Forget about all those silly iced latte recipes that use regularly brewed coffee, and allow me to introduce you to the Moka Pot! Moka Pot brewed coffee is smooth, strong, and rich. It is the bridge between average coffee and espresso. Serve with cardamom buns on the side!
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My son, Scotty, is an amazing cook! He has come such a long way from the days when he only ate quesadillas and pizza without sauce. 😉 Scotty has even contributed a few of his recipes to this blog. You must try his amazing Grilled Ribeyes, to-die-for! I also feature his simple, yet tasty, Buffalo Sauce in my Zucchini and Corn Fritters recipe.
Scotty also just happens to be a coffee connoisseur. He has packed his beautiful head full of knowledge and has dialed in every minute detail so that he can brew a perfect cup of coffee, Espresso, and Iced Latte. He even made me an Iced Lavender Latte!
And since his dad and I are back in San Diego, packing up the last of our stuff to sell our house and head to Montana, we're getting to spend some quality time with him. The day after we arrived, he made me one of the best-iced lattes I've ever had. It was so good that I decided to share what I learned with you guys.
If you're looking for an affordable way to make espresso-based milk drinks at home, get yourself a Moka Pot instead of spending hundreds of dollars on an espresso maker. The Moka Pot is the essential espresso alternative for the home barista.
Then get ready to enjoy a delicious Iced Caramel Latte, an Iced Vanilla Latte, or whatever flavor your little heart desires. Or as Scotty says: "Whatever your mind desires, because your heart doesn't desire anything, it only pumps blood to keep you alive." 😂
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
This is an excellent recipe with precise measurements. It will give you perfect results every time. The initial investment in the few tools required will save you a ton of money in the long run.
Not only will your Iced Latte be perfect every time, but you'll be able to save a ton of money by skipping those high-priced coffee shops and making your own Iced Lattes at home.
Another great thing about this Iced Latte recipe is that it's relatively low-calorie. One tall 12-ounce glass with whole milk and caramel creamer is only 167 calories. That means you can enjoy your Iced Latte guilt-free.
If you want to cut even more calories, you can use lower-fat milk, almond milk, or a sugar-free flavored sweetener. Don't tell Scotty I suggested that. He doesn't like anyone changing his recipes.
This recipe is also very easily adaptable. You can use the basic recipe to make Iced Caramel Lattes or add a splash of vanilla to make an Iced Vanilla Latte. I, however, am partial to a good Iced Hazelnut Latte. Mmmmm, so good!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Coffee - Be sure to start with good-quality coffee beans. A light or medium roast is best.
- Milk - Scott insists on using whole milk; however, if you prefer, you can use 2% or your favorite milk.
- Creamer - Scott's original recipe calls for Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss Caramel Coffee Creamer, which makes a delicious Iced Caramel Latte. However, if you want to make an Iced Vanilla Latte, you can use sweetened vanilla-flavored creamer. Or try other flavors, for example, coconut or hazelnut.
🥄 Tools Needed to Make Iced Lattes
- Moka Pot - A Moka pot is essential to brewing this coffee. Scott recommends this one, which is a 6-cup pot.
- WDT Tool - A WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique) tool is used to distribute ground coffee. Want to save a few bucks? You can use a toothpick instead.
- Kitchen Scale - Scott recommends a coffee scale that has a timer. Here's the one he prefers. However, a regular kitchen scale will work as well.
- Burr Grinder - By a wide margin, the most important tool you'll need is a burr grinder. Scott recommends this one as a good budget-friendly option or this one for those willing to spend a bit more for a quality electric grinder that will improve every cup of coffee you brew at home.
- Small Spray Bottle - Filled with water, this will be used to give the coffee beans a quick spritz before grinding them. This is done to reduce the static and keep the coffee from sticking to the coffee grinder and lid.
Does Using A Burr Grinder Make A Difference?
If there's only one thing you are willing to spend money on, let it be a good burr grinder. You see, your coffee will only be as good as the grinder used. The grind consistency and size determine how the water flows through the basket of coffee as it brews.
If the grind is too coarse, there won't be enough surface area for the water to extract from, resulting in a sour and under-extracted beverage. Further, if the grind is too fine, the coffee bed will be too resistant and will not allow the water to pass through it evenly, which will create channels and over-extracted coffee.
However, if you use a blade grinder, you will get an uneven grind with both incredibly fine coffee dust and large chunks, which cause both previously mentioned problems at once.
Keep in mind that even the cheapest burr grinder will outperform any blade "grinder", no matter the application.
An Introduction to the Moka Pot
Here's a quick look at the Moka Pot parts we'll be referring to in this recipe.
☕️ How to Make an Iced Caramel Latte
Step 1: Using a coffee or kitchen scale, measure out 22 grams of coffee beans. Spray the beans lightly with a small spray bottle filled with water. Set the grind setting to fine but not quite as fine as espresso, then grind the beans.
Step 2: Add coffee to the Moka Pot basket and distribute evenly with the WDT tool. Do not pack it down.
Pro Tip: This step is necessary so that the water can penetrate the coffee grounds evenly and not form channels, resulting in improperly extracted coffee.
Step 3: Add enough boiling water to the Moka pot base to reach just below the safety valve. Place the coffee-filled basket over the base, and screw the carafe into place. You may need to use a kitchen towel because the base will be hot.
