Latte (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)

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A latte is an espresso drink with frothed milk. See how to recreate this Starbucks drink at home using an espresso machine or Nespresso.

Starbucks Latte copycat in a clear glass.

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Recipe Highlights

  • A Starbucks Caffè Latte (shortened to Latte), is a hot drink that’s made with espresso (never with brewed coffee from a drip coffee machine) and steamed milk that has a light layer of foam.
  • Use an espresso machine or a Nespresso to make espresso at home for this drink.
  • An electric milk frother can be used to make frothed milk.
  • Lattes don’t come sweetened but you can add simple syrup or any flavored syrup like vanilla syrup to dress it up.
  • This copycat recipe recreates a grande size (16 ounces) Starbucks Latte using just 2 ingredients.

RELATED: Starbucks Vanilla Latte Copycat

Lattes at Starbucks

The Latte is the starting point of all the flavored lattes at Starbucks. A Vanilla Latte is a Latte with vanilla syrup and a Pumpkin Spice Latte is a Latte with pumpkin spice sauce.

The espresso used in a latte is Starbucks Signature Espresso, which is a dark roast.

Lattes come in 4 drink sizes: short, tall, grande, and venti. Short and tall drink sizes are made with 1 shot of espresso, and grande and venti are made with 2 shots.

RELATED: Starbucks Iced Latte Copycat

Ingredient Notes

Starbucks Latte copycat ingredients in measuring cups on a table.

For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Espresso poured into a cup.

Step 1: Put espresso into a cup.


Use 2 Nespresso espresso pods or pull 2 shots from an espresso machine.

Frothed milk poured into a cup with espresso.

Step 2: Add frothed milk. Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother or with the steam wand from an espresso machine. Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.

My Milk Frother Pick

Photo Credit: williams-sonoma.com

Love this milk frother over the Nespresso Aeroccino since it's much bigger. Makes frothed milk and cold foam!
SHOP NOW

Using a Nespresso

Espresso is essential to a latte and it’s super easy to make espresso from a Nespresso machine.

My Nespresso Pick
This Nespresso model makes espresso and brewed coffee and costs around $200. Tip: Skip the Aeroccino and get a bigger milk frother.
SHOP NOW

1 shot of espresso = 1 Nespresso espresso capsule

You’ll need 2 espresso shots for a 16 ounce drink, which means you’ll need 2 Nespresso pods to recreate the Starbucks Latte. You can also use 1 double espresso capusule.

To get the drink to taste as close to the one at Starbucks, use Starbucks Espresso Roast pods from Nespresso. Starbucks pods are made by Nespresso.

Nespresso Starbucks Espresso Vertuo capsules
Nespresso Starbucks Espresso Original capsules

Try making the drink with Starbucks Blonde Espresso capsules which are more popular than the regular Espresso capsules.

Expert Tips

  • Milk will increase in volume when frothed. To get 1 ½ cups of frothed milk, use 1 cup of cold milk.
  • No espresso machine or a Nespresso? Use instant coffee instead although it won’t taste quite the same as espresso. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 1/4 cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.
  • Nespresso Aeroccino froths milk, but it doesn’t hold enough milk to make a grande size latte. Get a milk frother that can create 1 ¾ cups of steamed milk, like the Breville milk frother.
  • Lattes are always assembled with espresso first, then the steamed milk.
  • To make flavored lattes, add 2 tablespoons of flavored simple syrup to the latte. The most popular flavor is vanilla.

Questions You May Have

What is in a Starbucks Latte?

A grande Latte has a double shot of espresso and steamed milk.

Is there caffeine in a latte?

Yes. There are two espresso shots in the recipe that makes a 16 ounce size drink. If you use Starbucks Signature Espresso Roast, it will be about 150 mg of caffeine.

Can I use dairy-free milk to make a latte?

Yes. At home, you can use any alternative milk you like. Some dairy-free milks, like oat milk and almond milk, come in barista versions, which are blended to froth up the way dairy milk would.

What’s the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?

Both drinks are made with espresso and steamed milk but a latte has just a light layer of foam while a cappuccino has a thicker layer of foam at Starbucks.

Starbucks Latte copycat in a clear glass mug.

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Starbucks Latte Copycat

Author: Jee Choe
A super easy, 2 ingredient recipe to make a Starbucks Latte at home.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Yield1 serving (16 ounces)

INGREDIENTS
 

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Put espresso into a cup.
    Use 2 Nespresso espresso pods or pull 2 shots from an espresso machine.
  • Add frothed milk.
    Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother or with the steam wand from an espresso machine. Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.

NOTES

  • 2 shots of espresso = 2 Nespresso espresso capsules
  • To make a 16 ounce (grande) Starbucks drink, you’ll need 2 Nespresso espresso or ristretto capsules. You can also use 1 Vertuo double espresso.
  • Any kind of milk can be used but Starbucks makes theirs with 2% milk.
  • Milk will increase in volume when frothed. To get 1 ½ cups of frothed milk, use 1 cup of cold milk.
  • No espresso machine or a Nespresso? Use instant coffee instead although it won’t taste quite the same as espresso. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 1/4 cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.
  • Lattes are always assembled with espresso first, then the steamed milk.
  • To make flavored lattes, add 2 tablespoons of flavored simple syrup to the latte. The most popular flavor is vanilla.

NUTRITION

Calories: 212 | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 647mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 497mg | Iron: 1mg

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