3 Ways To Steam Milk Without A Steamer - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Steam Milk Without Using a Steamer PDF download Download Article Make warm, frothy milk for lattes and more without special equipment Co-authored by Emilee Bryant

Last Updated: May 25, 2025 Approved

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  • Steaming Milk in the Microwave with a Jar
    • |
  • Using the Stove and a French Press
    • |
  • Using the Microwave and a Whisk
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
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This article was co-authored by Emilee Bryant. Emilee Bryant is a Coffee Expert, Youtuber, and Latte Artist based in Brooklyn, New York. She spent years building her teaching skills as a Coffee Educator for Counter Culture Coffee, a coffee roasting company that has training and education centers across the country. She is also a multi award-winning latte artist. She won the Latte Art World Championship Open twice in 2019 and the Barista League: Online, Season II, among various competitions throughout her career. Emilee’s signature design is a hollow heart using the negative space in a latte. She is also deeply invested in the technical side of what it means to be a barista, and is constantly exploring the methods in which a simple bean becomes a cup of coffee. She has cultivated an active online community of fellow coffee enthusiasts, and creates content for her over 100K subscribers on YouTube and 100K followers on Instagram on coffee trends, latte art tutorials, and the fun of the coffee industry.  wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 89% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 197,144 times.

Steamed milk is a great addition to hot drinks and adds a delicious foamy texture. Each of these methods takes less than 5 minutes and only require basic kitchen utensils. Add the warm, foamy milk to your favourite hot drink or enjoy it by itself.

Alternate Ways to Steam Milk

  • Microwave & jar: Shake the milk in a jar until it's frothy, then microwave the milk for 30 seconds to warm it up to steam the milk by hand.
  • Stove & French press: Warm the milk to 60 °C (140 °F) on the stove, then pour it into a french press. Pump the plunger on the press for 60 seconds to froth the milk.[1]
  • Microwave & whisk: Heat the milk for 30 seconds in the microwave, then hand-whisk it for 30 seconds or until it doubles in volume

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Steaming Milk in the Microwave with a Jar

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  1. Step 1 Pour your milk into a glass jar. 1 Pour your milk into a glass jar. Any kind of milk works for this technique; however, skim milk works best, as it froths easily. Pour the milk into a glass jar and screw the lid on tightly.[2]
    • A regular espresso or flat white requires about 0.5 cups (120 mL) of milk.
    • Fill the jar no more than halfway so that the milk has room to froth.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 2 Shake the milk until it is frothy. Shake the jar of milk up and down until it has doubled in volume. This normally takes about 30 to 60 seconds. If you have used full-fat milk, it may take an extra 30 seconds to achieve the same level of frothiness.[3]
    • Double-check that the lid is on tightly before you shake it to prevent milk spilling on the floor.
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  3. Step 3 Microwave the milk uncovered for 30 seconds. 3 Microwave the milk uncovered for 30 seconds. (Note that some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you may need to adjust how long depending on your microwave.) Take the lid off and place the jar of milk into the microwave. Adjust the microwave to the highest setting and then set it to heat for 30 seconds. The heat warms the milk and causes the foam to rise to the top of the jar.[4]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 4 Pour the milk and froth into your mug. Hold the foam in the jar with a spoon and allow the milk to run into your mug. Then, spoon the foam on top of your mug to provide a fluffy top layer.[5]
    • This steamed milk has a very similar consistency to that made with a steamer.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Using the Stove and a French Press

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  1. Step 1 Warm up your milk to 60 °C (140 °F) on the stovetop. 1 Warm up your milk to 60 °C (140 °F) on the stovetop. Pour your milk into a small saucepan and set the stovetop to medium heat. Place the tip of a cooking thermometer in the milk to measure the temperature. Once it reaches 60 °C (140 °F), remove the saucepan from the heat.[6] [7]
    • If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, heat the milk until it's warm but not too hot to touch.
    • Turn down the heat if the milk starts to boil.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 2 Pour the milk into your French press.[8] Before you tip in the milk, ensure that the French press is clean; otherwise, your milk will taste like coffee. Take the plunger lid off your French press and carefully tip the warm milk into the bowl.
    • If you have a pump frother, use this instead.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 3 Pump the plunger handle up and down until the milk is foamy.[9] Use 1 hand to hold down the plunger lid and use your other hand to move the plunger stick up and down. Pump the stick vigorously for about 60 seconds or until the milk reaches your desired level of fluffiness.
    • If you don’t have a French press, foam the milk with a whisk or blend it for 30 seconds in a blender.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 4 Pour the warm frothy milk into a mug. Fill your mug with cocoa or coffee and then pour in the warm frothy milk.[10] Alternatively, enjoy the frothy milk by itself as a creamy, calcium-rich treat.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Using the Microwave and a Whisk