Step 4: Move the Mokapot onto the stove and set it to very low heat. Lift the carafe lid to see when the coffee begins to pour out of the column opening. If you wish, set a timer. It should take approximately 5 minutes for the coffee to begin spilling into the carafe.
Step 5: Once the coffee begins to fill the carafe, watch it carefully and pull it off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble out aggressively (see video). Close the lid, and don't forget to turn off the stove.
Pro-Tip: The reason you don't want the remaining coffee to spill out of the column into the carafe is that it will taste bad. This is because the coffee will be bubbling up too fast to be properly extracted.
Step 6: Quickly take the Moka pot (without agitating it) over to the sink and run the base under cold running water to stop the brewing process. Do this for approximately 30 seconds.
Pro Tip: When running the carafe under cold water, avoid these two rookie mistakes (yes, I speak from experience). First, don't tip the carafe too much, causing the coffee to spill out. The second is not to get water in the carafe through the spout. You should only be running the base of the Moka pot under the running water.
Step 7: Get two tall glasses and fill each halfway with ice. Divide the coffee equally between the two glasses, pouring back and forth. Next, add approximately ⅔ cup of whole milk to each glass and 2 to 3 tablespoons of sweetened Natural Bliss Caramel Coffee Creamer, or your favorite flavor. Stir before serving. Top with more ice if needed.
Looking for more tasty coffee recipes? If so, check out this yummy Italian coffee cream recipe!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
No, iced coffee is not the same thing as an iced latte. Iced coffee is regularly brewed coffee that is served over ice instead of being served hot. Iced Latte, on the other hand, is an espresso-based milk drink that is made with a higher ratio of milk to coffee.
An iced latte is a mixture of espresso and milk. This is the base of all lattes. The lattes can be sweetened and flavored in a variety of ways. This includes sugar, sweeteners, flavored creamers, and syrups.
A Moka Pot is not used to make espresso. In order to create espresso, you need up to 9 bars of pressure, much higher than a Moka pot can generate.
What a Moka Pot can do is make a unique and delicious coffee that is much stronger than regular coffee. It is perfectly suited for replacing espresso in espresso-based milk drinks.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Purchase coffee with a roast date instead of an expiration date. Ideally, the coffee should have been roasted within the last two weeks or so.
- Use fresh, filtered water whenever possible.
- Buy your coffee beans from a local coffee roaster and choose a light or medium roast coffee. Dark roast does not taste as good because the characteristics that make that coffee unique are lost once the coffee has been roasted that dark.
- If you prefer stronger iced coffee, add ice last so that it does not melt when you pour the hot coffee over it, or allow the coffee to cool off before adding it to the ice.
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Using a coffee or kitchen scale, measure out 22 grams of coffee beans. Spray the beans lightly with a small spray bottle filled with water. Set the grind setting to fine but not quite as fine as espresso, then grind the beans.
- Add coffee to the Moka Pot basket and distribute evenly with the WDT tool. Do not pack it down.
- Add enough boiling water to the Moka pot base to reach just below the safety valve. Place the coffee-filled basket over the base, and screw the carafe into place. You may need to use a kitchen towel because the base will be hot.
- Move Moka pot onto the stove and set to very low heat. Lift the carafe lid to see when the coffee begins to pour out of the column opening. If you wish, set a timer. It should take approximately 5 minutes for the coffee to begin spilling into the carafe.
- Once the coffee begins to fill the carafe, watch it carefully and pull it off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble out aggressively (see video). Close the lid and don't forget to turn off the stove.
- Quickly take the Moka pot (without agitating it) over to the sink and run the base under cold running water to stop the brewing process. Do this for approximately 30 seconds.
- Get two tall glasses and fill each halfway with ice. Divide the coffee equally between the two glasses, pouring back and forth. Next, add approximately ⅔ cup of whole milk to each glass and 2 to 3 tablespoons of sweetened Natural Bliss Caramel Coffee Creamer, or your favorite flavor. Stir before serving. Top with more ice if needed.
Nutrition
Notes
- Purchase coffee with a roast date instead of an expiration date. Ideally, the coffee should have been roasted within the last two weeks or so.
- Use fresh, filtered water, whenever possible.
- Buy your coffee beans from a local coffee roaster and choose a light or medium roast coffee. Dark roast does not taste as good because the characteristics that made that coffee unique are lost once the coffee has roasted that dark.
- If you prefer stronger iced coffee, add ice last so that it does not melt when you pour the hot coffee over it, or allow the coffee to cool off before adding it to the ice.
Britton Wesson says
Fantastic recipe. I am new to the world of using a mocha pot. This recipe makes a fantastic iced latte.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Britton, appreciate your comment and your review!
Rosa says
Hi Can you please link the burr grinder?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Rosa, Thanks for the heads up, not sure why the links have disappeared, but I went ahead and updated them (under tools section). Thank you!
Kathleen says
I can’t wait to try this. What size moka pot should I use? Thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kathleen, There's actually a link under the tools required portion of the post to the one Scotty recommends. I believe it's a 6 cup mocha pot!
Kelly Methey says
This sounds very intriguing to me. I really love actual mocha lattes! Would it be the same only adding chocolate syrup?
I will be gathering all the tools necessary to try this recipe as it’s a long way to a coffee place for us...
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kelly, I confirmed with Scotty. He said, yes, all you would have to do is add some chocolate syrup.