Last verified 17 September 2026
Copycat Vanilla Latte Recipe
How to build the 7 Brew Vanilla Latte at home: 4 ingredients, 9 minutes, 314 calories a serving, and roughly $3.66 cheaper per drink than the $5.89 you would pay at the window. This is the recipe I keep coming back to when I am not standing in line.
What you are aiming for: a Vanilla Latte off the board. The stand's Medium is 314 calories; this version comes in at 314.
A Vanilla Latte is a latte build. A vanilla latte is the clean test of whether your technique works. There is nowhere for a bad shot to hide. Use the best espresso you have and do not over-syrup it.
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 4 minutes |
| Total time | 9 minutes |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Yield | 1 drink (16 oz) |
| Calories (per serving) | 314 kcal |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Caffeine | 130 mg |
| Home cost | $2.23 |
| Stand price (Medium) | $5.89 |
| You save | $3.66 (62%) |
Ingredients
- 2 shots espresso (60 ml)
- 240 ml whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla syrup
- a light foam cap
Equipment
- Espresso machine, moka pot or double-strength coffee
- Milk steamer, frother or saucepan + whisk
- 16 oz mug
How to make it
- Pull 2 shots of espresso (60 ml). Without a machine, brew 60 ml at double strength: 30 g of grounds to 120 g of water.
- Measure 240 ml of whole milk into a pitcher while the shot pulls.
- Stir 2 tsp vanilla syrup into the hot espresso and give it 5 seconds. Syrup dissolves properly in coffee, not in cold milk.
- Steam the whole milk to 60 °C. No steamer? Heat it until it just steams, then whisk hard for 20 seconds.
- Pour from a height into the centre of the espresso in one steady stream, then drop the spout close to the surface to set a foam cap.
- Finish with a light foam cap. Taste before adding anything else.2 Tsp vanilla syrup already carries a lot of sweetness.
Tips that actually matter
- Two tsp of vanilla is enough for 16 oz. More tastes like syrup, not coffee.
- Vanilla bean paste beats extract here:it has no alcohol edge.
- Steam the milk to 60 °C. Above that the milk sugars caramelise and go flat.
Variations
- Iced vanilla latte: espresso, syrup, cold milk, ice.In that order.
- Vanilla breve: half-and-half.
- Add 1 tsp of brown sugar syrup for a bakery-leaning version.
What it costs to make at home
| Component | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| 2 shots espresso (60 ml) | $0.55 |
| 240 ml whole milk | $0.48 |
| 2 tsp vanilla syrup | $0.35 |
| a light foam cap | $0.35 |
| Total per serving | $2.23 |
| Stand price (Medium 24 oz) | $5.89 |
| Saving per drink | $3.66 |
Costs assume supermarket prices and a syrup bottle amortised over roughly 25 drinks. The first drink is more expensive than $2.23 because you are buying the bottle; by the fifth drink you are clearly ahead.
How this recipe compares
Across all 46 copycat recipes on this site, this one is the 34th fastest at 9 minutes and the 29th lightest at 314 calories. 12 calories above the 302-calorie average.
Same technique (latte)
More Coffee Classics recipes
prices & nutrition are estimates. Confirm at your stand