A latte, a cappuccino and a Spanish latte all start as espresso with milk, and Coffee & Cream stocks what you need to make all three at home. A cappuccino has less milk and a thick foam cap, a latte has more steamed milk and a thin foam layer, and a Spanish latte is a latte sweetened with condensed milk.
Latte, cappuccino and Spanish latte compared
| Drink | Coffee taste | Milk | Foam | Sweetness | Typical cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cappuccino | Strongest of the three | Less steamed milk | Thick foam cap | Unsweetened | About 150 to 180 ml |
| Latte | Milder | More steamed milk | Thin foam layer | Unsweetened | About 240 ml or more |
| Spanish latte | Milder | Steamed milk, with condensed milk | Thin foam layer | Sweet from condensed milk | About 240 ml or more |
Latte means milk in Italian. A flat white is espresso with steamed milk and a thin foam layer in a smaller cup than a latte, so the coffee tastes stronger. A mocha is a latte with chocolate added, and a cortado is espresso with about the same amount of warm milk.
Our Illy cappuccino cup, 170 ml, fits the shorter cappuccino. The Kimbo large cappuccino cup, 280 ml, holds a latte.
How to make a latte, cappuccino or Spanish latte at home
You need espresso, milk, and a way to foam it. A Spanish latte also needs sweetened condensed milk.
- Make the espresso. Use an espresso machine with whole beans or espresso ground coffee, or a Nespresso machine with Nespresso Original and compatible capsules. A moka pot with ground coffee for moka brews a short, strong cup that can stand in for espresso.
- Heat the milk and foam it. A cappuccino needs a thick foam cap. A latte or Spanish latte needs mostly liquid steamed milk with a thin layer of foam on top. Use a Nespresso Aeroccino 3, a Hibrew M3A or a French press from the milk frothers and French presses. To foam milk in a French press, fill it no more than a third with hot milk and pump the plunger fast, longer for a cappuccino's thick cap and only a few strokes for a latte.
- Pour the hot milk over the espresso. For a Spanish latte, stir sweetened condensed milk into the hot espresso before the milk goes in. We carry Rainbow Sweetened Condensed Milk in the 397 g tin. The full method is in the Spanish latte recipe.
For an iced latte or iced Spanish latte, pour cold milk over ice in place of steamed milk. See the iced coffee recipes.
Latte and cappuccino pods and sachets
Dolce Gusto pods and instant coffee are the quick way to a latte or a cappuccino.
- Nescafé Dolce Gusto: Latte Macchiato, Latte Macchiato Caramel, Cappuccino and Flat White, 16 capsules each. Latte Macchiato, Latte Macchiato Caramel and Cappuccino take two capsules per cup, one coffee and one milk. Flat White is one capsule per cup. Starbucks Caffè Latte for Dolce Gusto comes in a pack of 12, and we also carry Starbucks Espresso Macchiato Latte for Dolce Gusto.
- Compatible with Nespresso Original: La Capsuleria Cappuccino Vanilla, 10 capsules. It holds the milk and vanilla, so brew it first, then top the cup with an espresso capsule.
- Instant latte sachets: Mahbuba Coffee Latte and Mahbuba Coffee Sugar Free Latte (24 sachets), Cafe Crown (Ulker) Latte (24 sachets) and Tora Bika Creamy Latte (20 sachets).
- Instant cappuccino sachets: Tora Bika Cappuccino and Tora Bika Cappuccino No Sugar Added (20 sachets).
- Creamer: Nestlé Coffee Mate Caramel Latte powder, 425.5 g, is a caramel creamer with no coffee in it. Stir it into a cup of coffee after you make it.
Dolce Gusto pods need a Dolce Gusto machine. The sachets are powder you dissolve in hot water. A Spanish latte is made with condensed milk, as in step 3 above.
FAQ
What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?
Both are espresso with milk. A cappuccino uses less milk and a thick foam cap, in a cup of about 150 to 180 ml. A latte uses more steamed milk and a thin foam layer, in a cup of about 240 ml or more.
What is the difference between a latte and a Spanish latte?
A Spanish latte is sweetened with condensed milk, so it tastes sweet and a little thicker. Otherwise both use espresso, a larger share of steamed milk and a thin foam layer, in a cup of about 240 ml or more. A plain latte stays unsweetened until you add sugar or a syrup.
What is the difference between a Spanish latte and a cappuccino?
A cappuccino is the shorter cup, about 150 to 180 ml, with less milk, a thick foam cap and no sugar unless you add it. A Spanish latte is the long milk drink, about 240 ml or more, sweetened with condensed milk and finished with a thin foam layer.
Which is stronger, a latte or a cappuccino?
A cappuccino tastes stronger. In most cafés both drinks use the same espresso shot, but a cappuccino has less milk around it, so the coffee comes through more clearly. A latte tastes lighter and milkier. The espresso, lungo and ristretto guide covers shorter and longer shots.
What is the difference between Nescafé, a latte and a cappuccino?
Nescafé is instant coffee, granules or powder you dissolve in water, and in Egypt many people say Nescafé for any instant coffee. A latte and a cappuccino are espresso and milk drinks. Instant latte and cappuccino sachets and Nescafé Dolce Gusto pods are quick versions of them.
Is a Spanish latte stronger than a latte?
No. A Spanish latte uses the same espresso shot and a similar amount of milk. Condensed milk adds sugar and body, so it tastes sweeter and thicker than a plain latte.
For a latte or cappuccino at home, pair one of our espresso machines with a milk frother or French press. For a faster cup, start with Dolce Gusto pods, Nespresso Original and compatible capsules or instant coffee. For a chocolate version, see how to make a mocha at home.