Turn Your Kitchen Into A Coffee Shop With This Iced Caramel Latte

Lattes are arguably the most popular milk-based coffee drinks in the world. They have evolved from the standard milk and coffee blend to delicious cold brews like the iced caramel latte. Since this cool and refreshing caffeinated beverage is easy to make at home, you don’t have to visit your local barista to enjoy an iced latte.

An iced caramel latte is made with strong coffee or two espresso shots, milk, and caramel sauce. Top it with heavy whipping cream to give the latte a smooth and creamy texture. You can make an iced caramel latte with whole milk or dairy-free milk options such as oat or soy milk.

Iced coffee drinks are great for cooling off during the warmer months. The iced caramel lattes are a refreshing and delicious way to kick-start your day and give you a boost. So skip the trip to the coffee shop and make this yummy coffee drink using this iced caramel latte guide.

How Do You Make an Iced Caramel Latte at Home?

Sweet Homemade Caramel Iced Latte Coffee

Although lattes are made with espresso, you can replicate your favorite Starbucks recipe at home by substituting the espresso with strong coffee. If you have a brewed pot of coffee, you can make and enjoy a caramel-flavored iced latter in a matter of minutes.

What You Need

Below are the ingredients you need for a homemade iced caramel latte:

  • 2 ounces of espresso or strong coffee (chilled)
  • Caramel sauce (on Amazon) to taste
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • Ice cubes or coffee ice cubes for serving
  • Heavy whipping cream for topping (optional)

Ensure that the coffee is at room temperature or chilled before starting preparation to prevent the ice from melting quickly.

How to Make it

Follow the following steps to make the homemade iced caramel latte:

  1. Pour the coffee or espresso into a tall glass.
  1. Add caramel sauce to taste.
  1. Stir the mixture until the caramel is dissolved.
  1. Add ice to fill the glass.
  1. Add 1/2 a cup of cold milk of choice and stir.
  1. Top the drink with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce if desired.
  1. Enjoy!

Although the cream is optional, adding a spoonful of whipped cream before serving adds a finishing touch.

What are the Best Dairy-Free Milk Options?

Starbucks uses 2% milk in their coffee drinks, but you can incorporate any type of milk into this recipe, including non-dairy milk. Some of the best dairy-free milk options for an iced caramel latte include:

  • Oat milk
  • Soy milk
  • Coconut milk
  • Almond milk
  • Cashew milk
  • Macadamia nut milk

These non-dairy milk options may affect the taste, so it’s best to use the dairy-free milk option with the most neutral taste.

It’s important to note that the higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier the latte will be.

Choosing Your Milk-to-Coffee Ratio

Iced caramel latte coffee cocktail with milk and coffee cubes

The latte is the largest and milkiest of milk-based coffee beverages. Iced lattes usually comprise 1 to 2 ounces of coffee or espresso, 8 to 14 ounces of cold milk, and ice.

The glass size is the primary determinant of the milk-to-coffee ratio for iced lattes. The larger the glass, the more ice you’ll need.

Below are the recommended ratios for lattes of varying sizes:

  • 12-ounce iced caramel latte: This is equivalent to a small-size drink from the coffee shop and requires a shot of espresso, 8 ounces of milk, and an ounce of caramel syrup or sauce.
  • 16-ounce iced caramel latte: This serving is the same as a medium size drink from the coffee shop and needs two espresso shots, 8 ounces of milk, and 2 ounces of caramel syrup.
  • 20-ounce iced caramel latte: Equal to a large-sized drink from a coffee shop, this serving needs three espresso shots, four ounces of caramel syrup or liquid sweetener, and 8 ounces of milk.

Choosing Your Roast

What coffee roast is best for the iced caramel latte? Coffee roast indicates how strong the coffee’s taste is. The best coffee roasts for making iced lattes are medium and dark roasts.

Since medium and dark roasts are medium to full-bodied and have a slight acidity with few strong undertones, they are best for making espressos and lattes.

  • Use a dark roast (on Amazon) for your latte if you love strong coffee, and use medium roast coffee to brew a mellow latter with subtle coffee notes.
  • Light roasted coffee beans have very light notes that can be underwhelming for the flavorful iced caramel lattes.
  • Most coffee shops use espresso coffee when making lattes. So ensure to use freshly roasted and ground coffee beans to double brew your coffee to achieve the robust coffee flavor offered by espresso.
  • Double-brewed coffee is more robust and requires you to double the amount of coffee you usually use.

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