Every seasonal café drink follows the same simple pattern: strong coffee + a flavored syrup or sauce + steamed or frothed milk + a topping. Once you know that, you can make any holiday latte at home. You don't need an espresso machine either: strong moka pot coffee, a concentrated pour-over or cold brew concentrate all work (see our guide to lattes without an espresso machine).
Your holiday coffee base
- Espresso: 1 double shot (about 36 to 40 g) per drink.
- No machine: 60 to 80 ml of strong coffee brewed at about 1:8 to 1:10, from a moka pot, French press or concentrated pour-over.
- Milk: 180 to 240 ml, heated to about 60 to 65°C (140 to 150°F): hot to the touch, not boiling. Hotter milk loses its sweetness.
- Coffee choice: chocolatey, medium to medium-dark coffees (Brazil, Guatemala, many blends) stand up best to milk and spice.
Peppermint mocha
The holiday classic. A homemade chocolate sauce is richer than syrup and takes two minutes. Peppermint extract is strong, so start with a few drops and add more to taste.
Peppermint mocha
Hot · 5 min · 1 drinkYou need
- 1 double espresso or 70 ml strong coffee
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 2 to 4 drops peppermint extract
- 200 ml milk
- Whipped cream and crushed peppermint
Make it
- Stir cocoa, sugar and hot water into a smooth sauce in your mug.
- Add the coffee and peppermint extract; stir.
- Heat and froth the milk to about 60°C, then pour it in.
- Top with whipped cream and crushed peppermint.
Gingerbread latte (with homemade gingerbread syrup)
Gingerbread syrup is brown sugar, a spoon of molasses and warm spices simmered together. It keeps in the fridge for about two weeks, and a small bottle makes a lovely homemade gift. Our syrup calculator scales the brown sugar base to any batch size.
Gingerbread latte
Hot · 15 min · syrup for about 12 drinksYou need
- Syrup: 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch each of nutmeg, cloves and salt
- Per drink: 1 double espresso or 70 ml strong coffee, 200 ml milk
Make it
- Simmer the syrup ingredients for 5 minutes, stirring, then cool and strain into a clean bottle.
- Stir 1 to 1.5 tbsp syrup into the hot coffee.
- Froth hot milk and pour it over.
- Finish with a pinch of cinnamon or a crumbled gingersnap.
Eggnog latte
Swapping part of the milk for eggnog gives you a custardy, nutmeg-scented latte with no syrup needed. Heat it gently: eggnog thickens and can scorch if it boils.
Eggnog latte
Hot · 5 min · 1 drinkYou need
- 1 double espresso or 70 ml strong coffee
- 120 ml eggnog
- 80 ml milk
- Grated nutmeg
Make it
- Warm the eggnog and milk together over low heat, stirring, until steaming (don't boil).
- Froth briefly with a handheld frother.
- Pour over the coffee.
- Grate a little nutmeg on top.
Maple cinnamon oat latte
A dairy-free favorite. Barista-style oat milk froths best, and real maple syrup gives a warm, caramel sweetness that suits nutty coffees.
Maple cinnamon oat latte
Hot · 5 min · 1 drinkYou need
- 1 double espresso or 70 ml strong coffee
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 220 ml barista-style oat milk
Make it
- Stir maple syrup and cinnamon into the hot coffee.
- Heat the oat milk to about 60°C and froth.
- Pour over the coffee, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon it on top.
- Dust with a little more cinnamon.
Spiced orange mocha
Chocolate and orange is a classic holiday pairing. A strip of orange zest steeped in the milk gives a fresh aroma without any bitterness from the pith.
Spiced orange mocha
Hot · 8 min · 1 drinkYou need
- 1 double espresso or 70 ml strong coffee
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp hot water
- 200 ml milk
- 1 strip orange zest
- 1 cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground cinnamon
Make it
- Warm the milk with the orange zest and cinnamon for 3 to 4 minutes over low heat, then remove them.
- Make the cocoa sauce in your mug and stir in the coffee.
- Froth the infused milk and pour it in.
- Twist a fresh piece of zest over the top.
Big-batch holiday coffee for a crowd
Hosting? Skip making lattes one by one. Brew a big carafe, keep it warm and set out syrups, warm milk and toppings so everyone can build their own. At 1:16, a 1-liter batch needs about 62 g of coffee.
Big-batch holiday coffee
Hot · 15 min · 6 to 8 cupsYou need
- 62 g medium-ground coffee
- 1 liter water, just off the boil
- Syrups: gingerbread, vanilla, chocolate sauce
- Warm milk and toppings
Make it
- Brew the coffee in a large pour-over, drip machine or French press at 1:16.
- Pour into a preheated thermal carafe.
- Set out syrups, warm milk, whipped cream and toppings.
- Let everyone build their own; about 1 tbsp syrup per cup.
Line up two or three syrups in small bottles, a jug of warm milk, a frother, whipped cream, cinnamon and cocoa for dusting, crushed peppermint and a plate of cookies. Print a menu for it with our free home café menu maker.
Toppings that make it feel festive
- Crushed peppermint on whipped cream (add it just before serving so it stays crunchy).
- Cinnamon or nutmeg, dusted through a small sieve or tea strainer.
- Chocolate shavings from a bar, made with a vegetable peeler.
- A gingersnap on the saucer for dunking.
- Orange zest twisted over the top of a mocha.
- Cold foam for iced versions: see our cold foam recipes and swap in peppermint or gingerbread syrup.
Make it iced
Iced holiday drinks are having a moment. Stir the syrup or sauce into the hot coffee first (it won't dissolve in cold milk), then pour over ice and add cold milk. A gingerbread cold foam on cold brew is especially good.
Make it decaf
Evening holiday drinks are lovely with decaf. Choose a chocolatey, medium-roast decaf and brew it a little stronger than usual so it holds its own against milk and spice.
How much you save at home
Most of the cost of a café holiday latte is the café itself. At home you're paying for coffee, milk and a spoon of syrup. Build your drink in the Latte Lab to see your home cost next to the café price you usually pay.
Questions people ask
How do you make a holiday latte without an espresso machine?
Brew about 70 ml of strong coffee (around 1:8 to 1:10) in a moka pot, French press or pour-over, stir in your syrup, then add hot frothed milk. A handheld frother or a shaken jar works for the foam.
How do you make gingerbread syrup?
Simmer 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, cloves and salt for 5 minutes. Cool, strain and refrigerate for up to about two weeks.
How much peppermint extract goes in a peppermint mocha?
Start with 2 drops per drink and add more to taste. Peppermint extract is very concentrated, and too much tastes medicinal.
Can I make holiday coffee drinks iced?
Yes. Stir the syrup or sauce into hot coffee first so it dissolves, then pour over ice and top with cold milk or cold foam.
What coffee is best for holiday lattes?
Chocolatey medium or medium-dark roasts, such as Brazilian coffee or a blend, hold up best against milk, chocolate and spices.