Refreshing and oh-so-sweet, an iced latte is the perfect summer treat

We’ve all been there, craving an ice-cold, freshly brewed coffee to start our morning. If you’re looking to save a few dollars or really just don’t feel like making the commute, we have the perfect solution—a super easy caramel oat milk iced latte recipe that you can make from the comfort of your home. Sound like the sweet caffeinated drink you need in your life? Just keep on reading below!

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The first step of any recipe is to gather all your ingredients. For this latte, the main item you’ll need is of course the espresso. After all, a latte is simply espresso and milk. I’m using one medium-roast capsule in a Nespresso machine that makes two long shots.

Admittedly, I brew decaf espresso because my body doesn’t handle caffeine too well—it’s truly a curse. But feel free to choose whatever coffee you prefer. To the espresso, you’ll be adding oat milk (or any other dairy-free milk alternative), sugar, lots of caramel and plenty of ice. Yup, it really is that simple!

To begin, brew your shots of espresso. I poured the two shots into a jar, stirred in some sugar and placed that bad boy in the freezer for roughly 10 minutes so that the coffee would start cooling as quickly as possible. You’ll want the espresso to be chilled so that it doesn’t melt the ice when you pour it into your final cup. But if you’re impatient like I am, consider adding a few pieces of ice directly into your coffee before popping it in the freezer to help cool the espresso faster!

Once your coffee is nice and chilly, you can start prepping your serving cup. I used a medium-sized mason jar, but you can use whatever you have on hand, like a mug, reusable plastic tumbler or even a large wine glass. To your vessel of choice, drizzle in store-bought caramel sauce. Be sure to coat the bottom of the cup and swirl the sauce up the sides so that your final drink is loaded with caramel. It makes the coffee taste super delish and of course, gives the latte a pretty design.

Next, you’ll want to add in some ice cubes. The amount of ice you put in your latte is totally up to your personal preference and the size of your cup. I was able to get four cubes in my jar and it was the perfect amount!

Now that the ice is settled, it’s time for the star of the show, the chilled espresso, to make its appearance. Simply pour your coffee over the ice. Your home is sure to smell like a coffee shop as the strong aroma of the roast fills your kitchen. I’m swooning just at the thought!

As your coffee settles in the cup, pour in some unsweetened oat milk (or another milk of choice). I only recently started drinking oat milk, albeit, just in coffee. Baby steps, right? Up until this point, I have solely consumed 2% cow’s milk. So making the (very slow) switch is certainly a work in progress. But it’s one that seems totally worth it.

Okay, so if a latte is just milk and espresso then the recipe’s complete now, right? Well no, not exactly. I love to add a cold foam to my iced lattes to give the drink that je ne sais quoi!

For the foam, you’ll need roughly half a cup of oat milk or your alternative of choice. Using a handheld electric milk frother, froth the milk for three to four minutes, or until the milk has nearly doubled in size. Simply pour the cold foam over your latte and sprinkle some sugar on top.

Finally, drizzle more caramel on the sugary foam mixture and voilà! Your caramel oat milk iced latte is ready to be enjoyed. You can sip your icy drink on the front porch while you dive into a summer novel. Or maybe, slurp down the refreshing sweet treat while relaxing in the tub. It’s totally your call!

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The Recipe

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INGREDIENTS

2 shots of espresso
1 ½ cups of oat milk
2 tbsp of sugar
Caramel, store-bought is totally cool
Ice cubes

Instructions

1. Brew your shots of espresso. Pour into a jar, stir in sugar, add two ice cubes and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool the coffee.
2. In a cup, drizzle in some caramel. Swirl it all around the sides of the glass to make it look pretty and taste sugary sweet.
3. Add in three to four ice cubes before pouring the chilled espresso over top.
4. Stir in one cup of oat milk (or other milk alternatives). You may need more (or less) depending on how large your cup is.
5. Place the remaining half cup of milk in a glass and begin frothing it with an electric frother for three to four minutes to create a cold foam.
6. Pour the foam over the latte and generously sprinkle sugar on top. Finally, drizzle more caramel over the sugary foam mixture and enjoy!

Now wasn’t that easy peasy lemon squeezy? We sure think so! And if you do too, we really hope you give this yummy drink a try and be sure to let us know what you think of it. Even snap a photo of your delicious finished product and tag us on Instagram @paper.and.lore for a chance to be featured in our Instagram stories.

Happy drinking!