The Perfect Guide to Making an Iced Latte at Home

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 27th, 2023

Enjoying a freshly made iced latte at your favorite coffeehouse is a great way to indulge, but have you ever wondered what goes into creating that perfect iced latte? In this article, we’ll share with you a step-by-step guide to making a delicious 12-ounce iced latte at home, while ensuring the content is Google’s BERT friendly, and provides experience, expertise, authority, and trust. Let’s dive in!


The Basics of an Iced Latte

A regular latte consists of espresso, steamed milk, and froth, with optional flavors, sweeteners, or whipped cream to enhance its taste. An iced latte is essentially the same, but made with cold milk and ice instead of steamed milk.

clear glass jar on brown wooden coaster on table

Step 1: Adding Desired Flavors

Before pulling the espresso shots, add any desired sugar, sweetener, or flavors to the cup. This ensures a smoother blend, avoiding clumps or graininess in the drink. For a 12-ounce iced latte, use one to two ounces of syrup or sauce. Some popular choices include vanilla, caramel, Irish cream, and hazelnut. Many coffeehouses use Torani brand flavors, available at most specialty food stores in smaller sizes.

If you prefer your iced latte without sweeteners or syrups, pour about an inch of milk into the cup instead. Most coffeehouses use 2% milk, but you can opt for skim or whole milk. An iced latte with skim milk is called a “skinny iced latte,” and one made with half-and-half is a “breve iced latte.”

Step 2: Pulling the Shots of Espresso

To extract the best flavor, grind the espresso beans just before pulling the shots. Load the fresh grinds into the portafilter handle, tamp level, and insert it into the espresso machine. Aim to pull shots within 16-26 seconds, preferably between 18-23 seconds.

Immediately after pulling the desired shot(s), pour two into the cup with the sweetener/syrup or milk. For a milder coffee taste, use one shot; for a stronger flavor, use three. Keep in mind that the espresso has a 10-second window before it loses flavor and becomes more bitter.

Step 3: Finishing Touches and Tips

After adding the espresso to the cup, stir to dissolve any sweeteners or syrups. Fill the cup with milk, leaving an inch or two for ice. Mix the drink well and add ice cubes to fill the remaining space. Voila! Enjoy your homemade iced latte!

Remember, pulling shots of espresso can be challenging, especially when under pressure to do it quickly. Practice pulling test shots before starting any drink to determine the ideal tamping level.

With this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well on your way to making the perfect iced latte from the comfort of your own home. Happy brewing!

crazy

Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.