5-Minute Homemade Latte (No Fancy Equipment!)

I absolutely love cooling down with an iced latte on hot summer days, but there’s just nothing like a piping hot, foamy latte when cozy mornings are waiting. And I’ll show you my step-by-step method for how to make the perfect latte at home without any fancy equipment needed!

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Making lattes at home solves the eternal Saturday morning dilemma — “do I get out of bed and go to my local coffee shop to get a creamy, luxurious latte, or do I stay in bed?” You can have your cake, errr…latte, and drink it too!

How to Make Espresso at Home without a Machine

A latte is an espresso drink, so its base is, well, espresso! Now, if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, there are a few methods I use for making espresso drinks without one. Espresso machines are crucial for pressurizing water and forcing it through very finely ground coffee that’s tightly packed, resulting in a rich, bold flavor with crema, or the caramel-colored, creamy foam on top.

Without pressurization, it’s challenging to achieve the crema, but these substitutes are pretty darn good!

• Strongly Brewed Coffee: You will need less water in your coffee-to-water ratio when brewing coffee. The general recommendation is a 15:1 ratio of water to coffee for a strong brew. Ultimately, it depends on your preferences.
  • Brew espresso beans or a dark roast for the strongest, deepest coffee flavor
  • While you can brew the coffee any method you prefer, a french press is a great option for strong coffee.
• Stovetop Espresso: make espresso on the stovetop using a Moka pot, which is a classic Italian method for brewing strong coffee.
• Use Instant Espresso or strongly brew instant coffee.
• Aeropress: makes strong, concentrated coffee.
• Nespresso: ok, this is a machine but it’s not an official espresso machine (IMO) but rather an easy, at-home option for making espresso without the pricey, fancy machine. So if you have one, of course, use it!

My Secret Method to Froth Milk

In addition to espresso, a latte is about two-thirds steamed milk, and topped with the foam from said frothed milk. Whole milk is the creamiest milk that will froth the best, and for a dairy-free option, oat milk is my go-to.

My favorite way to froth milk at home for a homemade latte is to heat milk in a mason jar, then top it and shake it vigorously (while dancing…because happiness makes better lattes) until it’s doubled in size and foamy.

Please keep these tips in mind when you use the mason jar method for frothing milk:

• Do not microwave the lid. It’s metal and cannot go in the microwave.
• Carefully remove the jar from the microwave, and use a towel or potholders to prevent burning your hands, as needed.
• Carefully remove the lid from the jar, removing it slowly in case any pressure has accumulated. I like to use a towel to remove it, just in case there is any splatter or excess heat.

If you don’t have a lid for your jar, heat the milk then use a small whisk to froth the milk, vigorously whisking until foamy. Of course, a hand-held milk frother is an inexpensive piece of equipment that works quite well, too.

Barista Tips for Pouring

Now that you’ve made very strong coffee, heated the milk, and shaken it up to make it foamy, all that’s left to do is pour the latte. During my time as a barista working at Caribou Coffee, I learned to tap and swirl the milk before pouring to create a fine foam.

Then, the key was to pour the milk into the side of your glass or mug so that it swirls with the espresso to fully combine, and then top it off with the remaining foam.

Consider this: if you are using strongly brewed coffee instead of espresso, use less milk for a more authentic latte flavor.

Homemade Latte Flavors

While an old-fashioned latte is deliciously creamy and coffee-forward all on its own, sometimes it’s good to mix it up! There are so many flavors to add to a latte – whether it’s pumpkin spice lattes in the fall, peppermint mochas in the winter, or a classic favorite.

• Vanilla Latte with vanilla bean syrup
• Autumn Spice for a fun fall-inspired taste
• Mocha with chocolate syrup
• Floral lavender latte
• Caramel Latte with my favorite caramel syrup
• Peppermint Mocha
• Brown Sugar Syrup
• For a basic sweetener, just add a little simple syrup

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

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Get the Recipe How to Make a Homemade Latte (No Fancy Equipment)

Prep: 5 minutes minsTotal: 5 minutes mins Servings: 1 latte Print Pin Rate Make a homemade latte without any special equipment! That's right, no espresso machine or milk frother is needed for this latte at home. This DIY version saves you time and money and is completely customizable with your favorite latte syrup. 1/2x1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 ounces espresso (2 shots), or ½ cup strong coffee
• ▢ 6-8 ounces whole milk, or milk of choice
• ▢ Latte Syrup, optional

Equipment

• ▢ 16-Ounce Wide Mouth Mason Jar
• ▢ Handheld Frother Wand optional
• ▢ Double-Wall Glass Coffee Mugs

Instructions

1. Brew espresso or strong coffee as desired. Pour milk into a mason jar and microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Depending on your microwave, you may need to continue heating in 30-second increments up to another minute. You want the milk hot, but not boiling. 3 ounces espresso (2 shots), 6-8 ounces whole milk
2. Carefully remove the jar of milk from the microwave; you may need to use a towel or potholder as it will be hot. Put the lid on the mason jar, making sure it is tightly sealed, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute. See notes below for additional frothing methods.
3. Continue using a towel or potholder and remove the lid carefully, being aware of any pressure that may have built up in the jar. Pour the milk over the espresso, topping with any foam that remains in the jar. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Use caution when shaking and opening the mason jar! Make sure the lid is on tight, use a towel or pot-holder to hold the jar as needed, and open the lid carefully (I again, use a towel in hand).
• Additional frothing methods: 
  • Use a milk frother wand
  • Shake the jar of milk before microwaving. Make sure the milk doubles in size before microwaving, then once heated, immediately pour it into your espresso.
  • Heat milk in a saucepan on the stovetop (or again in the microwave) then use a whisk to froth the milk. 
• Strong Coffee: if using strongly brewed coffee instead of espresso, consider using more coffee/less milk for a more latte-like coffee-forward flavor.

Calories: 107kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 73mg, Potassium: 320mg, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 276IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 0.1mg Course: BeverageAuthor: Becca MillsCuisine: American Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

The post “4 Ways to Make a Homemade Lattes” was originally published in March 2017; in May 2022 each latte was re-published as individual posts.