Latin American Ingredients to Spice Up Your At-Home Lattes
When we found out that August is National Coffee Month, we honestly couldn’t hide our glee
Photo:Unsplash/ Alexander Schimmeck
When we found out that August is National Coffee Month, we honestly couldn’t hide our glee. We absolutely live for that morning cafecito–and the afternoon one too. And while we absolutely love to indulge in a decadent latte from our favorite craft coffee shop, it’s more of a special treat because…well, the way we got our bank account set up, those $6 lattes can’t happen every day.
While we’re no experts in latte art just yet, we have actually learned how to whip up a pretty good latte at home. The fun thing about making lattes at home is that they are so easy to customize using your preferred ingredients and favorite flavors. For us, that often means going back to our roots and using Latin American ingredients that are comforting and delicious to jazz up our coffee. Here we’re sharing some tasty ideas for homemade lattes featuring ingredients and flavors that are popular throughout Latin America.wp_*posts
Mexican Mocha Latte
The iconic flavor of spicy Mexican chocolate melds beautifully with coffee. And when you add rich spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper, it truly takes it over the top. This one we think would be best served hot since it’s so similar to Mexican hot chocolate, but you could totally try it iced as well. We’d just recommend letting the latte mixture cool completely before pouring it over ice.
Get the full recipe from A Spicy Perspective.
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Coconut Latte
If you’re as obsessed with coconut as we are, you’ve got to try this recipe for coconut lattes. It uses the creamy tropical fruit in multiple forms to layer the flavor in the coffee drink. We’re talking coconut milk, coconut sugar, coconut syrup and coconut extract all in one delicious hot beverage.
Get the full recipe from How Sweet Eats.wp_*posts
Horchata Latte
Why didn’t we think of this before?! In this Latin-inspired coffee drink, traditional horchata is used in place of milk to create a super-flavorful hot horchata latte that will literally make you drool. Not only will you get that big boost of energy from the two shots of espresso it’s combined with, you’ll also get to enjoy the taste of home.
Get the full recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.wp_*posts
Cajeta Latte
OMG! Caramel is the perfect complement to coffee, but just imagine using creamy cajeta or dulce de leche instead of standard caramel sauce. Yum! Caramel made with milk or cream like it’s made in Latin America just has so much more flavor and feels like such a treat. We love the idea of stirring it into our lattes and drizzling it on top of the foam.
Get the full recipe from Kiwilimon.
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Coquito Latte
Yup, you read that right. You can actually make a coquito latte, combining two faves in one. Coquito is a spiced coconut rum drink commonly enjoyed over the holidays in Puerto Rican and Dominican homes. And it can be used in place of milk in your coffee drink. However, if you don’t want the alcohol, you can also leave the rum out of the coquito and just use it almost like a coffee creamer.
Get the full recipe from Delish D’Lites.wp_*posts
Cinnamon Latte
Cinnamon is honestly a ubiquitous spice throughout Latin America, whether it’s sprinkled on churros or simmered in arroz dulce, it’s a Latin favorite. It’s also one of the easiest ways to add flavor to your homemade latte. All you have to do is simmer a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon with the milk and sugar for your latte and you’ll have a delicious warming coffee drink in no time.
Get the full recipe from Cooking Perfected.wp_*posts
Tres Leches Latte
This tres leches latte is practically dessert in a glass, and that’s exactly how some of us like our lattes to taste. It’s a rich combination of condensed milk, espresso and caramel, which serves as the third milk. It looks so decadent and easy to make, especially since many of us already keep all of these ingredients in our pantries anyway.
Get the full recipe from brewedbythea on Instagram.
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Hot Buttered Rum Latte
What can we say? Rum just goes so well with coffee and there’s a bottle sitting on a shelf in just about every Latin household. Hot buttered rum is actually a drink that originated in the early days of America due to the Caribbean rum trade. It’s a tasty nightcap on its own, but combine it with a cup of your favorite coffee and it turns into an incredible apertif, especially during the cooler months.
Get the full recipe from Olive & Mango.wp_*posts
Grilled Pineapple Latte
Okay, we know this one sounds a little crazy, but think about how delicious grilled pineapple is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and that’s kind of the vibe here, which we’re totally into. If anything, it’s worth trying just for fun. It’s actually created by adding a grilled pineapple to simple syrup for 24 hours to infuse it with the piña flavor, then the syrup is used to sweeten your homemade latte.
Get the full recipe from A Beautiful Mess.
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Ginger Tea Latte
And so our tea lovers don’t feel left out, we’re taking it way back with this latte inspired by abuela’s classic remedio for a cold or cough–ginger tea with lots of honey. This one is actually great to drink to help you feel relaxed and comforted before you go to sleep for the night. To make it, you make a homemade tea of fresh ginger and spices like cinnamon, star anise and clove and combine it with a bit of ghee (clarified butter), honey and milk to create a steamy and soothing latte.
Get the full recipe from Delish D’Lites.
