Kat's Kitchen

Get ready to meet your new favorite fall drink: a deliciously decadent Maple Tahini Latte. Trust me when I say this combination of creamy tahini, sweet maple syrup, and brewed espresso is nothing short of fabulous!

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a creamy, nutty paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a similar taste and texture as peanut butter but with a more toasty and nutty sesame seed flavor! My personal favorite tahini brand is by Soom Foods, a women-owned company known for making the creamiest, most flavorful tahini out there. Trust me; a good quality tahini will drastically elevate this Maple Tahini Latte Recipe!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• MILK: I love whole milk in this recipe for an extra creamy and rich taste, but absolutely feel free to use whatever milk you like most: oat milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, almond milk, etc!
• TAHINI: Tahini is a seed butter made from ground sesame seeds! I love the Soom Foods brand the most, but feel free to use whatever brand you like most!
• MAPLE SYRUP: I like using maple syrup as the sweetener in this recipe because it pairs so nicely with the tahini, but you can use any sweetener of your choice: honey, stevia, monk fruit, Torani syrups, etc.
• VANILLA EXTRACT: Just a splash of vanilla extract elevates this drink just a bit more! You could also use vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean powder if you prefer.
• SALT: I always love adding a pinch of salt to this recipe to bring out the sweetness of the maple syrup and the natural sweetness of the tahini. You could always skip the salt, but I think it makes a big difference in the overall flavor, and very much recommend adding it in!

• GROUND CINNAMON: It almost seems illegal not to combine cinnamon and maple together. I like adding some cinnamon to the tahini milk mixture as well as adding it on top of the final drink. If you’re not a fan or you’re allergic, you can use nutmeg instead or allspice instead!
• ESPRESSO: Since this drink is a latte, we need espresso. Espresso is made by pushing hot water at high temperatures through finely ground coffee. This type of coffee cannot be bought at the store, and needs to be made at home. Whether you have an espresso machine or not, I got you covered. See my post on 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home for how you can make espresso for this drink and any other espresso based beverages!
• ICE: If you’re making an Iced Maple Tahini Latte, you will need ice! For a hot version, no ice is needed.
• WHIPPED CREAM: The whipped cream gives the drink a perfect additional sweetness and creaminess. You can opt for a store bought whipped cream, or you can make your own at home with Vanilla Syrup and heavy whipping cream in a whipped cream dispenser (and N20 chargers). Feel free to use a dairy-free or sugar-free whipped topping substitute based on your preferences.

How To Make Espresso At Home?

There are various ways to make espresso at home:

• Instant Espresso Powder
• Nespresso Machine
• Keurig Machine with a SHOT option
• Moka Pot
• Aeropress
• Espresso Machine

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

Once you establish which method you want to use for making espresso, then we can decide on exactly which coffee products to buy!

What’s The Best Coffee to Use For Espresso?

If you are using an espresso machine, a Moka Pot, or an Aeropress to make espresso, these are my recommended coffees:

• Laka Java Wahine Blonde Roast Espresso (Use code: katerinafaith for 10% off)
• Press Coffee Twitch Espresso Beans
• Press Coffee Spitball Espresso
• Blue Bottle Coffee Espresso Beans

If you are using a Nespresso machine, these are my recommended espresso pods:

• Orafio (single shot pods)
• Peru Organic (single shot pods)
• Double Espresso Dolce (double shot pods)
• Double Espresso Chairo (double shot pods)

If you are using instant espresso, these are my recommended espresso powders:

• Nescafe Gold Instant Espresso (light/blonde roast)
• Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso (dark roast)

Note for instant espresso, I like to follow the following ratios:

• Single shot: 1/4 tablespoon instant espresso + 1.25 ounces warm water
• Double shot: 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso + 2.5 ounces warm water
• Triple shot: 3/4 tablespoon instant espresso + 3.75 ounces warm water
• Quad shot: 1 tablespoon instant espresso + 5 ounces warm water

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 tripe shot is roughly 3.75 ounces of liquid.
• A quad shot is roughly 5 ounces of liquid.

Regardless of the method you choose, you can make a perfect Maple Tahini Latte once you have your espresso shots!

How To Steam Milk For a Hot Latte?

All hot lattes require steamed milk as one of the ingredients. To steam milk 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 milk to a milk frothing pitcher, insert the tip of the steam wand into the milk, and create air bubbles, heat and texture to create perfect, velvety steamed milk at home!
2. Electric Milk Frother: Add your milk to an electric milk frother, and select the hot setting. The milk frother will heat the milk 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 milk to a large coffee mug and place the mug in the microwave for 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can heat up milk in a pot on the stove until warm, just make sure to constantly stir it so it doesn’t burn. Once your milk is warm, insert a handheld milk frother into the warm milk. Froth the mixture until the milk doubles in size and becomes bubbly and frothy, and you have steamed milk for your hot latte!

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

How To Make An Iced Maple Tahini Latte:

1. Brew two shots of espresso using your preferred espresso making method.
2. To a blender, add milk, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and ground cinnamon, and blend on high until the mixture is combined and frothy. You could also add the ingredients into a cup and froth together with a handheld milk frother.
3. In a separate cup, combine the brewed espresso and the blended/frothed maple tahini milk mixture.
4. Add ice to fill the cup, and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
5. Grab a straw, take a sip, and enjoy!

How To Make A Hot Maple Tahini Latte:

1. Brew two shots of espresso using your preferred espresso making method.
2. Warm milk in a pot on the stove over low heat. Once warmed (not boiling), add the tahini, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and ground cinnamon, and whisk until combined.
3. Add the warmed ingredients to a blender and blend until frothy OR use a handheld milk frother to froth the mixture together inside the pot.
4. To a separate cup, add in the espresso and the blended/frothed maple tahini milk mixture.
5. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, and enjoy!

Can I Make This Drink With a Regular Coffee Pot?

Technically no you cannot make this exact drink using a regular coffee pot because coffee pots cannot make espresso. Espresso is a specific type of coffee that requires much more finely ground coffee than what a coffee pot requires, and it requires much more pressure than what a regular coffee pot is capable of.

So no you cannot create this exact same drink BUT you can still make a delicious Maple Tahini Coffee using a coffee pot! I would adjust the ratios slightly so you use 8-10 ounces of coffee (instead of the 2 shots of espresso) and then only do 4 ounces of milk (instead of 8 ounces) and keep everything else the exact same!

How To Make This Dairy Free?

For a dairy free Maple Tahini Latte:

• Use a dairy free milk like oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc.
• Opt for a dairy free whipped topping!

How To Make This Sugar Free?

For a low sugar or sugar free Maple Tahini Latte:

• Use a sugar free sweetener like monk fruit, stevia, or sugar free maple syrup!
• Use a sugar free whipped topping!

How To Make This As a Cold Brew or an Iced Coffee?

For a Maple Tahini Cold Brew or Iced Coffee, you’ll need:

• 16 ounces of unsweetened cold brew
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon tahini 
• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (plus extra for topping)
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream

In a blender, combine the heavy cream, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and ground cinnamon (everything EXCEPT the cold brew, ice and whipped cream). Blend until combined and frothy. Fill a cup up with ice and add the cold brew, then pour the blended tahini mixture over the top. Stir to combine, then top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Final Thoughts:

Whether you’re starting your morning on a high note, enjoying a mid-day pick-me-up, or simply craving a creamy, nutty delight, this Maple Tahini Latte has got you covered. Whether you’re tahini obsessed or just looking to try something different, this latte is bound to become your new obsession!