HOW TO MAKE A LATTE AT HOME (WITH AN ESPRESSO MACHINE)
Let’s learn how to make latte at home.
Photo: Julia Bobak
A traditional cafe latte is a simple combination of rich espresso and steamed milk. But simple doesn’t always mean easy. It takes a little practice to make a barista-quality drink.
That’s why I’m going to walk you through it step by step in this easy homemade latte recipe – and offer some expert tips along the way. Let’s learn how to make latte at home with espresso machine so you can say goodbye to the Starbucks drive-thru for good!
Latte Ingredients
- 18 grams coffee beans
- 6 fl. oz. whole milk or 2% milk
- Burr grinder
- Espresso machine with steam wand
- Milk steaming pitcher
- 10-ounce latte glass
At a Glance
Brew time
5 minutes
Yield
10oz latte
Ready to make the perfect latte at home? The first step to making any coffee-based drink is ensuring you have the right ingredients and equipment.
Can I Make A Latte With Regular Coffee?
An authentic latte should be made with espresso, not regular brewed coffee. Espresso contributes an intense flavor and heavy body that coffee can’t match. However, you can use your favorite coffee beans to make espresso at home. You don’t need to look specifically for espresso beans.
I recommend using medium or dark-roasted coffee beans for your latte. They are easier to extract using an espresso machine and offer the characteristic chocolatey and nutty flavor profiles of the Italian drink.
The best flavor comes from buying whole beans and grinding them yourself with a quality burr grinder. If you must be pre-ground, look for freshly ground beans and ensure they are ground finely for an espresso machine.
What Type Of Milk To Use For A Latte
Most coffee shops use either whole milk or 2% milk to make a perfect latte. They have the best fat-to-protein ratio for frothing, producing a milk foam that is simultaneously light and creamy.
You can use low-fat or non-fat milk if you want a diet-friendly drink, but the mouthfeel won’t be quite as decadent. In the other direction, you can use something heavier like half-and-half for a denser, creamier drink.
There are an increasing number of plant-based milks that are suitable for vegan lattes. Look for something labeled “Barista Style” if you want it to steam the same way as dairy milk. My favorite is oat milk, which has a neutral flavor and natural sweetness similar to cow’s milk. But you can also find excellent soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk options.
Related: Steamed vs Frothed Milk
What Equipment Do You Need To Make A Latte?
You need an espresso maker and a steam wand if you want to make a latte that rivals your local coffee shop. Check out our list of the best machines for latte lovers for some great ideas. Ideally, you will also have a burr grinder capable of fine espresso grinds, a digital scale, and the basic espresso accessories.
You can make something similar to a latte using a Nespresso machine or strongly brewed coffee – such as from a Moka pot or Aeropress – and a milk frother. But it won’t have the same flavor and texture as the real thing.
How To Make A Latte At Home, Step By Step
Alright, it’s time to get started. Here’s how to make your own latte with an espresso machine.
Step 1: Preheat Your Cup
Photo: Julia Bobak
Preheating is a small step, but it is essential. If you don’t preheat your cup, your espresso shot will cool too quickly when it hits the cold glass.
Most espresso machines have a cup warmer. If you don’t have one on your machine, fill your cup with hot water and let it sit for a minute while you prepare your shot of espresso.
Pro tip: You should also preheat your portafilter for the same reason. You can kill both birds with one stone by pulling a “shot” of hot water through your portafilter into your cup and letting it sit while you grind the beans.
Step 2: Grind Your Coffee Beans
Photo: Julia Bobak
Grind 18 grams of coffee to a very fine espresso grind using a burr grinder. This is enough for a strong double shot. Use less coffee if you prefer a weaker coffee flavor in your latte.
Pro tip: The quality of the crema layer on an espresso shot is directly related to the freshness of the coffee beans. Use beans within a month of roasting for the best results.
Step 3: Make Your Espresso Shot
Photo: Julia Bobak
To make the espresso, pack the ground coffee into the warmed portafilter, tamp it, and insert it into your espresso machine. Pull a 2-ounce double shot.
