Iced Vanilla Latte
A cafe-style iced latte made at home: a double shot of espresso is sweetened with a quick homemade vanilla syrup, shaken until chilled and frothy, then poured over ice and cold milk. Smooth, creamy and not too sweet.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 33 min
- Makes
- 1 drink (about 12 fl oz / 355 ml), plus extra syrup (about 8 drinks' worth)
Steps
Before you start
- Make the vanilla syrup first: it needs about 20 minutes to cool. You can also make it up to 2 weeks ahead.
- Chill your milk and glass in the fridge or freezer if you have time. Cold ingredients mean less ice melts and the drink stays strong.
- No espresso machine? Use 2 oz (60 ml) of very strong coffee from a Moka pot, AeroPress or Nespresso-style machine.
- Use fresh ice cubes that don't smell like the freezer. They affect the flavor.
Make the syrup
- Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid looks completely clear, about 3 minutes.
- Do not let it boil hard.
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Ready when: No sugar crystals remain on the spoon or pan bottom and the liquid is clear and just steaming.
Tip: Boiling hard reduces the syrup and makes it too thick, so remove it from the heat as soon as it's clear.
Add vanilla, cool
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Let the syrup cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then pour it into a jar.
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Ready when: Syrup is room temperature or only barely warm to the touch.
Tip: Adding vanilla off the heat keeps its aroma from cooking away.
Pull the espresso
- Brew a double shot of espresso (about 2 fl oz / 60 ml) directly into the cocktail shaker or a small heatproof cup.
- If using a Moka pot or AeroPress, brew a concentrated 2 fl oz (60 ml) portion.
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Ready when: Espresso has a reddish-brown crema on top.
Tip: Brew right before shaking so the coffee is fresh and flavorful.
Sweeten the espresso
- Add 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) of cooled vanilla syrup to the hot espresso in the shaker and stir for 5 seconds so the syrup dissolves into the coffee.
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Ready when: No syrup streaks remain; the liquid looks uniform.
Tip: Taste and add another ½ tablespoon if you like a sweeter latte.
Shake over ice
- Add 1 cup (150 g) of ice cubes to the shaker, seal it tightly and shake hard for 10–15 seconds.
- This chills the espresso quickly and creates a light foam.
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Ready when: The outside of the shaker feels very cold and the liquid looks foamy.
Tip: Hold the lid firmly while shaking. Hot espresso can create pressure. If you prefer, stir with a long spoon for 20 seconds instead.
Fill the glass
- Fill a tall 12–16 fl oz (355–480 ml) glass with 1 cup (150 g) of fresh ice cubes.
- Pour in ¾ cup (180 ml) of cold whole milk.
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Ready when: Milk comes about two-thirds of the way up the glass.
Tip: Use fresh ice rather than the shaken ice, which is partly melted and would water the drink down.
Pour and serve
- Strain the shaken espresso over the milk and ice, pouring slowly so it forms swirling layers.
- Stir gently with a straw or long spoon before drinking, then serve right away.
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Ready when: The drink is an even, creamy tan color and ice floats freely.
Tip: Serve immediately. The longer it sits, the more the ice dilutes it.
Good to know
Tips
- Shaking the espresso with ice gives a foamy, cafe-style texture and chills it fast without watering it down.
- Use freshly pulled espresso and cold milk. Stale coffee or warm milk makes a flat, quickly diluted drink.
- For a stronger latte, use a triple shot or reduce the milk to ½ cup (120 ml).
- Make coffee ice cubes from leftover coffee so the drink never gets diluted.
Make ahead
"The vanilla syrup keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so make a batch ahead. You can also brew the espresso and chill it for up to 24 hours in a sealed container, though the flavor is best fresh."
Storage & reheating
"Assembled latte: best drunk immediately; it can be kept in the fridge without ice for up to 1 day, then poured over fresh ice. Vanilla syrup: fridge in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. Do not freeze the finished drink. Syrup can be frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before using."
Substitutions
- whole milk → oat milk or unsweetened almond milk. Use the same amount. Oat milk gives the creamiest result. Choose barista blends for best texture.
- vanilla syrup (from above) → store-bought vanilla syrup. Use the same amount. Brands vary in sweetness, so start with 1 tablespoon and taste.
- pure vanilla extract → 1 split vanilla bean. Simmer the bean in the syrup for 3 minutes, then steep as it cools, and remove before storing.
- freshly brewed espresso → 2 fl oz (60 ml) strong Moka pot coffee or 1 fl oz (30 ml) coffee concentrate plus 1 fl oz water. Flavor will be slightly less intense than true espresso.
