Can You Reheat Starbucks Coffee? 6 Simple Ways You Can Do It

Have you ever had a rushed morning, decided to go through the Starbucks drive-thru on the way to work, and once you arrived, you realized your Starbucks coffee was still in the car? It isn’t amusing when you cannot get your coffee until the next break or after work! This scenario has happened to many of us. 

Once you finally get your Starbucks coffee, it is freezing. Can you reheat it? The straightforward answer is yes! There are numerous ways that you can reheat your Starbucks coffee once it’s gone cold. Whether you use the microwave or the stovetop, you can be sure you can reheat almost any drink from Starbucks! 

Can You Reheat a Cold Starbucks Coffee?

It doesn’t matter if the coffee is cold or hot brewed, served hot or cold; you can readily reheat it! The list of reheating methods for you to choose from is endless. You can reheat almost any Starbucks drink with little to no impact on the flavor of your beverage. 

However, it would help if you took caution when reheating frozen blended drinks as they will change in texture. You can reheat iced coffee, but to reheat Starbucks coffee, you are not recommended due to Starbucks’ hot brewing method when making iced coffee.

 Another thing you should keep in mind is that you can more than reheat Starbucks coffee with milk in it. You should take precautions if you have left your drink out for an extended period, as the milk can quickly spoil. Also, ensure that you never reheat your Starbucks coffee in the original cup, which can also be dangerous. 

1. Hot Water

You can use hot water to reheat your Starbucks coffee in two ways; pouring the water directly into the coffee or doing a convection-type reheating method. Hot water may be one of your best methods to reheat your Starbucks coffee. 

Your first option is diluting your coffee. You should only use this method if the Starbucks coffee you reheat does not contain ice, milk, or other additives. If your Starbucks coffee includes any of these additives, you may have a watery cup of coffee. No one wants watery coffee.

Follow the subsequent steps to warm your coffee with hot water: 

Diluting method: 

1. Bring one cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. 
2. Once your water is boiling, mix your hot water directly in with the cold coffee. Add just enough hot water to warm your coffee; adding too much will dilute your coffee. 
3. Give your coffee and good stir, and enjoy! 

OR

Convection method: 

1. Fill a pot with water, about ⅔ full. Bring the water to a boil. 
2. Place a microwave/oven-safe mug in the water. 
3. Pour your Starbucks coffee into the cup. 
4. Let the coffee warm up until you start to see steam, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. 
5. After reheating your coffee, remove your coffee with an oven mitt or another protection to prevent burning your hand. 
6. Let your coffee cool until you can safely drink it! 
7. Enjoy your reheated coffee! 

2. Microwave

The fastest method of reheating your Starbucks coffee would be in the microwave. This process can be accomplished in under 5 minutes, making your microwave an immaculate reheating technique when you are in a hurry. Microwaving will also deliver that fresh Starbucks coffee flavor. 

Observe these steps to reheat your Starbucks coffee in the microwave: 

1. Transmit your coffee from the Starbucks cup to a microwave-safe container.
2. Microwave at medium power in 30-second intervals. Inspect the temperature of your coffee in between heating revolutions. 
3. Once the coffee reaches your preferred temperature, grab it out of your microwave.
   1. Do not overheat your coffee, as milk can begin to bubble, and non-milky coffee can get a bitter flavor when overheated.
4. Enjoy! 

When you are reheating your Starbucks coffee in the microwave, it is vital to note you should never microwave your coffee in the authentic Starbucks cup. There are a few explanations for this. 

Why Does My Starbucks Cup Say ‘Do Not Microwave?’

On practically every Starbucks cup, you will see the words, ‘Do Not Microwave.’ Why is this? Well, there are multiple reasons that you should never microwave your Starbucks cup. Starbucks is correct in saying do not microwave their cups. 

The most prominent one is not setting paper cups in your microwave. The logic is paper can easily catch fire in the microwave. A microwave fire could end very badly for you and your family. There is an ink layer on the decorative cups, which, when reheated, can infiltrate the paper and become part of your coffee. Eventually, that ink could affect not only the taste but your health. 

Cold coffee can be an all-around bummer; no one likes a hot cup with cold coffee! The ceramic Starbucks mugs can get too scalding in the microwave but keep your coffee cold. However, a few mugs can be safe in the microwave if they do not enclose a metal lining. 

Starbucks cups have a plastic and wax lining to prevent your coffee from leaking. This lining and the glue holding the cup together does not maintain in the microwave, resulting in melting and leakage. 

3. Stove Top

An additional reasonable reheating method you could use to reheat your coffee would be your stovetop. This method is also pretty quickly done in under 5 minutes and can be easier to keep a consistent temperature. However, it may not be as simple as you think. But the best part of this reheating method is your Starbucks coffee will retain its fragrance. 

1. Transfer your Starbucks coffee into a saucepan, and heat the saucepan on low to medium heat.
2. Let your coffee heat up for roughly 3 to 4 minutes on low to medium heat.
3. Once steam starts coming from your coffee, turn off the heat. Do not let it boil, as boiling your coffee can alter the taste of your Starbucks coffee. 
4. Transfer your Starbucks coffee into a mug of your choice and enjoy your reheated Starbucks coffee! 

4. Steamer Wand

The steamer wand is the quickest and easiest method, especially if you have a coffee or an espresso machine with a steam wand built into the device. This reheating method can be done in under 2 minutes, making it your fastest reheating technique. 

Using a deep stainless steel container is your ideal option. Paper cups could burn, causing leakage, and ceramic mugs might fracture, resulting in a mess. You may want to use a container with a handle, as the container will likely get very hot. 

1. Transfer your Starbucks coffee to a metallic milk jug or another container, as long as the container is deep. 
2. Turn your steam wand on for a minute or two before using it to let it preheat. 
3. Once your steam wand is heated, place your steam wand in the jug for about 5 to 10 seconds. Once your container gets warm, take it out immediately. 
4. Pour your reheated coffee into a mug or container of your choice. 
5. Enjoy your reheated coffee! 

5. Convection Oven

A less recommended reheating method would be your convection oven. Your convection oven can be difficult and make your mug scalding hot, resulting in an altered taste and the chance of getting burnt. However, there are a few ways you can avoid this.

1.  Preheat your oven to 300°F or 150°C. Transfer your Starbucks coffee to an oven-safe container. 
2. Once your oven has preheated, place your coffee in the oven. 
3. Let your coffee warm until you start seeing steam rise from your coffee. 
4. Remove your coffee once it is steaming using oven mitts. 
5. Transfer your coffee from the oven-safe container to your original cup to prevent burning your hands. 

6. Coffee Maker

Another unadvised reheating method is your coffee maker. Your coffee maker is not an ideal reheating method because its design is to make coffee, not deal with already-made coffee. 

With this reheating method of using your coffee maker, you may end up with partially burnt and cold coffee. You could also cause your coffee pot to crack or extend existing cracks. However, you can use this reheating method if you have no other option. 

1. Transfer your Starbucks coffee from the original cup to your coffee pot. 
2. Turn on the heating element of your coffee maker. 
3. Depending on the make of your coffee maker, you should warm your coffee within 4 to 10 minutes. 
4. Once you smell your coffee and see its steam, it is ready to be taken off the heat. 
5. Once your coffee is warmed, pour it directly into the original cup. 
6. Enjoy your reheated coffee! 

What is the Best Way to Reheat Your Starbucks Coffee?

Your best reheating technique would be utilizing your stovetop. Your stovetop can be ideal because you can keep an eye on it and whisk it to maintain a consistent temperature. It is also the easiest way to prevent boiling. Boiling can affect the taste of your coffee; you don’t want bitter coffee. 

FAQs

Does reheating coffee destroy caffeine?

As long as you do not boil your coffee for a long time or overheat your coffee, reheating should not affect your coffee’s caffeine content. To ensure a good cup of joe with the same amount of caffeine, serve your coffee around 160°f or 70°C. 

Is it safe to reheat coffee with milk?

There are minimal hazards behind reheating coffee with milk in it. You have to worry about if your coffee has sat out too long at room temperature and spoiled. Spoiled milk can quickly lead to illness. However, if you have not left your coffee at room temperature for very long, you should be fine. 

The next thing about reheating milk is you must be cautious not to curdle your milk. Milk curdles when it is heated too fast. That said, you should warm your coffee with milk slowly rather than quickly. Do not let your milk bubble, as that can cause issues with your coffee’s texture, taste, and quality. 

Is it okay to heat iced coffee?

Yes, although Starbucks recommends you not reheat their iced coffee. The brewing method of Starbucks’ iced coffee can result in a wrong texture, taste, or quality change. Though microwaving can disintegrate the flavanol oils in the beans, resulting in a bitter-tasting coffee. 

However, you can change most cold coffees into hot coffees by simply reheating them. Many other iced coffees can efficiently be heated! Hot brewed iced coffees are ideal for heating. Some brew methods might get altered when you heat them; you may get a touch of bitterness when you heat them. 

Cold-brewed iced coffee will likely not be changed much in the microwave compared to hot-brewed coffee. Another alternative is heating a microwave-safe creamer, then pouring it into your iced coffee to warm it. 

Conclusion

In summary, reheating Starbucks is more than easy! Whether you use the microwave, stovetop, or steam wand as a reheating method, it is more than possible to reheat Starbucks coffee. Ensure that you do not overheat or let your coffee boil to avoid changes in taste!