Maple Latte

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This homemade maple latte uses strong regular coffee instead of espresso for an easy at home coffee shop latte flavored with maple syrup. Enjoy the sweet flavor of fall at home with just a few simple ingredients and easy process.

two cups of pale brown coffee drinks with a carafe of maple syrup on a white table

This super easy homemade maple latte was born back in 2020 when I desperately missed my indulgent stop at the coffee shop before tackling the grocery store with my kids. Instead, I had to rely on my homemade inclinations and learn things like how to make iced coffee at home and how to brew extra strong coffee to whip up a latte with no espresso machine.

Well it’s easier than you think! All you need is a microwave, a jar (or a milk frother if you’re feeling fancy!), and a good pot of coffee. In minutes you’ll have a sweet creamy maple latte that will make you wonder what you’ve been dropping 5 bucks on every other day.

What is a Latte?

As a food nerd, when I start developing a recipe for you all, I like to do my research. So what is a latte, technically?

To be precise a latte is a drink that consists of steamed whole milk poured on a single shot of brewed espresso and topped with foam. There are many different similar drinks, namely the Breve which is my particular favorite kind of latte.

To make a breve latte, whole milk is swapped for half and half or light cream to create a dreamy, creamy latte. This recipe calls for that because in my opinion it’s simply the best kind of latte! BUT, that being said, feel free to use your preferred milk instead.

a creamy homemade latte in a glass cup on a beige napkin

Ingredients

The ingredients to make a classic latte are very easy – espresso and milk. So how to do they create all those different flavors at your coffee shop? It’s a simple addition of extracts, syrups, and other flavoring ingredients.

For this maple syrup latte, since we’re making it at home, it’s a combination of these ingredients:

  • Strong brewed coffee
  • Half and half (or whole milk/milk of your choosing)
  • Maple syrup
  • Maple Extract

To achieve that true maple flavor, you definitely need a bottle of the extract. While I know how to make vanilla extract, maple is a bit beyond me, so I buy a bottle now and again. It’s a fun extract to keep around, I use it to fancy up classic shortbread cookies, or to make my spice cupcakes a little more unique from time to time. Without it in this recipe, you just get a sweet latte (which is still remarkably delicious!).

Pro Tip: To replace an espresso shot with regular coffee, I usually brew my coffee at double strength, 2 tablespoons per 8 ounces of water. You’ll only need half a cups worth to make a latte!

How to Make a Homemade Latte witHout Espresso

Okay, so you’ve got your coffee brewing, your kitchen smells like your favorite coffee shop, and you’re ready to get some homemade latte satisfaction. I’m with you! But now we need to know how to actually make a latte minus a espresso machine and milk steamer.

milk being flavored and frothed in a large cup for a latte

Good news is there’s a much cheaper way to make a fabulous at home latte with fluffy, delicious foam without any expensive equipment.

For a long time I used a mason jar, which works well enough with vigorous shaking, but no matter how much foam I created, it usually dissipated before I got halfway through my coffee.

Then, I discovered the milk frother! This genius little tool from Zulay Kitchen is less than $20 and it creates the BEST foam out of any milk, and really makes you feel like you’re drinking a latte from your favorite coffee shop. It’s luscious foam guys. You can get your milk frother from amazon, or head to the Zulay Kitchen website and order with the code TFHP10 for a 10% discount!

To make your latte it’s incredibly easy, simply combine your half and half, maple syrup, and extract. Pop that in the microwave until it’s nice and hot, then get out your fancy milk frother and let it do it’s thing! Then it’s a simple matter of pouring in the milk and topping it with that luscious foam. If it suits you, I like a dash of cinnamon to top the whole gorgeous thing off.

