How to Make Latte at Home
Easy ways to make latte without an espresso machine
In this post you will find out what a caffe latte is and how you can make it at home without an espresso machine. Here we will describe:
- the milk to coffee ratio for latte
- how to brew coffee for latte
- 4 easy ways to froth milk without a machine
Let’s start with the basics.
What is latte?
Latte or cafe latte is simply a shot of espresso with frothy milk and a thin layer of foam on top.
What makes a perfect latte?
A perfect latte will consist of a good shot of espresso and a well steamed good quality milk. The milk foam should be smooth, without large bubbles and not overheated, the maximum milk temperature for latte should be 152°F or 67°C. Milk at higher temperatures changes its structure and taste, so it won’t foam well and won’t taste good.
What do you need for lattes?
Latte is a really simple milky coffee drink. To make latte at home you will need:
- Freshly brewed espresso or espresso-like coffee
- Foamed milk
- Nice serving cups or glasses
- Sugar or flavored syrup – optional
Coffee to milk ratio for latte
Talking about the ratio, let’s start with the cup size for latte coffee. Traditionally latte is served in larger cups or glasses from 150 ml to 300 ml.
What is the ratio of milk to coffee in a latte?
The espresso to milk ratio for latte is 1:3, meaning 1 part espresso to 3 parts milk. However, you can use a slightly different ratio depending on your personal preferences or your espresso brewing method and its strength.
If you prefer stronger coffee, you can choose a smaller cup to increase the coffee to milk ratio. The smaller the cup, the less room for milk there will be and the stronger your latte.
If you like softer and sweeter coffee, then use a larger cup to increase the amount of milk.
How to brew coffee for latte without espresso machine
Traditionally latte is made with an espresso machine coffee shot. But if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you can use any brewing method.
Most importantly, you need a shot of strong espresso-like coffee for your homemade latte. You can manipulate the coffee to water ratio and the extraction time to get a strong brew, but the coffee can also be half of the strength of regular espresso.
You can use Turkish coffee, French press coffee or other brewing methods, but the best brew for latte you will get from the Moka pot or AeroPress.
Moka pot latte
How to make latte at home with the moka pot
Brewing coffee for latte with this coffee maker will be slightly different from the standard Moka pot brewing.
To make a brew for your cafe latte follow these steps:
- fill the water chamber with water just under the pressure valve
- use 18 g of finely ground coffee (slightly less than a full basket)
- put the Moka pot on a medium heat
- take it off the heat immediately after you hear the bubbling sound
AeroPress latte
How to make latte at home using AeroPress
If you use AeroPress for your latte at home, we recommend the inverted AeroPress brewing technique. Here is a brief description of how to use AeroPress for latte coffee:
- use 18 g of coffee
- use 18 g of water
- stir
- put the lid on
- steep for 90 seconds (longer than the usual AeroPress brewing)
- transfer your AeroPress onto the serving cup
- push the AeroPress very slowly
We have a good brew for our latte, now let’s talk about steaming milk without a machine.
How to steam milk for latte at home
4 easy ways to froth milk without a machine
The most important thing in steaming milk for latte is getting the temperature right. Apart from making sure that you don’t overheat the milk, you also don’t want your drink to cool down too quickly, so always warm up the serving cup and all the jugs you use to prepare it. You can warm them up in a microwave or with hot water.
If you want to make latte at home, but don’t have an espresso machine with a milk steaming wand, you may be wondering how to get a foamy texture in your milk.
Is it possible to froth milk without a steaming wand?
Yes, you can froth milk without a steaming wand by using:
- French press
- electric milk frother
- handheld foam maker
- stick blender
- mason jar
Either of these frothing methods will produce a decent foam. However, if you want to draw latte art patterns, you will need to transfer the foamed milk into a metal pitcher to pour latte art.
Frothing milk with French press
How to foam milk with French press?
