How to Make an Easy Homemade Cold Brew Latte

No espresso machine? No problem! Try this perfect way to make a cold brew latte – you won’t be able to tell the difference!

How to Develop a Great Cold Brew Latte Concentrate

Cold brew latte concentrate is so smooth because heat is not used to brew the coffee. When heat is used to make hot coffee that is cooled to use for lattes, it’s not as delicious and smooth. Cold brewed coffee, on the other hand, has less acidity and bitter flavors.

Because of this, we will be using a method that steeps the coffee slowly over a long period of time. This is similar to a regular cold brew, but significantly stronger in order to give it the true latte flavor.

My cold brew recipe process:

I began to develop this cold brew latte recipe using my usual cold brew concentrate recipe I’ve used for years. Unfortunately, coarsely ground coffee makes good iced coffee, but not great lattes. The coarse grind just doesn’t release enough flavor. I wanted a true coffee shop flavor without the expresso machine with that classic cold brew latte taste.

The second thing I tried was to finely grind the coffee beans in my coffee grinder. This got me much closer to the taste I was aiming for. However, it still wasn’t as strong as it needs to be to make a true latte.

My normal cold brew coffee recipe just used regular coffee beans and worked well, but for these lattes, I needed to change out the main ingredient to be espresso beans so I could get the super strong flavor to make lattes in the comfort of your home without an espresso machine. I buy mine at Costco, but this is the brand I buy there.

The last change I made to my cold brew coffee recipe was to change the coffee-to-water ratio. I usually use 4oz coffee for 1/2 gallon of filtered water. To get a very strong concentrate with a smooth coffee flavor that is perfect for lattes, I chose to raise the coffee ratio by 50% and use 6oz of finely ground espresso roast for 1/2 gallon of filtered water. This was amazing!

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Ingredients for Cold Brew Latte Concentrate:

You need only 2 ingredients and a little bit of time to make the best cold brew latte concentrate. Your next at home iced latte is just waiting for you to combine these and make a super simple latte!

• 6 oz finely ground espresso beans
• 1/2 gallon filtered water

Instructions for Cold Brew Latte Concentrate:

Step One:

In a 1/2 gallon container (I use a 1/2 gallon mason jar), combine the 6oz finely ground espresso beans and 1/2 gallon of filtered water.

Don’t use plastic for this, as it can leech chemicals into your cold coffee. I find that glass is safer overall, especially for long periods of steeping.

Step Two:

Once you’ve mixed the coffee grounds and cold water, stir the cold-brew coffee mixture well and allow it to sit on the counter at room temperature for about 24 hours.  I tend to give it a stir with the handle of a wooden spoon whenever I pass it during that 24 hour period.

Alternately, if you feel uncomfortable with it on the counter, you can throw it in the fridge during that 24 hour period.

Step Three:

Once it has been sitting for about 24 hours, strain the mixture through a few layers of thick cheesecloth. I like to use a really fine one to get all the sediment out like THIS ONE to make a smooth cold brew coffee. You can also use a cheesecloth bag or a nut milk bag for the straining. I use this to make plant-based milk, so I always have it on hand.

As a side note, if you need a good almond milk recipe, I have the very best one HERE. I also have a review of the Almond Cow HERE. I have used it to make the following milks: coconut milk, cashew milk, pecan milk, oat milk. It’s an alternative to store-bought plant-based milks but it would be a good idea to read that blog post before investing in one!

Step Four:

Once you’ve made your cold brew latte concentrate, it’s super easy to use. Just combine:

• 1/2c. espresso cold brew concentrate

• 1 cup ice

• 1c whole milk (or your favorite milk of choice)

• Coffee syrup of your choice

…and create a delicious iced latte!

Feel free to adjust the amount of steeped coffee concentrate or the amount of milk to suit your particular taste buds! Some people prefer a strong coffee flavor and others prefer it sweeter and milkier.

Cold Brew Latte Concentrate Storage:

Store the strained coffee in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. I keep it in the half gallon mason jar in the fridge and love storing it that way.

FAQs

What sweeteners can I use in my cold brew latte?

There are SO many ways to serve this! Above, I used a cinnamon vanilla syrup to give it a delicious vanilla flavor with a touch of cinnamon. But you can use any prepared coffee syrup, liquid sweetener, simple syrup, or sugar substitute. I also love mine with maple syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt for that sweet and salty cold drink flavor.

I do have a ton of flavors I’ve been developing and sharing on my blog, so I think this would be a delicious cold brew latte using my lemon latte syrup or my banana bread latte syrup. You’ve got to try them! They are spectacular.

You could also make a cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup, since brown sugar won’t dissolve in cold-brewed coffee. You’d just need to make a simple syrup using brown sugar instead of white sugar and throw a few cinnamon sticks in! It would be a perfect way of making a shaken brown sugar cinnamon oat milk latte!

Lastly, if you like a honey cinnamon latte, you could make a honey syrup with cinnamon in it, since the honey won’t dissolve in the cold drink. You’d need to make it into a simple syrup using honey rather than sugar.

Can I make this in a French Press?

If you didn’t want to make such a big batch, I think you could make a small batch in a French press. If your French press is 32oz (4 cups of water), that’s 1/4 of a gallon.

Just use 3oz of fine grinds and follow the same directions. To strain it, you can use the plunger to press it, but I would still recommend running it through cheese cloth or a nut milk bag to get the remaining fine sediment out of the cold brew coffee concentrate.

Can I use cold brew latte concentrate to make coffee ice cubes?

Of course! Just fill an ice cube tray with the cold brewed coffee. Let it freeze and store the coffee ice cubes in an airtight container or Ziplock bag. Then just use the coffee ice cubes in regular iced coffee, or a cold brew latte for a stronger flavor that is not diluted as the ice melts!

Can I make a cold brew latte with plant-based milk?

Absolutely! You could make this with my super creamy Vitamix Almond Milk – recipe HERE, soy milk, oat milk, or any other dairy-free milk alternative. The creamier the better, though!

Do I have to use espresso roast?

No! If you don’t like such a strong coffee flavor, you can use lighter roasts. However, it won’t be as much like a latte that you’d find in a coffee shop, but if it fits your personal preferences better, it’s the perfect coffee drink for you!

Can I top it with sweetened cold foam?

That would be a great thing to add to this cold brew latte! Cold foam is a popular choice for topping lattes. I usually use a milk frother to combine 1T. of sweetener and 2T. of heavy cream to create a thick, creamy cold foam for topping my cold brew latte!

So that’s it! In the hot days of summer, I know you’ll love this cold brew latte just as much as I do! Keep a big batch in your fridge for when you just need to make your own cold brew coffee latte at home!

Printable recipe card below: