Chameleon Cold Brew Recipe – Easy Homemade Copycat Version

I made the Chameleon Cold Brew Recipe at home. It’s a drink known for its smooth taste, rich aroma, and organic base. 

Chameleon is one of the most loved cold brews on the market in 2025.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make the best chameleon recipe copycat version, explain the Chameleon cold brew ingredients, and share creative variations.

Including a chocolate twist that works well with this drink; you won’t find it anywhere. 

 

The Chameleon Cold Brew is smooth, low-acidity, and chocolatey — and you can make almost same batch at home with coarse grounds, cold and water.

Chameleon Cold Brew Ingredients:

The original Chameleon cold.brew is made using 100% organic Arabica coffee beans. So, when making a copycat version at home, it’s important to understand why each ingredient matters.

• Coffee beans: You wanna choose organic Arabica if possible. Medium roast will give balanced acidity, while dark roast adds bold richness. Brands that I like are Stumptown and Counter Culture. However, a local roaster will work too. Coarse grind is important; otherwise, the brew will turn bitter.
• Water: Always filtered, because cold brew is 98% water, so tap water with chlorine or minerals dulls the flavor. A simple Brita filter will make a big difference.
• Optional flavor infusions: Chameleon has flavored versions like Chameleon cold brew vanilla. You can do that version; you will need to add vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, or even cocoa nibs.

Instructions:

Cold brew is too easy and not complicated at all. However, you need to pay attention to the little details if you want café-quality flavor. 

Here is my way of making it:

Step 1: Measure Coffee & Water

Use 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee to 4 cups of filtered water. This will create a concentrate, quite similar to Chameleon’s bottled version.

Step 2: Combine in a Jar or Press

Place grounds in a large mason jar, or you can use a French press. 

Slowly pour water over it, and keep stirring it so that all grounds are saturated. 

The liquid will look cloudy at first.

Step 3: Steep Cold

Cover and steep in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours. 

At 12 hours, you get a lighter brew. 

If you keep it for 24 hours, you’ll have a bold, rich concentrate that will have chocolate and caramel notes. 

So, if you want to drink near dinner time, make it in the morning or the day before. 

Step 4: Strain Slowly

When it’s cold and ready, you will have to strain it using a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Or you can use the French press plunger. 

The liquid should be deep brown with a clear sheen on top.

Step 5: Dilute Before Drinking

This is concentrate. Mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part water or milk before drinking. 

However, remember that straight concentrate is too strong for most people.

 

Chameleon Cold Brew Iced Mocha Recipe

One of the easiest ways to take your cold brew up a notch is to turn it into an iced mocha. 

It will be sweet, chocolatey, and feel like a treat without being complicated.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Chameleon cold brew concentrate
• ½ cup milk (regular, oat, almond, or coconut all work)
• 2 tbsp chocolate syrup (or 1 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup)
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream (optional for topping)

Steps:

1. You want to fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Mix cold brew and milk, and combine them properly.
3. Add a little chocolate syrup until smooth and blended.
4. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup if you want a café-style finish.

This Chameleon cold brew iced mocha recipe will give you the perfect balance of coffee and chocolate — bold, creamy, and satisfying.

For more decadent chocolate drinks, check out the 3-ingredient chocolate mousse without eggs or try a Starbucks dark chocolate mocha.

 

Flavor Variations to Try

Though you can have many Chameleon flavors bottled, but at home you can stretch much further.

1. Chameleon Cold Brew Vanilla Copycat

You will have to steep coffee with a vanilla bean split lengthwise, or you can stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract after straining. 

Smooth, mellow, and will be very close to Chameleon cold brew vanilla bottles.

2. Mocha Cold Brew (Chocolate Twist)

If you like chocolate drinks, that might be one you will find interesting. 

So, you can add 2 tbsp cocoa nibs to the grounds before steeping. 

After straining, you will want to whisk in 1 tbsp cocoa powder + maple syrup. 

The result will be a mocha cold brew that will feel indulgent yet refreshing.

3. White Chocolate Cold Brew

It’s another option for chocolate lovers like me.

You want to melt 2 tbsp white chocolate chips into the hot water you’ll use before cooling it for brewing. 

Once brewed, mix it with cold milk for a creamy, dessert-style cold brew.

4. Spiced Cold Brew

Add a cinnamon stick and a cardamom pod while steeping. 

These spices make it perfect, especially for fall.

5. Citrus Cold Brew

You can toss in a strip of orange peel during steeping. It will add a subtle brightness that works well for summer.

6. Coconut Milk Cold Brew

Instead of diluting it with water, you can dilute it with coconut milk.

It will give you a creamy tropical twist, close to a latte but dairy-free.

For a creamy twist, you might also love this white chocolate peppermint protein shake.

 

Cold Chamomile Tea Recipe (Bonus Herbal Twist)

If you don’t want caffeine, especially at night, try my tea recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 chamomile tea bags
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 tsp honey
• Ice

Steps:

1. You want to steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes.
2. Remove bags, stir in honey.
3. Chill, then you can pour it over ice.

