Cardamom Latte

This delicious cardamom latte is super fragrant, ultra smooth and just perfectly spiced. Absolutely amazing to enjoy in the morning or as an afternoon treat. Also very easy to make, whether you have an espresso machine or not!

This cardamom latte was such an amazing discovery for me, so I am super excited to share it here with you guys.

I see cardamom latte recipes once in a while on social media platforms (and even at Starbucks coffee shop a few times!), but was a bit skeptical about it. 

I actually like adding a hint of cardamom when I make a matcha chai latte as part of the chai spice mix, but having cardamom as the prominent flavor in a drink, I just was not sure at all. So, I decided to give it a try and oh wow, I totally get the hype now. 

I'm definitely late to the party as cardamom is a classic spice to flavor sweet milk recipes and with good reason: it is so shockingly delicious! And here, the sweet fragrant and subtle spice profile is amazing paired with coffee. 

You will love how the cardamom flavor when mixed in with the milk and a little sweetener makes the latte SO smooth, super creamy, almost caramelized, and so much deeper in flavor. The taste is actually hard to describe, it has a very unique flavor, you might just have to trust the process and give it a try! 

Plus, I don't even have an espresso machine at home, but this didn’t stop me! You can make strong coffee similar to espresso without it and I'll show you how easy it is, so everyone can make this homemade spiced latte drink right in the comfort of their home without any fancy equipment.

Please let me know what you think of this recipe, I want to hear if you liked it as much as I did! ❤️

Why you'll love this recipe

• Simple recipe that makes for a wonderful treat!
• Makes for a fun change to your regular latte.
• Perfect warm beverage to enjoy on a cold winter day.
• Can also be made cold to help you cool down in the summer.
• Very versatile and can be paired with more spices.
• Accessible for all: can be made without an espresso machine!
• This version is vegan and dairy-free.

What you'll need

• Coffee: if you have an espresso machine, then make 2 shots of espresso coffee (about 2.5 ounces). If you don't have an espresso machine, then simply make a small batch of strongly brewed coffee. Aim to get about ½ cup or so. I'll show you below how I make it without a machine.
• Plant-based milk: use your milk of choice! In this case, I used unsweetened oat milk, which I find froths very well, but almond milk, cashew milk or soy milk are great too.
• Cardamom powder: you will need ground cardamom for this recipe (not the whole cardamom pods).
• Sweetener: use to taste or omit, I like maple syrup in lattes, but any sweetener will work, such as brown sugar, simple syrup or regular white sugar.

As for the equipment, here is what you will need:

• Espresso machine OR French press OR regular coffee machine to make drip coffee. If you use a regular coffee machine, then be sure to make the coffee stronger than usual.
• Small pot to warm up the milk. I love using this frothing mini pitcher (works on an induction oven!).
• Frother to foam the milk. The hand-held frothers are not expensive, super convenient and easy to use. Or use the frother on your espresso machine, if you have one. If you don't have a frother, then you can simply shake the warm milk in a sealed jar vigorously to get some foam. It works!

How to make a cardamom latte

Prepare the coffee

Per serving, you will need a double shot of espresso (about 2.5 ounces) or about ½ cup of strongly brewed coffee. I don't have an espresso coffee machine, so I love using a French press to brew a small portion of strong coffee for lattes. In that case, I use about 2 heaping tablespoons of ground coffee + ½ cup of hot water.

Make the foamy cardamom milk

Combine the cardamom with the milk in a small pot and warm up while stirring often. You don't want to boil the milk or cook it, remove it from the heat once warm enough and steamy. 

Once hot, then use a handheld milk frother to foam the milk to your liking.

If you have an induction oven like me, then these metal frothing mini pitcher are great to flavor the milk, warm it up directly on the stove and to froth too.

Assemble 

In a serving mug, pour the espresso coffee and then pour the warm cardamom-frothed milk over.

Add sweetener to taste and enjoy right away.

Helpful tips

• If you want to make an iced cardamom latte, then skip warming up the milk and don't froth it, simply combine the milk with the cardamom. Then, fill a tall glass or a mason jar with ice cubes and pour the espresso over. Then, top with the cardamom milk and add sweetener to taste.
• For an ultra-creamy latte, use coconut milk!
• If you are looking for a very smooth drink, then you can pour the latte through a fine mesh strainer to remove larger pieces of spices.
• For a drink with less caffeine, then use caffeine-free coffee grounds or swap the espresso for black tea (black tea contains almost half the amount of caffeine compared to coffee).
• For a stronger coffee flavor, then use 3 shots of espresso instead of 2.

More flavoring ideas

• Vanilla: add about ¼-1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract alongside the cardamom to the milk just before warming up to prepare a delicious vanilla cardamom latte!
• Spiced: add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger to the milk along the cardamom. Or add a pre-made mix of chai spices.
• Mocha: Add about 1 teaspoon of raw cacao powder to the milk when warming it up. You might need to add a little more sweetener in this case since raw cacao powder is a little bitter. Or add a drizzle of this vegan chocolate syrup!
• Turmeric: add a pinch of turmeric for extra flavor, but also a boost of antioxidants!

FAQ's

What is cardamom? 

It is an Indian spice that comes from a plant from the Zingiberaceae family. It looks like a pod that has a funny-looking elongated triangular shape of about ½ inch long. You can find cardamom whole or ground in grocery stores. 

How does cardamom taste? 

Cardamom has an intense floral taste and almost peppery sweet flavor. It also has hints of mint flavor in the background, although very subtle. It has complex and very unique taste!

I don't have cardamom, what can I use instead? 

Cardamom has a very particular flavor, which would be hard to substitute and have the same result. BUT, I think that a combo of nutmeg + some cinnamon would give you a rich and aromatic spiced taste similar to cardamom.

More lattes and warm drinks you might like

• Turmeric hot chocolate
• Matcha chai latte
• Vanilla matcha latte
• Lemongrass ginger tea
• Lavender milk tea
• Butterfly pea flower latte
• Pink latte
• Oat milk hot chocolate
• Peanut butter coffee
• Strawberry latte
• Iced dirty chai latte
• Hot bubble tea

I hope you like this cardamom latte recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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