In this post, learn how to pull your own espresso shots & make this deliciously simple maple, cinnamon, and vanilla latte at home.
Do you get excited for your coffee every morning? For me, coffee is such a ritual! It’s something I look forward to each day and really enjoy. About six months ago Matt and I decided to really up our morning coffee game…by purchasing an espresso machine. It’s definitely a big purchase but wow is it worth it!
I’ve used it every single day since we got it and I don’t think I’ll ever look back. Making lattes has become my newest obsession – the taste is just beyond! It’s honestly hard for me to drink a plain cup of drip coffee anymore. It just does not measure up.
how to pull espresso shots
If you want to make my maple cinnamon vanilla latte, the first thing you need to do is make good espresso. Pulling espresso shots definitely has a bit of a learning curve, but once you’ve got it down you’re good to go. I will share the steps I go through to make mine – I really try to keep it as simple, and the least complicated, as possible.
You CAN be very nit-picky about this process and try and hit all the marks to make ‘perfect’ espresso. Or you can just not. Lol if you’re a busy mom like me and you just want to enjoy good lattes at home, there’s no need to overthink and pursue perfection here!
I am not a barista nor professional but I’ve been able to make tasty espresso these last few months without too much fuss. (For a video demonstration of this, watch the video below!) Also, this may seem like a lot of work for some morning coffee lol! There are definitely more steps involved than making basic pour over coffee, but once you get the hang of it, you can make espresso and whip up my maple cinnamon vanilla latte in no time. Plus, once you fall in love with the incredible taste, you will not mind spending an extra couple minutes at all!
- Start by measuring out your beans. Using a kitchen scale and a small bowl, pour out 18g of your favorite coffee beans. I like these whole beans if I want caffeine and these beans for decaf. This amount is for a double shot which is the standard size – it has a little less caffeine than a typical cup of coffee.
- Pour the beans into the hopper. Grab your portafilter and get to grinding,
- Grind all 18g of beans into the portafilter. It will be very full.
- Next, tamp down your coffee grounds. You want to apply a good amount of pressure – the goal is to form a nice even ‘hockey puck’ of coffee grounds.
- Place the portafilter in the group head and select the double shot button to pull your espresso!
maple cinnamon vanilla latte
Now that you know how to make espresso, it’s time to make the latte! My favorite way to enjoy this latte is over ice, but you could also easily make this a hot beverage as well. My recipe isn’t exact for this, but that gives you room to play around and make it exactly how you want it!
- Before pulling your espresso shot – add a splash of maple syrup, a dash of vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the stainless steel jug (or a mug, or whatever vessel you are pulling your shots into).
- Pull your espresso shots. While your espresso is brewing, fill up a cup with ice (I love using these mason jars) and fill almost completely with your milk of choice. Mine is whole milk!
- When your espresso is ready, give the jug a little swirl to combine all the ingredients.
- Pour sweetened espresso over your iced milk. Stir to combine.
- Add a straw (these straws are my favorite – so perfect for jars & mugs) and ENJOY!
To make a hot version of this latte, you would steam your milk of choice to get it nice and hot and frothy. Next, you would pour the milk over your espresso (instead of the espresso over your milk in the iced version).
how to make your own cold foam
When I have an extra couple minutes and a craving for something decadent, I will make my own cold foam to top my iced latte! Man is it good. Cold, creamy, slightly sweet..it’s just so satisfying. And the perfect pairing to my maple cinnamon vanilla latte!
- Using this milk frother (it has a cold setting!) add half & half to the first fill line. Add a small splash of maple syrup for sweetness.
- Turn the frother on to the cold setting and let it run until completion (takes maybe a minute).
- When it’s done frothing, pour over your iced latte and enjoy the decadence!
watch the video here!
pin it for later!
