diff --git a/esphome/codegen.py b/esphome/codegen.py
index 57316ab4fa..90f59f75bc 100644
--- a/esphome/codegen.py
+++ b/esphome/codegen.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from esphome.cpp_generator import (  # noqa
     progmem_array,
     statement,
     variable,
+    new_variable,
     Pvariable,
     new_Pvariable,
     add,
diff --git a/esphome/components/color/__init__.py b/esphome/components/color/__init__.py
index 7c044040ee..6712d078a4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/color/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/color/__init__.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def to_code(config):
     elif CONF_WHITE_INT in config:
         w = config[CONF_WHITE_INT]
 
-    cg.variable(
+    cg.new_variable(
         config[CONF_ID],
         cg.StructInitializer(ColorStruct, ("r", r), ("g", g), ("b", b), ("w", w)),
     )
diff --git a/esphome/cpp_generator.py b/esphome/cpp_generator.py
index 754ce229a9..999b252dde 100644
--- a/esphome/cpp_generator.py
+++ b/esphome/cpp_generator.py
@@ -448,6 +448,29 @@ def variable(id_: ID, rhs: SafeExpType, type_: "MockObj" = None) -> "MockObj":
     return obj
 
 
+def new_variable(id_: ID, rhs: SafeExpType, type_: "MockObj" = None) -> "MockObj":
+    """Declare and define a new variable, not pointer type, in the code generation.
+
+    :param id_: The ID used to declare the variable.
+    :param rhs: The expression to place on the right hand side of the assignment.
+    :param type_: Manually define a type for the variable, only use this when it's not possible
+      to do so during config validation phase (for example because of template arguments).
+
+    :returns The new variable as a MockObj.
+    """
+    assert isinstance(id_, ID)
+    rhs = safe_exp(rhs)
+    obj = MockObj(id_, ".")
+    if type_ is not None:
+        id_.type = type_
+    decl = VariableDeclarationExpression(id_.type, "", id_)
+    CORE.add_global(decl)
+    assignment = AssignmentExpression(None, "", id_, rhs, obj)
+    CORE.add(assignment)
+    CORE.register_variable(id_, obj)
+    return obj
+
+
 def Pvariable(id_: ID, rhs: SafeExpType, type_: "MockObj" = None) -> "MockObj":
     """Declare a new pointer variable in the code generation.