How to Make Fall Lattes at Home With Simple Homemade Syrups
Seasonal cafe drinks are easy to make at home, and homemade syrups let you control sweetness and use real spices. With an espresso machine, a moka pot or even strong brewed coffee, plus a milk frother, you can make pumpkin spice, maple and chai lattes for a fraction of the cafe price. Each syrup keeps in the fridge for about two weeks.
Start with a basic spiced syrup
Most flavoured syrups start with simple syrup, equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves. Add whole spices, simmer gently for a few minutes, then let the syrup steep off the heat before straining into a clean bottle.
Brown sugar gives a deeper caramel flavour that suits autumn drinks, while white sugar keeps the spice flavours brighter. Store syrups in the refrigerator in sealed bottles and discard them if they turn cloudy or smell off.
Pumpkin spice syrup
Simmer one cup of water with one cup of brown sugar, then whisk in a few spoonfuls of pumpkin purée, a cinnamon stick, a little ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Simmer gently for about ten minutes, add a splash of vanilla and strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
Because it contains real pumpkin, this syrup keeps for a shorter time than plain spiced syrups, so make small batches. Shake it before use, since some pumpkin settles.
Maple cinnamon and chai syrups
For a maple cinnamon latte, warm pure maple syrup with a cinnamon stick for a few minutes, or simply stir maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon directly into the espresso. It needs no added sugar.
For chai syrup, simmer sugar and water with cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, star anise and sliced fresh ginger, then steep a couple of black tea bags off the heat for a few minutes. Add a shot of espresso for a dirty chai.
Build the latte
Add one to two tablespoons of syrup to the cup, pull a double shot of espresso directly on top and stir so the syrup dissolves in the hot coffee. Then steam or froth about 6-8 ounces of milk and pour it over.
No espresso machine? Use strong moka pot coffee or concentrated AeroPress coffee, and froth milk with a handheld or electric frother. Oat milk froths well and pairs naturally with maple and spice flavours.
Finishing touches
Dust the foam with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice through a small shaker, or top the drink with whipped cream for an occasional treat. A latte art pen helps create simple autumn leaf patterns in the foam.
For iced versions on warm September days, stir syrup into espresso first, then pour over ice and cold milk. Cold foam made in a frother on the cold setting adds a cafe-style finish.