With the summer sun at full strength, we’re looking for more refreshing ways to enjoy our daily coffee, especially that 2pm, heat of the day pick-me-up. We miss lattes, but they’re just less appealing when it’s 100° out.
That’s where iced lattes come in. Is this a groundbreaking drink (pun intended)? No, of course not. But it’s surprisingly home barista-friendly, and also a great excuse to take a quick break and brew something delicious.
If you make coffee at home, you already have everything you need to recreate this easy barista staple at home (no espresso machine required).
Make Iced Lattes at Home
Lattes are fun because you can experiment with so many different flavor combinations. We’re partial to the classic, but don’t be afraid to use the recipe below as a basic starting point and get creative!
What you’ll need:
- Drink shaker (or a carafe / pitcher you can stir vigorously in!)
- Your favorite coffee beans or grounds
- Water
- Ice
- Creamy thing of choice (milk, half and half, almond milk, etc)
- Whipped cream (optional but always fun!)
Sidenote: An Aeropress (or other kind of espresso machine) is a great device for making lattes because you can use a super fine grind to brew concentrated coffee that’s almost espresso. However, if you don’t own one, just brew a concentrated version of your regular coffee.
Don’t own a grinder? Check out our top 5 favorite grinders.
Instructions:
- Brew coffee with a high ratio of coffee to water. Generally, it is safe to go 12.5 grams of water for every 1 gram coffee (12.5:1).
- Fill drink shaker or carafe with ice.
- Add coffee to shaker / carafe.
- Add 12-16 oz. of creaminess.
- Shake or stir vigorously for ~ 30 seconds
- Strain over ice.
- Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Other versions to try:
1. Cold Brew Iced Latte– Just follow our instructions in this article about Making Cold Brew in Your French Press (if you don’t have a French Press, you really just need a pitcher or mason jar) to make the concentrate. When ready, fill a cup with ice- adding sweetener first (this is optional, of course)-then add the Cold Brew concentrate. Add creamer of your choice, filling the cup the rest of the way. Stir until well mixed and enjoy!
2. Iced Honey Latte– This recipe will also work with agave if you prefer that to honey. Fill a mason jar (or cup with a lid) with ice, coffee, and honey. Shake for ~ 1 minute. Add half and half, shake again to mix (~30 seconds) and serve.
3. Iced Lavender Dirty Chai Latte– This recipe is from The Almond Eater and it looked too good not to share. You need Cold Brew concentrate (or 1 shot of espresso), creamer, and ice as well as cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, freshly sliced ginger, lavender buds, sugar and water. Check out the full recipe here.
4. Horchata Iced Lattes– This recipe comes from Milly’s Kitchen and is a great way to combat the summer heat. It’s an added bonus that you get to learn how to make horchata as well- it’s delicious! You’ll need long-grain rice, almonds, cinnamon sticks, sugar, sea salt, vanilla, heavy cream (optional), and espresso. Check out the full recipe here.
Hopefully you’re already in your kitchen because this has inspired you to try to make iced lattes at home. If you’re not, consider giving one of these (or your own) recipes a try next time you make coffee.
Happy sipping!
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