A vanilla latte is one of the easiest coffee shop drinks to recreate without any special equipment. No espresso machine, no steam wand, just a stovetop or a strong cup of coffee and a few minutes.
What you need
- Strong coffee or espresso (a moka pot, French press, or strong instant coffee all work)
- Milk of your choice
- Vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
- A small saucepan or milk frother, if you have one
The method
- Brew your coffee strong. A latte needs a bold base since it gets diluted by milk, so use more coffee than you would for a regular cup.
- Heat your milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Whisk it vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds to build some froth, or use a handheld frother if you have one.
- Stir a teaspoon or two of vanilla sugar into the hot milk until dissolved. This is where the flavour comes from, rather than a bottled syrup.
- Pour the coffee into a mug, then pour the milk over it, holding back the foam with a spoon until last, then spoon it on top.
Why vanilla sugar instead of syrup
Bottled vanilla syrups are usually built for volume and shelf life, which often means artificial flavouring and a thin, one-note taste. A vanilla sugar made with real vanilla, like Dirty Vanilla, dissolves cleanly into hot milk and carries a rounder flavour without watering down the drink.
Variations to try
- Iced vanilla latte: make a vanilla simple syrup by dissolving vanilla sugar in a small amount of hot water, then pour over ice, milk, and cold coffee
- Dairy-free version: oat milk froths particularly well and pairs nicely with vanilla
- Extra depth: a pinch of cinnamon on top adds warmth without overpowering the vanilla
Once you have the method down, it takes less time than queuing for one.