My favorite part of transitioning from summer to fall is COFFEE. I love coffee year-round, but it’s way more fun and cozy to drink on a cold day. I love going out for coffee occasionally, but I also love making my own at home. Here I’m going to show you how to make a few popular coffee shop drinks at home!
Espresso Makers
First things first: espresso makers. It’s likely that most of your favorite coffee shop drinks are espresso based. Getting an espresso machine can start to get pricey. If you’re looking to make an investment, the Breville machines are great because you can control most aspects of the shot you are pulling. Something a little more user-friendly and less time-consuming would be the Nespresso that uses pods to pull your shot. If you are looking for a cost-effective alternative to get an espresso base to your drink, try using a Moka pot. You can find them for as cheap as $20. They’re essentially a stovetop espresso pot. You can also just use very strongly brewed coffee out of a regular coffee maker. The results will be slightly different, but still delicious!
Types of Coffee
Most coffee shop drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos) are a couple shots of espresso (depending on your drink size) and steamed milk. Cappuccinos have lots of milk foam at the top, while lattes have far less. And a traditional macchiato just has a dollop of foam. Most espresso drinks with milk can be served as a latte or a cappuccino, depending on the espresso-to-milk ratio and how much milk foam is in it. Where these drinks start to get exciting is the flavoring you can add.
Fall Drinks
Brown Sugar Vanilla Latte
I love making coffee syrups at home. My favorite is a brown sugar vanilla syrup. It’s as simple as it gets! One cup of granulated sugar, one cup of brown sugar, two cups of water, and a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Bring to a boil on the stove and once all the sugar has dissolved, it’s done! You can make a regular vanilla syrup the same way! Just switch out the brown sugar for more granulated sugar. To use this syrup in a brown sugar vanilla latte, just pour some of this syrup with two shots of espresso (if you’re using a moka pot, two shots is about a quarter cup) and serve with steamed milk. When using any of these syrups, keep in mind that one pump at a coffee shop is equivalent to half a tablespoon. You don’t need very much to sweeten your drink!
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Another fan favorite is the pumpkin spice latte! This one takes a little more time but it’s so worth it! Mix together a third cup of pumpkin puree with a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. In a small saucepan, combine a cup of granulated sugar and a half cup of brown sugar. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and boil until the sugar dissolves. Mix in your pumpkin puree and cook on low heat for ten minutes. Then strain the pumpkin out (using a cheesecloth will work best) and enjoy! I like this syrup with two shots of espresso, some steamed milk and a little bit of extra pumpkin pie spice sprinkled on top! These syrups will last in your fridge for about a month, but chances are you’ll use it all up before that!
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
Lastly, the brown sugar shaken espresso. This is a favorite coffee shop drink and once you hear how easy this drink is to make, you’ll never buy it again! All you need is two shots of espresso. Place it in a mason jar over ice with some brown sugar (start with about a tablespoon and add more to your liking) a pinch of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla. Place the lid on the jar and shake until it gets nice and frothy. Pour over the milk of your choice and enjoy!
