This is the best cardamom latte recipe! Make your cardamom latte taste better than Starbucks with homemade cardamom latte syrup! If you love cozy coffee drinks and homemade latte recipes, this is for you! It's the perfect cafe-style coffee drink, right at home! Plus, you can make an iced version!
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And if you like this cardamom latte recipe, you'll love my Starbucks Brown Sugar Syrup, my cold foam recipe, and my Starbucks Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso Recipe!
Cardamom Latte Recipe
This warm, delicious cardamom latte recipe is so cozy and comforting! And for the best flavor, we're using my homemade cardamom syrup for coffee. It only takes a few minutes and adds incredible warmth and sweetness to this cardamom latte.
If you love my Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte (Starbucks Copycat), you've got to try this one! It's a perfect drink for all year round!
Jump to:
- Cardamom Latte Recipe
- What is a Cardamom Latte?
- What does a cardamom latte taste like?
- Ingredients
- Equipment
- Shop this recipe
- How to Make a Cardamom Latte
- Tips for the Best Cardamom Latte
- Honey Cardamom Latte Recipe
- Iced Cardamom Latte Variation
- Date Cardamom Latte
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Top Tip
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
What is a Cardamom Latte?
A cardamom latte is a coffee drink made with espresso, steamed milk, and cardamom, a warm aromatic spice that adds a lightly sweet and citrusy flavor. It’s basically a cozy twist on a classic latte, where the cardamom brings a fragrant spice note that pairs beautifully with coffee and creamy milk during the holiday season or any time of year!
What does a cardamom latte taste like?
A cardamom latte tastes warm, aromatic, and slightly citrusy with a gentle sweetness. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices because it adds a such cozy flavor that softens the bitterness of coffee and pairs beautifully with steamed milk.
The result is a smooth and comforting coffee drink that feels both rich and refreshing. It would be perfect with a sliced of chai cake!
Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredient measurements in the recipe card below, but here's a quick look at what you'll need:
- espresso - I like to use my Nespresso to make the espresso shots for this recipe, but if you have one you can definitely use an espresso maker, or Nescafe instant espresso!
- milk - use any type of milk you like -- I typically go for whole milk for a richer flavor, but any dairy or non-dairy milk will work - I like soy milk for its ability to froth well. We'll be heating and frothing the milk -- if you have a milk steamer, that's even better!
- cardamom syrup - my homemade cardamom simple syrup recipe is made with green cardamom, white sugar, and vanilla extract. It's a great way to add sweetness and cardamom flavor to this latte! Check the variations below if you want to try other sweeteners as well.
Equipment
You'll need an espresso carafe, or some other heatproof container for your espresso shots. Then you'll need another heatproof container for heating and frothing your milk, like a glass measuring cup.
Then, use a milk frother to whip up a little foam in your warm milk, and serve it all in a 14-ounce mug!
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Buy Now → How to Make a Cardamom Latte
The recipe card below will give you detailed step-by-step instructions and a recipe video! But here are the basic steps you'll follow:
Add fresh, hot espresso to your mug.
Add in cardamom syrup to your taste and stir.
Heat milk in the microwave and froth with a milk frother.
Pour milk over espresso mixture in the mug, adding some foam to the top.
Hint: Sprinkle a little ground cardamom or cinnamon (or my homemade pumpkin pie spice) on top of the foam for a little extra hint of spice!
Tips for the Best Cardamom Latte
Here are my tips to make your coffee drink the best it can be:
- Warm the milk gently and froth it well. Even a quick whisk or handheld frother creates that creamy texture that makes the drink feel like a café latte.
- Start with a little cardamom syrup and then add more as needed.
- Add your cardamom syrup before adding the frothy milk. Stirring it into the hot espresso helps it dissolve evenly.
- Serve right away for the best flavor and foam. Freshly made coffee drinks always taste the smoothest and most aromatic. Enjoy with my chocolate beignets or my pecan pastry braid!
Honey Cardamom Latte Recipe
A honey cardamom latte is a naturally sweet version of a classic cardamom latte. Simply replace the sugar in my cardamom syrup recipe with honey, and stir that honey cardamom syrup into the espresso before adding steamed milk.
The honey adds a gentle floral sweetness that pairs beautifully with cardamom and coffee. It would also work well swapping in maple syrup for honey!
Iced Cardamom Latte Variation
Not only is this the perfect warm beverage, it's also delicious iced! To make an iced cardamom latte, add cardamom syrup to hot espresso and stir. Let cool slightly, then add to a glass filled with ice and pour cold milk over the top. Stir well and enjoy a refreshing iced coffee with warm cardamom flavor.
Use a travel cup with a lid to take it on the go -- and top it with my Pumpkin Cold Foam for more spice! I've been enjoying iced cardamom lattes all year long!
Date Cardamom Latte
A date cardamom latte is a naturally sweet version of this cozy coffee recipe made with espresso, milk, cardamom, and blended dates. The dates add a rich caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the warm spice flavor.
To make it, blend one or two soft pitted dates with a pinch of ground cardamom and hot milk until smooth. Brew the espresso or strong coffee, then pour in the sweetened cardamom milk. The result is creamy, lightly sweet, and full of warm flavor without needing added sugar.
This version is especially popular in Middle Eastern inspired coffee drinks because dates and cardamom complement each other so well. It’s a simple way to make your morning coffee feel a little more special.
Storage
This cardamom latte recipe is best served right away, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator if needed. Pour it into a sealed jar or airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When ready to drink, stir well and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warm. If the foam has disappeared, you can quickly froth a little fresh milk and add it on top before serving.
If you prefer it cold, simply pour the chilled latte over ice and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make a cardamom latte even if you don't have an espresso machine or a Nespresso! My go-to is the Nescafe Instant Espresso to make easy espresso shots easily, but you can also just use strong brewed coffee! If you do, I would add a bit more coffee to offset the milk.
Starbucks does not have a standard cardamom latte on the menu, but some locations offer cardamom flavored drinks seasonally or you can recreate the flavor at home with cardamom syrup!
I wouldn't recommend it because the ground cardamom won't dissolve completely and you may have a gritty texture in your drink. But if you want to try it, a small pinch of ground cardamom adds that delicious cardamom flavor. Stir it into the hot milk well so that it blends as much as possible into the drink.
Yes. Oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk all work well and still create a creamy drink.
Absolutely. You can use decaf espresso or decaf brewed coffee and the drink will taste great without the caffeine.
Top Tip
Froth the milk until it’s light and airy but still silky. Good foam makes the drink feel richer and gives it that coffee shop texture that makes each sip extra cozy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this one? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe:
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 2 shots freshly brewed espresso - or instant espresso
- 1-2 tablespoon (15 ml) cardamom syrup
- 1 ¼ cup (296 ml) milk - of your choice
Instructions
- Prepare espresso shots and pour into your mug.2 shots freshly brewed espresso
- Add cardamom syrup and stir to combine. Add additional syrup to your preferred sweetness level.1-2 tablespoon cardamom syrup
- Heat milk in microwave in a separate heatproof container for 1 minute 45 seconds, or until hot (but not boiling).1 ¼ cup milk
- Use a milk frother to froth milk for about 30 seconds.
- Pour milk over espresso in mug, spooning foam on top to your preference. Enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Chenée Lewis says
Enjoying this latte right now! Hope you all love it as much as I do!