Make sure you’ve whipped up a buttermilk scones recipe or have a slice of blackberry coffee cake or pumpkin streusel cake and it’s homemade heaven first thing in the morning!

two lattes in glass cups on a brown napkin beside a milk frother

Tips for Making the Perfect Latte

  • Hold the milk frother at a slight angle and pulse it. I found raising and lowering it at the surface of the milk (not the foam, but the actual milk) with a quick pulse created abundant foam.
  • Use a nice tall container to froth the milk, it can splatter if the milk level is near the top of the container you’re using, it will grow in volume as it foams.
  • Use a large spoon to block the foam as you pour in the milk so you can have a foamy perfect top!
  • Choose your milk wisely – higher fat milks like half and half or whole milk will keep your foam stable even as it cools. This means foam until the end of your latte! Low fat milks will still create foam, but they’ll be most stable at higher temperatures.
  • Adjust it to your liking! If you’re a Starbucks latte fan, maybe you like your lattes a bit sweeter than I do. You can adjust your latte by weakening or strengthening your coffee, adding more or less syrup, or adding more or less extract.

Pro Tip: My perfect latte is 2/3 strong coffee and 1/3 sweetened half and half. Once the milk has been foamed it layers into the just sweet enough latte with good coffee and maple flavor.

Questions about Making a Maple Syrup Latte

Can I make this with espresso shots instead?

Of course! I’m jealous! To make it with espresso would be making it more traditionally. Instead of the 2:1 ratio I use with coffee, substitute 1:3, for every 1 espresso shot, add 3 ounces of milk. This may be a stronger coffee than you like, so feel free to adjust that as you see fit.

If I don’t have maple syrup, can I substitute something else?

Yup, you may lose a little in maple flavor, but the maple extract will still create the maple latte experience. I find that brown sugar is a closer match to the maple syrup flavor than white sugar.

My milk frother is in the mail…can I make this now anyway?

Yes, you’re welcome to give a mason jar a go. Simply combine the same ingredients you frothed into a microwave safe jar or container with that has a tight fitting lid. Give the milk, sugar, and extract a solid stir and heat until warmed (leave the lid off while microwaving). Then close the lid and shake like crazy. This usually takes about a minute of vigorous shaking.

foam being ladled into a clear glass coffee cup with a latte in it
Look at that luscious foam!

Now that I’ve spent all this time writing this and looking at these lovely lattes, I think I’ll go whip one up right now. It’s become my indulgent little treat at home rather than a grocery store treat. And you know, it’s saving me quite a lot of money, so who knows, maybe I’ll start making and taking them to go even when the world can return to it’s mask free state.

In any case, I hope you enjoy it, and have fun! Switch up sugars, swap out the extracts, your homemade latte menu is yours to create!

If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy…

Maple Latte

Mikayla M.
A creamy breve style homemade latte made with strong coffee, half and half, and maple flavors.
5 from 19 votes
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course beverage
Cuisine American
Servings 1
Calories 231 kcal

Equipment

  • Milk Frother

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces strong coffee
  • 4 ounces half and half*
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoons maple extract

Instructions
 

  • Combine the half and half, syrup, and extract in a tall microwave safe container.
  • Heat until very warm, this will depend on your microwave, it was 1 minute 15 seconds for mine.
  • Pulse your milk frother while raising and lowering it at the top of the milk until a thick foam forms.
  • Pour the hot coffee into your cup. Use a spoon to hold back the foam while you pour in the liquid, then spoon on the foam.

Notes

*Half and half is used to make a creamy breve style latte, but you can use any milk you like. 
*If you don’t have a milk frother you can combine the milk, syrup, and extract in a mason jar and once hot, seal it and shake it vigorously to create foam. 

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 326mgSugar: 18gVitamin A: 401IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 152mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I’d love to hear what you think, feel free to tag me on Instagram @theflourhandprint so I can see how it went! Until next time, Happy Eating!

Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.

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36 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Yes! Maple and coffee are a fantastic combination, I didn’t have extract, so I added a little bit more maple syrup and it was heavenly. I have found my new favorite latte recipe, I’ll be making it for the rest of the year.

  2. 5 stars
    As a Canadian, I’m required to love maple flavoured anything and it’s not that much of a hardship! Love this spin on my everyday coffee in the morning. I get a little extra pep in my step.

  3. 5 stars
    Yes! The recipe I needed to get my mornings right. Lovely recipe and easy to prepare at home 🙂 Thanks!