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Winter break is finally here, so there’s a little additional time for life’s simple pleasures. This looks different for everyone, whether it be reading, baking, binge-watching, thrifting, painting, volunteering — or coffee-making.
I am someone who needs a cup of coffee every morning, it’s my favorite routine and quite literally the only thing that gets me out of bed some days. As someone who makes coffee every day, I’ve had my fair share of terrible cups and it’s taken me a long time to find the ideal recipe.
However, last summer I tried a new method and immediately knew I was on the right track. And now, I have perfected the art of the homemade latte without an espresso maker. Not only does making craft coffee at home save you money, but it is more sustainable for the environment. Plus, I have found it tastes better than store-bought coffee, which at times can be a disappointing hit-or-miss.
So, I wanted to share what I consider to be the perfect method for making craft hot or iced lattes at home. Here’s a detailed description of what you’ll need and how to make it, with a short cheat sheet recipe at the end.
- Purchase a reusable cup
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The first rule of making coffee at home is to have a cute cup. You’re twice as likely to make coffee at home if you have a cute mug, mason jar, or reusable tumbler to put it in.
Whenever I have the opportunity to spend the morning at home, I love to put my morning brew in a glass coffee cup. I currently have the Chamberlain Coffee mason jar, as well as the clear tumbler for when I need to take it with me to class or work.
There are several affordable options on Amazon or at your local retailer to transform your coffee routine into an aesthetic coffee-making Pinterest board. Some of my favorites are the 18-ounce glass cups with bamboo lids my best friend has and this fun, ribbed glass coffee mug I found while writing this article.
If you are always on the go (like me), you will most likely need some portable, non-breakable options. I mentioned the Chamberlain Coffee transparent tumbler, which is my all-time favorite and is available both on Chamberlain Coffee’s website and on Amazon. However, there are numerous other options, with some popular ones being Owala’s stainless steel tumbler or Corkcicle’s cold latte cup.
- Choose A Strong Coffee
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Selecting the coffee you use carefully is crucial for crafting a latte that’s rich in flavor and not watered down. A strong base is key to ensuring your latte tastes bold and satisfying, so this consequently is arguably the most important step.
My favorites for a flavorful latte are Café Bustelo’s Espresso Ground Coffee or Starbucks Espresso Roast, both of which deliver a bold flavor. However, there are several other options to choose from, just be sure to choose an espresso or dark roast for the best results.
How you brew the coffee is somewhat dependent on the coffee maker you have, whether it uses coffee pods or just a filter for ground coffee.
If you have a coffee maker that uses K-Cups or other pods, you can either buy the pods of the brand of coffee you want or reusable coffee pods and put the ground coffee into them. The second option is much more affordable and reduces plastic waste, but you can choose whichever option works best for you! Once you have the pod-sized serving, in whatever form you select, select the smallest brew option on your coffee maker. This is typically six ounces and allows the coffee to be brewed stronger.
However, if you have a coffee maker that requires you to input ground coffee (like mine!), your measurements are slightly more precise. The ratio that typically works the best is 1/8 cup of ground coffee to six ounces of water.
Using either of these methods will brew you the perfect amount of “espresso” to start your latte.
- add your preferred milk
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This is where the latte-making gets highly customizable. Once you get brewing strong coffee down relatively well, you’re on your way to a great latte. It is hard to go wrong from here, as long as you use roughly the same measurements.
One of the reasons I love making lattes this way is because of how I like my coffee. I definitely like mine sweet, and this method is significantly healthier than relying on just creamer, or even worse, ordering a store-bought one infused with added sugars.
My go-to for this step is typically Fairlife 2% Reduced Fat Milk. I use Fairlife because of its higher protein content and it’s better for us girlies with sensitive stomachs. If you don’t drink dairy though, there is an assortment of non-dairy options available at your local grocery store.
Some non-dairy favorites that work best in coffee are almond or oat milk because of their milder taste. However, there is also coconut milk, pistachio milk, and other options depending on what you like best.
Once you have your preferred milk picked out and your strong coffee brewed, you want to first fill your cup up 3/4 of the way with ice. However, if you like your lattes hot, just skip the ice step. Then, pour about 1/2 cup of milk over the ice or into the empty mug.
- select your favorite flavor
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Almost everyone has a favorite coffee flavor, whether it’s vanilla, sweet cream, caramel, hazelnut, or a seasonal selection. For this step, you can either use a coffee creamer or a flavored syrup depending on your preference.
My favorite to use that gives the latte that smooth, creamy taste is Chobani coffee creamer. My all-time go-to flavor is the limited-edition Peppermint Mocha or Pumpkin Spice. However, when those aren’t in season, I typically choose the Caramel Macchiato or White Chocolate Mocha.
Again, there are several other options if you’re looking for a more affordable alternative, including International Delight, CoffeeMate, or a generic brand. However, Chobani is typically only around 50 cents more, and I personally think it tastes a lot better. Plus, it lasts longer when you’re making coffee this way.
If you need a dairy-free option, Chobani has plant-based creamer, just like most leading brands. You could also check out NutPod’s unsweetened, nondairy creamer and Silk’s almond, oat, or soy milk creamers.
Depending on how sweet or flavorful you like your coffee, you can adjust the measurements. However, I would suggest starting with about 1/3 cup of creamer. Pour it over the milk you currently have on ice.
Now you can pour the coffee you have on top and combine it. It will most likely have an aesthetic marble look before you mix it together if you’re using a clear cup. You can then add more ice or creamer if needed!
Once you have these four steps down, you can start experimenting with additions, like making cold foam with a milk frother, adding cinnamon powder on top, lining the cup with caramel sauce, completing your cup with whipped cream and peppermint pieces, drizzling chocolate syrup over the top, or whatever makes your heart happy to add to your favorite latte.
1 reusable cup
3/4 cup of ice
1/2 cup of milk
1/3 cup of flavored creamer
6 ounces of strong coffee
Perfect at-home craft latte recipe by Kendal Asbury.
Keep in mind that there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a latte once in a while from your favorite coffee shop. However, this recipe will help you save time and money, while also making a tasty latte that’s often better than store-bought and sticks to more sustainable, wholesome ingredients. It also gives you something to look forward to every morning and can be a creative outlet, in the same way cooking or baking can be.
I recommend using this time over winter break to perfect the art of the homemade latte. That way, when you head back to classes, you’ll be able to make craft cups whenever you’re short on time or money.
Not to mention, peppermint mocha will most likely only be here until the end of December!