. The word skinny is just shorthand for nonfat at the register. Order a “grande skinny vanilla latte” and that is what you get.
Nonfat milk is the lowest-calorie milk Starbucks pours, so the only real calorie source left is the vanilla syrup. That is the lever worth understanding, and it is why the count climbs so fast in the bigger sizes.
What goes in the cup
- Nonfat milk The base
- Skim milk, with zero grams of fat. It is the lowest-calorie milk on the menu, and it carries a small amount of natural sugar.
- Vanilla syrup Where the sugar is
- The pumps scale with size. This is the part that drives most of the sugar and the calorie jump from one size to the next.
- Espresso The flavor
- The shot that makes it a latte. One or two shots depending on the size, which sets the caffeine number.
- Milk foam The texture
- The light layer created during steaming. It gives the drink its airy top.
Calories and nutrition by size
Here is the full snapshot for the hot skinny vanilla latte at each Starbucks size. Iced versions add more milk and more pumps, so they run a little higher.
| Size | Calories | Sugar | Carbs | Protein | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short (8 oz) | 60 | 8 g | 9 g | 6 g | 75 mg |
| Tall (12 oz) | 70 | 8 g | 9 g | 6 g | 75 mg |
| Grande (16 oz) | 200 | 35 g | 37 g | 12 g | 150 mg |
| Venti (20 oz) | 250 | 45 g | 47 g | 15 g | 150 mg |
A couple of notes. Every size has 0 g fat. The vanilla pumps scale with the cup: 2 for a short, 3 for a tall, 4 for a grande, 5 for a venti. That extra syrup is why sugar and calories climb so steeply from the small sizes to the large ones.
Calories by size
The short and tall stay light because they use only two or three pumps. The big jump to grande is mostly the extra syrup and milk, not the espresso.
How your milk choice changes the count
If you are watching calories, the milk is the easiest thing to change. Here is how a 16 oz vanilla latte shifts when you swap the milk, from a Starbucks milk reference. Nonfat is the lightest, with almond and coconut close behind.
Calories by milk (16 oz)
For a vegan or plant-based skinny vanilla latte, almond, coconut, or soy keep it lowest. Oat tastes great but is the heaviest of the bunch.
One honest caveat. These milk figures come from a Starbucks milk-swap reference and do not line up exactly with the grande number in the size table above. Pump counts, foam, and rounding all move the total. Treat the Starbucks app as the source of truth for the exact count on your order.
Other skinny vanilla latte versions
- Blonde skinny vanilla latte
- Blonde espresso is Starbucks’ lighter, mellower roast. The blonde vanilla latte is made with 2% milk by default, so to make it skinny you just ask for nonfat, or any lower-calorie milk.
- Sugar-free skinny vanilla latte
- Same drink, but with sugar-free vanilla syrup. That removes most of the syrup sugar. The nonfat milk still carries a little natural sugar, so it is lower sugar, not zero.
- Iced Espresso Classics version
- The bottled Skinny Vanilla Latte under Iced Espresso Classics was discontinued in 2021. Starbucks still sells other bottled options under its ready-to-drink range, usually found in the grocery dairy or soda aisle.
Frequently asked questions
How do I order a skinny vanilla latte?
Pick your size first, then say the drink: “Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte.” If you want it iced, say iced first, so “Iced Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte.”
What is the difference between a latte and a skinny latte?
A standard latte is made with 2% or whole milk. A skinny latte, also called a nonfat latte, is made with nonfat milk.
Does a skinny vanilla latte have sugar?
Yes. Most of it comes from the pumps of vanilla syrup, with a little natural sugar in the nonfat milk. Lower calorie does not mean sugar free, which is worth knowing if you are watching sugar.
Skinny vanilla latte vs sugar-free skinny vanilla latte?
A skinny vanilla latte uses regular vanilla syrup. A sugar-free version uses sugar-free vanilla syrup, which removes most of the syrup sugar.
Source
- Nutrition figures from Starbucks published data. Numbers vary by store, customization, and pump count, so check the Starbucks app for the exact count on your order.
