Kat's Kitchen

Get your eggnog cartons ready and your espresso machines warmed up because this Eggnog Latte recipe is an absolute must this holiday season! This drink is a perfect combination of bold espresso and rich eggnog, and with the cozy cinnamon and brown sugar notes, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with it. Let’s jump into the ingredients you’ll need.

Ingredients Needed To Make an Eggnog Latte:

Eggnog: This is in fact an eggnog latte, so you’ll need eggnog. I noticed they now sell dairy free eggnog made with oatmilk which is fantastic for anyone who is dairy free! If you’d rather not consume 4-6 ounces of “nog” you could use a combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, Eggnog Syrup, espresso and milk instead of an espresso and eggnog mixture.

Brown Sugar: The main sweetener in this recipe is the brown sugar. The brown sugar mixes in perfectly with the warm espresso to give the latte a subtle sweetness. If you prefer to use a syrup rather than brown sugar, I recommend the Torani Brown Sugar Syrup.

Ground Cinnamon: I like to combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in this recipe to give the latte a sweet and spiced flavor. If you’re using the Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup, you won’t need any additional cinnamon since the syrup has cinnamon flavor already.

Espresso: All lattes require espresso as one of the ingredients. See my 5 Ways to Make Espresso at Home blog post for all the different ways you can make espresso at home. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, simply follow the espresso making steps to get your espresso shots, and then use that to make your own hot or iced Eggnog Latte at home!

Ice: For an Iced Eggnog Latte, you’ll need ice cubes. For a hot version, no ice is needed.

Whipped Cream: I love adding whipped cream on top of my iced or hot Eggnog Lattes for an extra layer of texture and sweetness. Opt for a sugar free whipped topping to lower the sugar, or use a dairy free whipped topping if you are dairy free. Or you could make a Holiday Cold Foam for a little extra fun holiday flair!

Ground Nutmeg: I love topping this drink with ground nutmeg, but you could opt for ground cinnamon, or holiday sprinkles instead!

How To Make Espresso At Home

Since this is a latte recipe, we need espresso as one of the required ingredients. There are five ways you can make espresso at home:

• Instant Espresso Powder + Warm Water
• Nespresso Machine + Espresso Pods
• Moka Pot + Ground Coffee
• Aeropress + Ground Coffee
• Espresso Machine + Ground Coffee

See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home blog post for step by step instructions of each espresso making method!

What is a “Shot” of Espresso?

A common espresso term you’ll see a lot is a “shot” of espresso. When you brew espresso using an espresso machine, the liquid that comes out of the machine is considered a shot, since the machine pushes out the liquid at high pressure.

• A single shot or one shot of espresso is roughly 1.25 ounces of liquid.
• A double shot is roughly 2.5 ounces of liquid.
• A triple shot is roughly 3.75 ounces of liquid.
• A quad shot is roughly 5 ounces of liquid.

How To Steam Eggnog For a Hot Eggnog Latte:

Hot lattes require steamed milk, or in this case, steamed eggnog, as one of the ingredients. To steam eggnog at home, you have a few options:

1. Steam Wand: If you have an espresso machine with a steam wand attached to it, watch this Milk Steaming Video Tutorial for how to steam milk! You simply add eggnog to a milk frothing pitcher, insert the tip of the steam wand into the eggnog, and create air bubbles, heat and texture to create perfect, velvety steamed eggnog at home!
2. Electric Milk Frother: Add your eggnog to an electric milk frother, and select the hot setting. The milk frother will heat the eggnog as well as create a thick and foamy texture. The texture will be a little different than a typical steam wand, but it’s very similar and pleasant, and a great option if you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand.
3. Handheld Milk Frother: Add cold eggnog to a large coffee mug and place the mug in the microwave for 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can heat up eggnog in a pot on the stove until warm, just make sure to constantly stir it so it doesn’t burn. Once your eggnog is warm, insert a handheld milk frother into the warm eggnog. Froth the eggnog until it doubles in size and becomes bubbly and frothy, and you have steamed eggnog for your hot Eggnog Latte!

Note, for an iced Eggnog Latte, you do not need to warm or steam the eggnog. Simply skip this step, and use cold eggnog straight from the fridge.

How To Make An Iced Eggnog Latte:

Add brown sugar and cinnamon (or Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup) to a cup, and brew your espresso shots over the top.

Stir the mixture together to dissolve the brown sugar, and then pour in the eggnog, and fill the cup up with ice. Stir everything together to combine the flavors and chill the entire drink.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, and enjoy your Iced Eggnog Latte!

How To Make A Hot Eggnog Latte:

Add brown sugar and cinnamon (or Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup) to a mug, and brew your espresso shots over the top.

Next, steam your eggnog using a steam wand, aerroccino, or warm the eggnog in a pot or in the microwave, and froth with a handheld milk frother until foamy.

Pour the steamed/frothed eggnog over the brown sugar-cinnamon-espresso mixture.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, and enjoy your Hot Eggnog Latte!

What Ratios Does Starbucks Use?

I like my lattes to be a bit more coffee tasting than milky tasting, so my ratios are a slightly different from Starbucks. If you want to most accurately replicate the Starbucks ratios for an eggnog latte, follow these ratios:

ICED EGGNOG LATTE

	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI
BROWN SUGAR SYRUP	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMPS (2 TBSP)	6 PUMPS (3 TBSP)
ESPRESSO SHOTS	1	2	3
EGGNOG	8 OUNCES	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES
ICE	TO TOP OF CUP	TO TOP OF CUP	TO TOP OF CUP

HOT EGGNOG LATTE

	SHORT	TALL	GRANDE	VENTI
BROWN SUGAR SYRUP	2 PUMPS (1 TBSP)	3 PUMPS (1.5 TBSP)	4 PUMPS (2 TBSP)	6 PUMPS (3 TBSP)
ESPRESSO SHOTS	1	1	2	2
EGGNOG	6 OUNCES	8 OUNCES	10 OUNCES	12 OUNCES

How Can I Make This Dairy Free?

For a dairy free Eggnog Latte, use a dairy free eggnog alternative and a dairy free whipped topping!

How Can I Make This Lower Sugar/Lower Calories?

For a lower sugar/lower calorie Eggnog Latte:

• Skip the actual eggnog and make a latte using 1 tablespoon sugar free brown sugar, 1/2-1 tablespoon Eggnog Syrup (or Sugar Free Eggnog Syrup), 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 shots of espresso, and 8 ounces of unsweetened almond milk or skim milk.
• Use a sugar free or low fat whipped topping, or omit the whipped cream/topping entirely.

More Holiday Recipes to Try

• Starbucks Peppermint Mocha
• Starbucks Peppermint Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
• Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino
• Starbucks Sugar Cookie Cold Foam
• Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte
• Homemade Starbucks Sugar Cookie Syrup
• Homemade Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Sauce
• Homemade Gingerbread Syrup
• Gingerbread Latte