How to Make a Latte at Home (No Espresso Machine Required)

A latte is really just two things: concentrated coffee and silky steamed milk. Coffee shops charge six bucks for that combo. Your kitchen can do it for about sixty cents, no espresso machine required. Let me show you.

What you need

• A strong coffee base: a moka pot is the gold standard with no machine (guide), but an AeroPress or double-strength drip works too.
• Milk: whole froths best, but any milk or oat works.
• A way to froth: a $10 handheld frother, a French press (pump the plunger), or a sealed jar and 30 seconds of shaking.

How to make it

1. Brew the base

Make about 2 to 3 oz of concentrated coffee. With Resurrection Espresso, the base tastes like milk chocolate before the milk even shows up.

2. Heat the milk

Warm 6 to 8 oz of milk to hot-but-not-boiling, about 140 to 150 degrees. On the stove that's when steam rises and little bubbles form at the edge. Microwave works too, about 60 to 90 seconds.

3. Froth

Froth the hot milk until it roughly doubles with fine, glossy foam. Frother: 20 to 30 seconds. French press: pump 15 to 20 times. Jar: shake hard, then microwave 20 more seconds to set the foam. (Want the cafe-quality version? My microfoam guide goes deep.)

4. Combine

Pour the coffee into a wide mug, then pour the milk through the center, holding the foam back with a spoon until the end. Spoon the foam on top.

Dial It Your Way

• Stronger: add a second shot or brew the base tighter; use less milk.
• Sweeter: a teaspoon of vanilla, a drizzle of honey, or a little maple stirred into the hot base.
• Flavored: a dusting of cinnamon turns it into my honey cinnamon latte.
• Iced: cool the base, pour over ice, top with cold milk.

There's something quietly awesome about making the fancy drink yourself, slowly, in your own mug. Saturday mornings were made for this.