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  1. Step 1 Warm up your milk for 30 seconds in the microwave. 1 Warm up your milk for 30 seconds in the microwave. Pour your milk into a microwave-safe jar or dish. Then, place it in the microwave on the highest setting for 30 seconds. This technique works with any type of milk; however, it is slightly quicker if you use low-fat milk.[11]
    • Glass and ceramic are good microwave-safe materials.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 2 Whisk the milk until is foamy and bubbly. Use a hand whisk or an electric whisk to foam the milk for about 30 seconds or until it doubles in volume. If you use an electric whisk, set it to the lowest speed to avoid the milk spilling over the edges of your bowl.[12]
    • If you don’t have a whisk, place the milk in a blender for 30 seconds instead.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Steam Milk Without a Steamer 3 Pour the milk into your hot drink or enjoy it by itself. Carefully pour the milk into your hot drink and stir it gently with a spoon. Alternatively, pour it into a glass and enjoy its warm, creamy taste.[13]
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Community Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question How can I steam milk without a machine? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer There are a couple of different ways you can steam milk without a steaming machine. You can place the milk in a jar with a lid, shake it so it's frothy, then microwave it uncovered for 30 seconds. You can also warm up the milk on your stove and pour it into a French press, then pump the handle up and down vigorously to froth up the milk. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
  • Question Can you steam milk on the stove? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer While you can't fully steam milk on a stove, you can warm it up to about 60 °C (140 °F) on your stovetop, then transfer it to a clean French press. Pump the handle of the plunger up and down vigorously for about a minute or so to make the milk nice and frothy and take on the texture of steamed milk. You can then add it to your coffee or tea! Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 7
  • Question Can you make steamed milk in the microwave? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer Yes, you can make steamed milk in your microwave by pouring the milk into a glass jar and screwing on the lid tightly. Take the jar and shake it up and down for about a minute until it reaches a frothy consistency. Then, remove the lid and microwave the jar uncovered for 30 seconds to heat it up before you add it to your tea, coffee, or any other beverage. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 9
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Things You’ll Need

Steaming Milk in the Microwave with a Jar

  • Glass jar with lid
  • Spoon
  • Microwave
  • Mug

Using the Stove and a French Press

  • Saucepan
  • French press
  • Mug
  • Cooking thermometer

Using the Microwave and a Whisk

  • Microwave-safe bowl or jar
  • Whisk (hand-held or electric)
  • Mug

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References

  1. ↑ Emilee Bryant. Coffee Expert and Latte Artist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-latte-without-an-espresso-machine-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-211090
  3. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-latte-without-an-espresso-machine-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-211090
  4. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-latte-without-an-espresso-machine-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-211090
  5. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-latte-without-an-espresso-machine-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-211090
  6. ↑ Emilee Bryant. Coffee Expert and Latte Artist. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/8-ways-to-froth-milk/
  8. ↑ Emilee Bryant. Coffee Expert and Latte Artist. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ Emilee Bryant. Coffee Expert and Latte Artist. Expert Interview
More References (4)
  1. ↑ Emilee Bryant. Coffee Expert and Latte Artist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-latte-without-an-espresso-machine-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-211090
  3. ↑ https://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/8-ways-to-froth-milk/
  4. ↑ https://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/8-ways-to-froth-milk/

About This Article

Emilee Bryant Co-authored by: Emilee Bryant Coffee Expert and Latte Artist This article was co-authored by Emilee Bryant. Emilee Bryant is a Coffee Expert, Youtuber, and Latte Artist based in Brooklyn, New York. She spent years building her teaching skills as a Coffee Educator for Counter Culture Coffee, a coffee roasting company that has training and education centers across the country. She is also a multi award-winning latte artist. She won the Latte Art World Championship Open twice in 2019 and the Barista League: Online, Season II, among various competitions throughout her career. Emilee’s signature design is a hollow heart using the negative space in a latte. She is also deeply invested in the technical side of what it means to be a barista, and is constantly exploring the methods in which a simple bean becomes a cup of coffee. She has cultivated an active online community of fellow coffee enthusiasts, and creates content for her over 100K subscribers on YouTube and 100K followers on Instagram on coffee trends, latte art tutorials, and the fun of the coffee industry.  This article has been viewed 197,144 times. 7 votes - 89% Co-authors: 6 Updated: May 25, 2025 Views: 197,144 Categories: Featured Articles | Coffee Article SummaryX

To make quick and easy steamed milk in the microwave, pour some milk into a glass jar. Don’t fill the jar more than half full, since the foamy milk will expand when you steam it. Put the lid on the jar and shake the milk vigorously for 30-60 seconds, until it’s nice and frothy. Once it’s frothy enough, the volume of milk in the jar should appear about double what it was. Take the lid off of the jar and microwave it on high for 30 seconds. The foam should rise to the top of the jar. Alternatively, microwave the milk for 30 seconds without shaking it first, then pour it into a bowl and whisk it until it’s frothy. Pour the milk into your drink of choice while holding the foam back with a spoon, then spoon the remaining foam out on top of your drink. If you’d rather not use a microwave, you can also steam milk on the stovetop. Put the milk in a small saucepan and warm it over low heat until it reaches 140 °F (60 °C). If you don’t have a cooking thermometer to test the temperature, carefully test the milk by touching it. When it’s done it should feel warm, but not so hot that it’s painful to touch. If the milk starts boiling, it’s definitely too hot. Pour the milk into a clean French press, then pump the plunger up and down for about 60 seconds until the milk is nice and frothy. You can also pour the milk into a bowl and whisk it with a hand mixer. Enjoy your creamy steamed milk by itself or in your favorite hot beverage! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Gregory B.

    Gregory B.

    Mar 21, 2024

    "I always wanted to make my own Earl Gray with honey and Steamed Milk! Now I can. Thanks a million."
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Emilee Bryant Co-authored by: Emilee Bryant Coffee Expert and Latte Artist Co-authors: 6 Updated: May 25, 2025 Views: 197,144 89% of readers found this article helpful. 7 votes - 89% Click a star to add your vote Gregory B.

Gregory B.

Mar 21, 2024

"I always wanted to make my own Earl Gray with honey and Steamed Milk! Now I can. Thanks a million." Murkusdemon

Murkusdemon

Jun 13, 2019

"Very nice article. It is beneficial for me and many other people." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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