To froth milk with French press follow these steps:
- heat up the milk on a stove up to maximum 152°F or 67°C (less than that is fine if you enjoy cooler coffee)
- fill the French press with milk up to ¼ (remember to warm up the jug before)
- pump it up and down with the plunger until it becomes foamy
- give it a swirl and a tap to get rid of bigger air bubbles
Foaming milk with electric milk frother
This is the easiest and most convenient way to froth the milk at home. Most electric milk frothing jugs warm the milk up and foam it at the same time. Some also have an automatic switch-off function preventing the overheating of milk. They also produce consistent, smooth milk foam without large bubbles, excellent for latte art.
How to use an electric milk foaming jug?
All you need to do is to fill the frother about one-third full with milk, close the lid and turn the frother on.
Foaming milk with hand milk frother
How to foam milk with a hand milk frother?
First warm the milk on the stove and then foam it with a hand milk frother. But you can also warm the milk at the same time as frothing it to speed up the process!
If you want to draw latte art, you can warm the milk in a latte art pitcher and froth it in the jug with hand frother.
You can foam milk in the same way with a stick blender.
Frothing milk with mason jar
How to foam milk in a mason jar?
To foam milk using a mason jar follow these steps:
- warm up the milk
- warm up the jar in hot water and dispose of the water
- fill the jar up to ¼
- close the jar
- give it a good shake for about 30 seconds
- add the milk foam to your espresso
Alternatively, you can foam cold milk first and warm it up in a microwave later (remember to remove the lid before putting the jar into the microwave).
Here is a short video showing how to foam milk in 3 ways with no machine required:
Questions about making latte answered
Do you make a latte with milk or coffee first?
Answer: coffee first, then milk. When making latte you pour frothed milk into a cup where you already have a shot of espresso.
What is the best milk to use for a latte?
Answer: whole milk is the best for latte and latte art. Steamed whole milk adds sweetness and creamy consistency to coffee and is easy to draw latte art with.
What milk can I use for latte?
You can use any milk, regular milk or plant based milk for latte. However, plant based milk it usually more difficult to foam and draw latte art with.
Which coffee is best for a latte?
The best coffee for a latte is a shot of espresso. Traditionally it’s an espresso from an espresso machine, but when making latte at home you can also use coffee from a moka pot, AeroPress or another coffee maker which produces coffee similar to espresso. You also need high-quality, freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee beans.
What coffee beans are best for latte?
Espresso roast is best for latte.
What is the best coffee grind for latte?
If you use a Moka pot or AeroPress, it’s best to use fine grind.
Is latte stronger than cappuccino?
No, cappuccino is slightly stronger than latte because latte contains more milk.
Do you steam or froth milk for latte?
You actually steam the milk for latte, meaning that you warm it up infusing with only a little air for the smooth texture. Frothed milk is better for cappuccino, where you want to have more foam.
Do you need sugar for a latte?
It’s entirely up to you. Milk has some natural sweetness in it, so many coffee lovers don’t put sugar in their latte, but you can add sugar to your latte depending on your preferences.
How do you sweeten milk for a latte?
It’s actually better to add sugar to the coffee, not to the milk as it will dissolve quicker in the coffee. We recommend adding sugar to your brew before mixing it with milk, not to lose the foamy texture when stirring in the sugar.
Should I froth milk warm or cold?
Cold milk is earlier to froth, the colder the milk the better it froths. So you can froth it first and warm it up after that.
What temperature should milk be steamed to for a latte?
The right milk temperature for latte is 152°F or 67°C.
Can you add sugar to milk before frothing?
You can add sugar, syrup or spices to the milk before frothing or add them to your brew. Either way is good, the point is to mix everything you add with the liquid not to break the foam while stirring after the frothing.
Final note
Cafe latte is a really easy coffee drink to make on your own. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make it and enjoy some luxury in the comfort of your home.
What brew do you use and how do you steam milk for your latte at home? What’s your ideal coffee to milk ratio for latte? Have you got your own tricks for a perfect latte? Share in the comments!
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