Skip the expensive chain lattes and make your own latte at home! This easy recipe will show you how to make a Homemade Latte without any special equipment.

Start with a basic latte recipe and let your imagination go wild to flavor your latte exactly how you like! Make a vanilla latte, peppermint latte, pumpkin spice latte, peanut butter mocha latte, and more!

A latte is a coffee drink made with espresso, steamed milk, and a layer of milk foam. And it is downright divine.

But instead of purchasing a latte from your favorite coffee shop, which can quickly put a dent in your bank account, you can easily prepare a latte from the comfort of your own home.

And you don't even need an expensive espresso machine or milk frother. With this simple recipe for a homemade latte, you can enjoy a latte each and every morning--and keep money in your pocket.

Key Ingredients

Coffee: Espresso or strongly brewed coffee is essential for a flavorful latte. Decaffeinated works just the same.
Milk: Any variety you like. Skim milk, whole milk, reduced fat. Or for a Dairy-Free/Vegan Latte use non-dairy milk such as almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. You can even use a flavored creamer for a rich, sweet, flavored latte.

Tools Needed

Instead of an expensive espresso machine or fancy milk frother, you only need ONE expensive tool to make a perfect latte.

A small kitchen whisk.

Whisking milk after it heats will form bubbles, or aerate the milk, creating a thick milk foam that is crucial for a good latte.

I do recommend looking for a whisk that will fit inside your coffee mug and I personally find that an aluminum whisk works to produce more bubbles and froth better than a silicone whisk.

milk, whisk and coffee beans in picture.

How to Make a Latte

Brew the coffee or espresso of your choice.
While the coffee is brewing, heat the milk of your choice for 30-45 seconds in a microwave-safe coffee mug.
Once the milk is heated, take a small whisk and vigorously whisk back and forth for 15-30 seconds until the milk forms large bubbles and becomes frothy. This will form the foam on your latte.

Mug with heated milk that is frothed with bubbles.

Slowly pour the strong coffee or a shot of espresso into the mug over the frothed milk. The foam will rise to the top of the mug, giving you a pretty close replication of a traditional latte.

Coffee being poured into a mug with frothed milk.

Alternatively, you can heat the milk in a glass measuring cup and then whisk your milk until bubbles form. Pour coffee or espresso into a mug and then gently pour the frothed milk over the coffee. Spoon the remaining foam on top of your latte.

Flavored Homemade Lattes

You can opt to use flavored non-dairy milk or a flavored coffee creamer to heat and foam, which will add flavor and sweetness to your latte. The options are as endless as the varieties of creamers. Or you can opt to personally add flavoring to your homemade latte. This will allow you to control the level of sweetness and type of milk yourself.

Sweetened Latte: To sweeten a homemade latte, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or honey to the milk and heat as directed. This will allow the sweetener to dissolve into the milk and add sweetness to the latte.
Vanilla Latte: After heating the milk, add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk as directed. The vanilla extract will flavor the milk just as a flavored creamer would (without the added sugar, but of course, feel free to sweeten the latte as well.)
Mocha Latte: Once the milk has been heated, add 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup. Froth as directed and enjoy a nice touch of chocolate in your latte.
Pumpkin Spice Latte: Heat ½ cup of strong coffee with 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Add that to the frothed milk of your choice.

Serving Suggestions

Even on the busiest days or on the tightest of budgets, you can indulge in your caffeine cravings with this simple Homemade Latte. It can be enjoyed alone or paired with your favorite breakfast or brunch recipe, such as the recipes below.

If you gave this simple recipe for a homemade latte a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Latte in glass mug with coffee beans on the counter.

Homemade Latte

A super simple recipe for a homemade latte that requires no special equipment.

4.99 from 90 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Italian

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 41kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup milk any variety
▢ 6 ounces strongly brewed coffee or espresso any variety

Instructions

Heat the milk for 30-45 seconds in your microwave in the cup you intend to drink your coffee from.
Once the milk of your choice is heated, take a small whisk and vigorously whisk back and forth for 15-30 seconds until the milk forms large bubbles and is frothy.
Pour the coffee directly over the frothed milk or brew over the frothed milk. The milk will rise to the top of the mug.
Alternatively, you can heat the milk in a glass measuring cup and then froth. Pour coffee or espresso into a mug and then gently pour the frothed milk over the coffee. Spoon the remaining foam on top of your latte.

Notes

For a dairy-free/vegan latte, use non-dairy milk such as almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk.
Sweetened Latte--add 1-2 teaspoons your choice of sweetener to your milk of choice BEFORE heating milk.
Vanilla Latte--add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract to milk before after heating milk but before you add coffee.
Chocolate/Mocha Latte--add 1-2 tablespoons chocolate syrup to milk BEFORE heating milk.

Nutrition

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This post was originally shared in 2020, but updated in 2022 with a few tips.