How to Make Iced Latte at Home: A Refreshing Twist on the Classic Drink
Aside from the classic cappuccino, the latte is, in our opinion, the perfect drink. Something about the trifecta of rich espresso, velvety steamed milk, and buttery whipped cream makes even the dreariest Mondays seem right again.
But what if you’re in a heat wave but still want to enjoy a latte? Don’t worry. We’ve got you. Keep reading to learn how to make an iced latte at home.
Ingredients and Equipment
- Vanilla cold brew coffee ice cubes
- 60 ml vanilla syrup
- Two 45-ml shots of espresso
- 240 ml of whole or oat milk
- Whipped cream
- A good burr grinder
- Espresso machine, Moka pot, or Aeropress
- One 1-litre French press
- Ice cube tray
- One 300 ml coffee mug
- A scale
- One 475 ml glass
The Best Latte Machines
At a Glance
Brew Time: 5 minutes (Assembly only)
The best latte machines elevate the classic latte experience from humdrum to memorable. The espresso shots are rich and sweet—with a thick crema—and the milk is creamy and rich, with a velvety mouthfeel throughout.
Enjoying Iced Lattes All Year Round
But as comforting as a warm cafe con leche latte or a coconut milk latte can be on cold mornings, sometimes, it’s too hot. Maybe you need an iced cappuccino drink or an iced latte?
Behold the iced latte recipe.
The Perfect Iced Latte Recipe
A typical iced latte at popular coffee shops uses regular ice cubes to chill the drink, but inevitably, it dilutes the flavor. So for this iced latte recipe, we’ll add vanilla cold brew coffee ice cubes to the bottom of the glass.
To make these, buy or make 475 ml of cold brew concentrate. Then stir in either homemade or store-bought vanilla syrup into the cold brew in a 475 ml glass or mug.
Portion the vanilla cold brew into your standard ice tray and freeze until you’re ready to assemble the iced latte.
If you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you can use strong coffee or an Aeropress attachment to make a latte without an espresso machine. While you can use whichever brewing method you choose, Home Grounds suggests using either the Moka pot or an Aeropress with the Joepresso attachment for best results. These two brewing methods yield the most decadent, most complex flavor without adding too many steps to the brewing process.
Also, if you’re in a pinch and have neither option, cold brew concentrate or substantial iced coffee works here, too.
How to Make a Delicious Iced Latte at Home
The Perfect Milk for Your Iced Latte
Though you can use any dairy or non-dairy option in this iced latte, we suggest using whole or oat milk. Both produce a velvety, creamy, frothed milk that adds texture and richness to the iced latte. However, almond milk is a great choice, too. While it can create the velvety foam we’re looking for, it will take longer.
Creating the Vanilla Syrup
For best results, Home Grounds suggests making your vanilla syrup from scratch. But for convenience’s sake, a high-quality store-bought vanilla syrup works here, too. While this is optional, we think no latte is complete without it. And while the store-bought stuff will do in a pinch, homemade whipped cream is effortless, and you can even make it in the 1-liter French press you’ll use for this recipe.
The Recipe for a Simple Iced Latte
Now that you’ve finished everything let’s make a simple iced latte. First, if you’re using store-bought vanilla syrup, skip to the next step. Otherwise, make a simple syrup by combining one cup each of room temperature water and your sweetener of choice in a small saucepan. Bring this to medium heat and gently stir to help the sugar dissolve.
Once the sugar is dissolved, add four teaspoons of high-quality vanilla extract, two scraped vanilla beans, ¼ cup of sweetened condensed milk or heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything to combine, bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, turn off the heat, and let this simmer for 20 minutes. Finally, strain this syrup through a fine mesh sieve for the smoothest results.
Cold Brew Ice Cubes
This vanilla syrup is versatile, like this recipe’s cold brew ice cubes. In a 475 ml glass or mug, combine 475 ml of cold brew concentrate and vanilla syrup to taste. Gently stir to combine and transfer the mixture into the ice cube tray. Because these cold brew ice cubes work for many coffee drinks, keep one or two trays on hand to chill any iced latte.
The Espresso Shots
First, measure and grind 15 grams of any coffee bean you choose. If you’ve got it, grind your coffee and measure into a double, non-pressurized portafilter, or follow your stove-top moka pot instructions. Pull your shots directly into the glass over your ice cubes or into a mug or shot glasses. Because espresso turns bitter the longer you let it sit; Home Grounds recommends pulling the shots directly into the glass over ice to slow down this reaction.
Frothing the Milk
Pour 240 ml of whole or oat milk into a 1-liter French press. Start with two or three air injections to stretch or incorporate air into the milk. Then texture the foam by bringing the French press plunger down near the bottom of the press and pulsing several times until you get the microfoam you want. Occasionally swirl and tap the French media on the countertop for an even better texture to eliminate more giant bubbles. Check out Lance Hendrick’s video to visually demonstrate this frothing technique.
Assembling Your Iced Latte
Place vanilla cold brew ice cubes into the bottom of a 475 ml glass. Add your espresso-style shots to the ice, add more vanilla syrup to taste, pour in your frothed milk, stir to combine, and top with whipped cream. Enjoy your homemade iced latte!
Article Title: How to Make a Ridiculously Simple Iced Vanilla Latte at Home
And there you have it, a ridiculously simple iced vanilla latte you can make at home. Serve this alongside a thick slice of banana bread for the best results. Or here’s a tremendous variation if you want to make a Starbucks copycat vanilla iced latte or this special Christmas latte recipe for the holidays!
Did you make this iced vanilla latte? What’d you think? Please drop us a comment below.
FAQs – How to Make Iced Latte at Home
Do You Have to Use Vanilla Syrup?
You don’t have to use vanilla syrup; you can use any. Feel free to mix and match different syrups to create whatever iced latte you like. You don’t even have to buy dedicated syrups. Make your coffee creamers (1).
How Do You Scale Up This Recipe?
To scale up this recipe, consider the number of espresso shots, the amount of milk, and whether you want to leave room for whipped cream. Generally speaking, you’ll use three tablespoons of syrup or creamer for a 360-ml latte, 4 for a 475-ml one, and 5 for a 600-ml latte. For steamed milk, remember to account for the foam. So in this recipe, we used 240 ml of milk to allow it to expand by 120 ml—or by one-third of our starting volume.
Can You Flavor the Cold Brew Ice Cubes?
Yes, you can flavor the ice cubes with other syrups. Experiment with chocolate cold brew ice cubes for an iced coffee mocha or hazelnut cold brew ice cubes for a Ferrero Rocher latte.