Pro tip: If you want to be precise, use a digital scale for brewing. The typical espresso ratio is 1:2 coffee to water. So your 18 g of ground coffee should yield 36 g of espresso.
Step 4: Froth The Milk
Photo: Julia Bobak
Put your milk of choice in a frothing pitcher and steam it using your machine’s wand. To do this, hold the wand about half an inch below the milk’s surface, angled so that it creates a swirling vortex.
This video shows you how:
When you froth milk for a latte, you want to end up with mostly warm, gently aerated milk that is roughly the texture of wet paint – known as microfoam – capped by a thin layer of milk foam (1).
Pro tip: Heat the milk to a temperature of 140 – 160°F. Any hotter than this and the milk will scald, ruining its sweet flavor. A thermometer is a helpful tool while you’re learning.
Step 5: Pour Milk Into The Espresso
Pour the milk into your warmed glass of espresso. Take your time with this and try not to splash or spill any of the hot milk or espresso. You want to pour slowly so that the milk flows first, and the froth follows at the end of the pour.
How Do You Make Latte Art At Home?
Once you start getting more confident, you can play around with latte art. Don’t worry if you don’t pick it up quickly. While expert baristas make latte art look easy, you’ll soon realize it takes plenty of practice. Keep at it!
This video from Home Brews Coffee’ Steven Holm shows you how to create latte art like the pros:
How To Make A Flavored Latte
A classic latte provides lovely natural sweetness, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up with flavored coffee syrups. To flavor your latte, just add 1 to 3 tablespoons (to taste) of flavored syrup to your espresso shots before topping with steamed milk. My favorite is the classic vanilla latte; other popular latte flavors include cinnamon, chocolate, and lavender.
Types of Café Latte
If you may know, Starbucks café lattes can stray pretty far from the classic Italian espresso drink. There’s everything from warmly spiced seasonal specials to chilly iced lattes for hot summer days.
Once you’ve mastered the basic latte recipe above, here are a few caffe latte variations to try making at home:
- Make an iced latte for a simple and delicious variation on a warm day. It uses the same ingredients as the original, plus ice. We tweaked our homemade iced latte recipe perfectly to avoid watering down the flavor.
- The dirty chai latte combines tea and coffee for an indulgent drink with warm spice flavors.
- The Pumpkin Spice Latte (aka PSL) is a Starbucks bestseller for a reason. It’s autumn in a creamy, caffeinated cup.
- This Christmas latte (aka gingerbread latte) recipe will keep the holiday spirit alive all year.
- This Starbucks copycat chestnut praline latte recipe is deep, complex, buttery, and perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.
- Lavender can be divisive, but if you love its floral character, don’t miss out on this Latte with Lavender.
More lattes here:
Is your favorite not mentioned above? See more latte variations and recipes below.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be an expert barista to enjoy a latte in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do is brew the espresso and steam the milk. The rest is pure joy.
FAQs
There are various ways to make a homemade latte without any special equipment, though none will quite live up to the real thing. First, you’ll need a way to brew strong coffee, like a Moka pot, Aeropress, French press, etc. Then you’ll need a way to froth milk at home, such as a milk frother, French press, or Mason jar.
A latte is a coffee drink that combines espresso and steamed milk. The traditional latte ratio is 1 part espresso, 2 parts steamed milk, and a thin layer of milk foam on top. However, in practice, most modern coffee shops use a higher quantity of milk for a milder and creamier drink.
The difference between a latte and a cappuccino is the type of frothed milk used in each, which gives the drinks a different body. A latte a 1 part espresso and 2 parts steamed milk. A cappuccino is 1 part espresso, 1 part steamed milk, and 1 part milk foam. This makes it a lighter, airier drink.
References
- Alkin, G. (2015, July 21). The Science of Steamed Milk: Understanding Your Latte Art. Retrieved from https://www.scienceandfood.org/the-science-of-steamed-milk-understanding-your-latte-art/
