With the latest update now live on the tool, one of the biggest behind-the-scenes changes I’ve made—probably right after the full customization feature— is smart deletion feature, changes to preloaded customization screen, nutritional logic, reload behavior and much more. For complete detail, you can check out the changelog page.
However, In this article, I will explain more about the Milk and Milk Splash Options, and are they different and how do you customize it?
This feature upgrade took a lot of time and deep digging, where I had to fully analyze the entire Starbucks drink dataset and understand how the nutritional values shift across different sizes and customizations.
Believe me, it was super time-consuming, but honestly, really fascinating too. I figured instead of waiting to make a full video on it (which would’ve been awesome), I’d go ahead and break everything down here in plain words. Note: I will create a video on it soon, which would be a kind of walk through.
Table of Contents
Are the Milk and Milk Splash Different?
The answer is – Yes. They are indeed different and it varies drink to drink. Because some drink uses the standard milk size while uses a splash of it.
I noticed that some drinks were showing higher-than-expected calorie values, and it didn’t make sense—until I dug deeper into how Starbucks actually portions milk.
Turns out, not all milk is added equally. Some drinks use full milk portions, while others use a splash-sized amount—usually just a small amount to finish off a drink or enhance flavor.
What’s New in Milk Customization?
Milk customization is now more accurate and flexible than ever. You’ll now see two separate milk-related options when customizing your drink:
1. Milk (Standard Portion)
This refers to the standard milk servings typically used in drinks like lattes, hot teas, and Frappuccinos.
Options here include:
- 2% Milk – ~80 cal
- Whole Milk – ~ 100 cal
- Almond Milk – ~ 60 cal
- Oat Milk and more
This is the primary milk option for most drinks where Starbucks uses a standard portion of milk by default.
2. Milk Splash (Smaller Quantity)
Just below the standard milk section, you’ll see a second option labeled Milk Splash. This refers to smaller, “splash-sized” servings of milk that are used in drinks like:
- Iced London Fog Tea Latte
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Some Iced Teas and Brewed Coffees
Why the split? After analyzing hundreds of Starbucks drinks (over 800+ size variations!), I found that many drinks only use half or even less of the standard milk portion—often shown as a splash or small inch-based quantity.
Also, Milk Splash in the this update is kind of similar to Creamer in the previous update but with more feature upgradation.
So, to ensure accurate calorie calculations, this update allows you to:
- Select “No Milk” in the standard section if it’s not applicable
- Use the Milk Splash section to pick your preferred type and size (¼”, ½”, ¾”, or no splash)
Example: Iced London Fog Tea Latte (Tall)
Here’s what Starbucks preloads for this drink:
- Splash of 2% Milk – ½ inch
- Vanilla Syrup x3
- Tea Bag x1
- Ice x1
Total Calories: 100
If you break it down:
- Vanilla Syrup = 20 cal × 3 = 60 cal
- Remaining 40 cal comes from the splash of milk (½ inch), not a full serving.
How do you customize the Milk?
Now if you want to tweak the Milk Options, there is two to three ways for it and it totally depends on your choice like we have now possibilities to add either standard milk sizes or just the splash of any milk.
Replacing or Adding Standard Milk
There might be times when you just want to add a standard milk option or replace the existing one—maybe to reduce calories (like switching from Whole Milk to Almond Milk), or just to customize it to your taste.
To do this:
- Simply select your desired milk from the Milk dropdown.
- The tool will automatically adjust the calorie count based on your selection.
If you’re adding milk to a drink (where none was preloaded), you’ll see:
Added Milk:2% Milk
If you’re replacing an existing milk option, you’ll see:
Milk Change:Whole Milk → Almond Milk
This helps make it easy to track what’s been changed, both visually and nutritionally.
No Standard Milk – only the Splash Version
In some cases, you might prefer to skip the standard milk altogether and just go with a splash—a smaller quantity of milk, perfect for drinks where you want just a hint of creaminess without the full calories.
Here’s how to do that:
- If Milk is preloaded in the drink, set it to “No Milk” from the Milk dropdown.
- Then, simply add the Splash of Milk of your choice from the second dropdown (right below the Milk section).
You can do this in any order—set “No Milk” before or after selecting the splash. Just keep in mind:
If standard milk isn’t preloaded, you can skip the “No Milk” part entirely.
When you remove the preloaded milk: You’ll see something like:
Milk Change:Whole Milk → No Milk
Customizing the Splash
You’ve got four splash sizes to choose from: ¼ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, No Splash (handy if you’re removing a preloaded splash).
Once you add a splash milk, the UI will reflect your customization like this:
Milk Splash Customizations:Splash of Almond Milk: ½ inch
You can even mix and match splashes if you’re feeling creative—add multiple types and play around to get your perfect combination.
I’m planning to put together a quick video guide soon, so stay tuned for a visual walkthrough! In the meantime, feel free to experiment and let me know what feels intuitive (or confusing).