This is caffeine-free, so it’s a great evening option when you want a refreshing drink but not chameleon cold brew caffeine. High caffeine may not let you sleep well.

 

Chameleon Cold Brew Nutrition

In your case, the nutritional value might fluctuate a little but not too much. However, it’s based on the recipe I shared:

Homemade (per 8 oz diluted):

• Calories: 0–5 (before milk/sweeteners)
• Caffeine: ~100 mg
• Sugar: 0g
• Fat: 0g

Chameleon Bottled (per 10 oz):

• Calories: 10–20 (unsweetened)
• Caffeine: 200–250 mg
• Sugar: 0g

Starbucks Cold Brew (per 16 oz grande):

• Calories: 5
• Caffeine: 155 mg

Chameleon is stronger in caffeine but lighter in calories. 

 

Pro Tips for Perfect Cold Brew

For an even better drinking experience, you can follow these tips:

• Grind size matters: Always coarse. Fine grind = bitterness.
• Steep cold, not room temp: Cold fridge steeping will prevent sour notes.
• Don’t rush: Minimum 12 hours, but I recommend 18 to 24 for the best.
• Batch brew: Make a liter at a time. It will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
• Infuse while steeping: Cinnamon, vanilla, or cocoa nibs will add flavor without extra sugar.
• Shake before serving: Concentrate can settle slightly.
• Try coffee ice cubes: You can freeze leftover concentrate into cubes to avoid watered-down drinks.

 

Pairing Ideas

Cold brew is versatile enough. You can serve it with breakfast or dessert.

Breakfast Pairings:

• Avocado toast with sea salt.
• Bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins are an ideal warm breakfast match for cold brew.
• Oatmeal sweetened with a splash of cold brew.
• These chocolate chip cookies are classic with any coffee drink.
• Yogurt with granola and dark chocolate chips.

Dessert Pairings:

• Brownies (especially if you’re making mocha cold brew).
• Slice up dark chocolate quinoa crisps for a wholesome, protein-packed snack.
• Banana bread — nutty flavors will pair well with bold coffee.
• Chocolate chip cookies — a classic option.
• You can sip cold brew with a pepperidge farm Milano milk chocolate cookies for a bakery café feel.

 

Chameleon vs Other Cold Brews

How does it compare to popular competitors?

• Chameleon Cold Brew: It is organic, very strong in caffeine, smooth, and has lower acidity. 
• Stok Cold Brew: it’s a little sweeter, lower in caffeine, and easy to find in grocery stores.
• Starbucks Cold Brew: That one is balanced, lighter caffeine, and more approachable.
• Dunkin Bottled Cold Brew: It is sweeter, flavored, and less focused on strength.

So, if you love bold flavor and want something closer to espresso in strength, you should go with Chameleon wins. 

If you like sweeter, ready-to-drink coffee, Stok or Dunkin might be the perfect choice for you.

 

Why Homemade Chameleon Cold Brew Wins

• It is much cheaper than Chameleon cold brew Costco bottles.
• Customizable strength — you can go for a strong concentrate or a lighter sip, that’s totally up to you.
• You can add chocolate, vanilla, coconut, or spices.
• It works well as a base for lattes or even baking.

 

Conclusion

This is how I make Chameleon Cold Brew Recipe at home. Once you master the concentrate, then you can try different versions.

You can make classic black cold brew, vanilla, spiced, coconut milk versions, and even chocolate-based drinks like the iced mocha I shared with you.

What makes this drink so special is how flexible it is. 

You can make it bold and strong for mornings, smooth and mellow with milk for afternoons, or sweet and indulgent with chocolate for weekends. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These are some important questions with their answers related to this recipe:

What is the ratio for Chameleon cold brew?

The classic Chameleon ratio is 1 cup coarsely ground coffee to 4 cups filtered water. This is enough to make a strong concentrate. When drinking, you can dilute 1 part concentrate with 1 part water, milk, or any other liquid you prefer.

What coffee does Chameleon cold brew use?

Chameleon uses 100% organic Arabica beans. So, for a homemade copycat, you can choose organic medium or dark roast Arabica. 

However, medium roast is good for a smooth balance, and dark roast if you want bolder chocolatey notes.

Is Chameleon cold brew good?

Yes, it’s one of the most popular cold brews for a reason. After a Chameleon cold brew review, I found it has a smooth taste, low acidity, and high caffeine content.

Many people like it because you can dilute it to taste, and it never gets too bitter.

However, avoid a strong version at night, as it won’t let you sleep mindfully.

Can I make a chocolate version of Chameleon cold brew?

Yes, you make a chocolate version. 

You will just need to add cocoa nibs during steeping, stir in cocoa powder after straining, or you can mix the concentrate with chocolate syrup and milk for an iced mocha. 

This will give you a tasty variation that will be bold, refreshing, and will tie well into chocolate recipes.