How To Make High-Quality Lattes at Home

Over the years that espresso has been popularized, cafés have been mastering the art of the perfect latte. The complicated layers of this drink made it so that for the longest time, it simply wasn’t available at home—requiring commercial-grade equipment and the expertise of a barista. By the end of this blog, you may make the same determination: that the hassle of learning the process and making consistent quality lattes is too expensive and cumbersome for your morning. But for those of you who are determined to achieve high-quality lattes at home, we have outlined a way to get you there.   

The Base of a Latte: Espresso 

Before we detail how to make your own lattes at home, we first have to cover what goes into this famous drink. The base of every good latte is the perfect shot of espresso. Since the 1800s, this famous Italian drink has evolved from a fast way of brewing drip coffee into the velvety and strong drink that mystifies baristas and customers alike. This rich little cup of coffee packs flavor and texture into a two-ounce pour of coffee. To learn more about what makes this drink so special, read our blog on the history of espresso here.  

An image of our three espresso coffees in a row on a counter in-café with machinery behind them.

Espresso Equipment 

One of the primary reasons people choose to buy their lattes from a café instead of making them at home is the equipment that is required to make them. Espresso machines work at 9 bars of pressure to force hot water through very fine and compact particles of coffee to make the paramount component of flavor and texture in espresso—crema. These machines are specialized and expensive, and the affordable at-home models often do not achieve the same caliber of work as the commercial models at your local café. If you drink espresso every day and are willing to accept that you may have a learning curve surrounding the intricacies of espresso, it may be time to make the investment.

An image of our in-café espresso machine, checkout counter, pastry case, and part of our Lafayette café. Plates and cups are stacked neatly above the machine.

Choosing the Right Coffee 

Once you have invested in the right equipment, your next step is to choose a coffee to brew as espresso and determine its brewing parameters. There are many coffees to choose from and it mostly comes down to personal choice. A common misconception is that espresso drinks require a certain type of high-quality coffee bean—that there is a particular coffee bean fit for espresso. The good news is that you can take just about any coffee you like and brew it under the correct parameters to create espresso. Read more on that here. Choosing your parameters will include the following measurements: 

  • A dose: How much coffee (using weighed in grams) goes into your portafilter
  • A yield: How much liquid espresso (can be measured in weight or volume) is dispensed into your cup.  
  • An extraction time: How long (in seconds) it takes for your espresso shot to brew. This can be manipulated by grind size. 

A great place to start is the following recipe, and you should adjust based on personal preferences and the specific coffee you are brewing—they will all require different parameters! If it tastes too bitter, you can shorten the extraction time by making your grind size coarser, and if it tastes too weak or acidic, you can lengthen your extraction time by making your grind size finer. Understanding these steps is crucial to controlling the way your espresso tastes. 

Our Suggested Starting Point for a Latte Recipe

  • Dose: 18-19g
  • Yield: 2 oz
  • Extraction time: 24-30 seconds 

 

An image of an arm and hand holding an iced latte in a plastic cup with our logo on the front of it. There is lots of ice in the drink.

Steaming Milk 

After espresso, the next crucial component of a latte is the steamed milk that balances the drink and makes the creamy, comforting beverage we can all get behind. Steaming milk involves aerating it—allowing air to come into the milk with a steam wand to create a smooth and creamy layer of microfoam on top. The presence of microfoam instead of a thick layer of bubbly foam is usually what sets apart a high-quality latte from a low-quality one. You want a creamy and homogenous texture to your steamed milk that will lend a velvety texture and easy latte art. The first step to achieving this is to aerate less than you think you should and incorporate large bubbles into the total volume of the milk with a vortex. This takes lots of practice and watching it done many times—remain patient, watch videos, and practice often! 

Close up shot of barista artfully pouring foamy milk into a cup full of espresso, creating beautiful latte art.

Clean Up 

As mentioned in our blog on machine maintenance, it is crucial to upkeep your equipment with thorough cleaning procedures. Reference the section on Maintenance for Home Espresso Machines to learn our best practices for maintaining your machine.  

Final Words 

Overall, learning how to master making high-quality lattes at home will take time and practice. We hope that these tips guide you well to get started, but as you continue in your practice, feel free to ask our baristas for advice or reach out about taking one of our classes. We will happily guide you through the process of creating high-quality lattes in person!  

An image of two arms and hands cheersing with hot coffee cups. The background shows a blurred image of trees with changing leaves and the sun shining through.

February 18, 2025
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