Homemade Cafe Latte Recipe
Coffee drinks are all the rage right now and whether you're enjoying a cappuccino, a macchiato, or a latte, you're most likely sipping your drink with a smile as the caffeine and sweet creamy combo enters your system. Even though the latte trend may feel somewhat new, café lattes have been around for quite some time, and they make for a perfectly cozy, warm beverage.
You may be wondering what the difference is between a cappuccino and a latte, and rightly so — they look pretty similar! It really comes down the amount of milk used. A latte uses more milk, whereas a cappuccino is typically smaller by volume, with more foamy milk. Both typically have the same amount of caffeine in the form of espresso, so it really comes down to milky preference when choosing between the two. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for a classic, homemade latte and says, "Café lattes are definitely a fun drink to grab when you're out and about, but they're so easy to make at home and your wallet will thank you, because they can be made at a fraction of the cost."
Gather the ingredients for a homemade café latte
To make this recipe, we only have a few things to pick up. To start we'll need some espresso roast coffee, in fine to medium ground. "You can swap out the espresso for any dark roast coffee if you prefer, and you will still end up with a delicious café latte," Hahn shares. Then we'll need some hot water, milk, and vanilla extract. Hahn goes on to say, "If you want to use a dairy-free milk, oat milk and soy milk will be the best options because they froth well." You may want to grab some cinnamon too because it adds a nice touch sprinkled lightly on top of your latte, and if you're feeling extra fancy, you can add whipped cream.
Make the coffee
Our first step is to make the espresso coffee. Pull out a French press and add the coffee and the boiling water. Set your timer to 4 minutes so that the coffee can brew. Then press the plunger down and pour the coffee into a 12-ounce mug so we have lots of room for the milk. Add the vanilla and set aside. If you want your latte to be sweet, add your sweetener of choice at this point as well. If you don't have a French press, just use the same coffee to water ratio when brewing using your preferred method.
Froth the milk
Now, add the milk to a small pot and bring the heat to medium. Let it warm up for a few minutes being careful not to let it get too hot. We're going for warm to the touch, not scalding. While that is warming up, rinse the French press out and discard any remaining coffee grounds. Add the warm milk to the French press and using the plunger, pull up and down in a swift motion for about 3 minutes or until the milk is light and foamy. If you don't have a French press, you can use a handheld frother tool instead.
Pour the frothy milk over the espresso and serve
When your milk is light and foamy, pour it on top of the coffee and your delicious latte is ready to drink. Sprinkle it with cinnamon and whipped cream to give you café vibes and enjoy your warm, homemade latte. You can enjoy this latte any time of day whether it's in the morning with a croissant or after dinner with some chocolate cake. Now you can enjoy your favorite café drink at home any time you want!
- ½ cup espresso roast coffee, medium ground
- ¾ cup hot water
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cinnamon, for garnish
- whipped cream, for garnish
- Add the ground coffee to a French press. Pour in the hot water and let it sit for 4 minutes.
- Press the French press plunger down and pour the coffee into a 12-ounce mug. Add the vanilla to the cup.
- Warm up the milk so it is hot to the touch (but not scalding) in a small pot or the microwave.
- While the milk is heating up, rinse out the French press.
- Add the warm milk to the French press and using the plunger, pull up and down in a fast motion for 3 minutes or until the milk is light and foamy.
- Pour the foamy milk on top of the coffee. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
| Calories per Serving | 199 |
| Total Fat | 9.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 30.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 15.9 g |
| Sodium | 141.0 mg |
| Protein | 9.8 g |
