Today I’ll show you how to make cappuccino or latte at home without a frother or a machine! The result of this super easy cappuccino recipe will be a cup of delicious cappuccino with thick creamy foam that stays a long time.
The best coffee for cappuccino is an espresso, but instant coffee or coffee alternatives (like chicory coffee) will work too!
When I say we’re learning how to make cappuccino, I don’t mean that sad thin foam that you get when you use a milk frother. Been there, done that. I’m talking creamier and thicker. The type you get at really good coffee places.
I learned how to make cappuccino after having a baby years ago and spending A LOT of time indoors. I just had to, because I was constantly tired and I’m too weak for black coffee. As Malcolm Gladwell suggested, I want my weak milky coffee! Preferably decaf. Yes, that will wake me up.
Little by little I started perfecting the cappuccino recipe and now I drink too much coffee. It’s decaf, but it still makes me shiver. Nothing can stop me.
Reasons To Make Cappuccino At Home
- You’ll save money
- When someone comes to visit, you don’t just offer “coffee”, no no no, you offer them THE best cappuccino ever. Your amazing skills will impress them and they will admire you and love you forever and ever.
- It actually tastes much, much better, because you can adjust the ingredients to your liking. For example, over the years the milk portion of my cappuccino became smaller and smaller. Much like cafe con leche. Just an espresso and a little bit of milk. Now I can’t even get a regular cappuccino at a coffee shop without overexplaining myself (apparently mostly wrongly). When I make cappuccino at home, no explaining needed and it takes 5 minutes. And it’s the best cappuccino I’ve gotten in a while.
- You now have a very important skill for life.
Cappuccino Vs. Latte
The difference between a cappuccino and a latte is the amount of milk you use to make them. In general, with cappuccino you use coffee to milk 1:1, latte you use coffee to milk 1:2.
Cappuccino Ingredients
There are many varieties of cappuccino and other espresso drinks using different flavors, sprinkles, sugar and chocolate out there right now. However, the original and, in my opinion, best recipe for cappuccino has just two ingredients: milk and espresso.
Milk. You need full-fat milk. It makes the creamiest foam ever. I usually use normal, chilled whole milk. Dairy-free options could work as well. I actually tried some, but I never liked the taste in combination with coffee. If you do use dairy-free milk, soy or oat milk might be the best options, use the barista variety for best results.
Coffee. Better yet, an espresso. Regular coffee could also work, but the original recipe calls for espresso and I agree.
