The Easy Trick to the Best Homemade Iced Latte, According to Baristas

Never make another watered down, tasteless latte again.

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I know this may be a divisive preference, but I always drink my coffee over ice. Whether it's in chilly February or steamy August, if I’m sipping a caffeinated beverage, it comes with cubes.

My perfect morning bev? An iced latte, preferably a vanilla-flavored one with oat milk. I love the punch of espresso balanced with the creaminess of the milk, rounded out with ice. Despite my deep love for iced lattes, I am truly terrible at making them. This means I spend a lot of time (and money!) picking them up at coffee shops. This is a habit I’d like to quit.

In order to kick my dependence on to-go lattes, I need to find a way to make one at home that isn't watery or lacking in flavor. So, I asked a handful of coffee experts for advice, and they all came back with some very helpful tips and tricks. Here’s what they had to say.

Read More: How to Make the Perfect Tomato Sandwich, According to a Tomato-Obsessed Southerner

The Latte Aficionados

• Jake Niman: Founder of Mixcraft, an event mixology and coffee bar company
• Justin Christopher: Manager of Marketing and Ecommerce at Klatch Coffee
• Lindsey Sozio: Founder of Lavender Coffee Boutique
• Megan Biolsi: Manager of Coffee Education and Training at Sightglass Coffee

The Expert Tip

It all comes down to the ice. Apparently, how you add these frozen cubes to a latte can make or break the drink. Follow the steps in an incorrect order and boom, you’ve got a watered-down coffee on your hands.

“The key to the best iced latte is to cool your espresso before adding ice,” says Sozio. And the way to achieve that, explains Niman is to always mix your espresso with the milk before adding ice. "Dropping a hot shot straight over ice melts it instantly, waters down the drink, and kills the flavor,” he adds.

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How To Make the Best Iced Latte

What exactly are the steps to making the best iced latte? Turns out, it’s pretty simple.

Sozio explains, “First, brew your espresso; then, add a small splash of cold milk to the hot espresso to start cooling it down. After that, pour this mixture into a glass with milk of choice. Finally, you’ll add your ice.” The amount of milk is up to you, but Biolsi prefers eight ounces per double shot, poured over a full glass of ice.

Don’t be shy with the amount of ice you load into your cup. In fact, says Biolsi, you should be more generous than you’d think: “More ice in the cup will help keep the overall iced latte cold longer and prevent it from watering down as quickly.”

I’m an iced vanilla latte kind of girl, so I was curious as to when to add in some sweetness. That step comes in after you pull your espresso shot “while it’s still hot,” advises Christopher, explaining that you'll stir in your sweetener until it's fully dissolved. Sozio agrees, noting that doing it this way ensures a smooth, consistent taste.

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