Spiced Latte Recipe
Cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of ginger, and a coffee that can actually hold its own against all that spice. That's a spiced latte in a nutshell, and it's one of those drinks that tastes like the exact moment autumn tips into winter.
Honestly, once the spice jar's made up, this is the one that gets made on repeat here from the first cold morning right through to Christmas. You don't need a coffee machine or a trip into town for it. Just a pan, a whisk, and coffee you'd happily drink on its own.
What makes a spiced latte (and why it's not the same as a pumpkin spice latte)
A spiced latte is coffee, warmed milk, and a blend of autumn spices, usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of clove. No pumpkin, no puree, no can to open. If a recipe calls for pumpkin, it's making a pumpkin spice latte instead, which is a related drink but not quite the same thing.
That makes a spiced latte the easier of the two to keep in the cupboard year-round. Once the spice mix is made up, you're a few minutes from a proper mug of it any weekday morning.
What's the UK version of pumpkin spice?
British mixed spice is the closest thing we have. It's usually cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a little coriander or clove, and it does a similar job to American pumpkin pie spice without needing you to track down a US import. If there's already a jar of mixed spice in the baking cupboard, that works here instead of building a blend from scratch.
Choosing your coffee: which of our roasts to use
Black Gold, for the classic blend
If you want the traditional cinnamon-and-clove version, Black Gold is the one to reach for. It's our medium-dark, Italian-style espresso roast, full-bodied with notes of cookie, nut, and caramel, and it was built with milky drinks in mind. It holds its own against a decent dose of spice instead of disappearing under it, which is exactly what you want here.
Signature Gold, for something smoother
Prefer something gentler? Signature Gold is a medium roast with chocolate and caramel notes and a naturally soft sweetness. It's a touch lighter than Black Gold, so the spices sit alongside the coffee rather than over the top of it.
White Gold, for a lighter, brighter take
White Gold suits a lighter hand with the spice, ginger and cardamom rather than the full cinnamon-and-clove blend. It's our medium-light roast, with brown sugar, nougat, and a soft apple acidity that gets lost under heavier spicing but comes through nicely against something brighter.
Why these spices work so well with coffee
Cinnamon has a natural sweetness to it, so it rounds off a coffee's bitterness without any extra sugar doing the work. Nutmeg and clove bring a warm, almost toasted note that echoes the caramelised sugars already in a roasted bean, which is part of why a spiced latte tastes so at home with a darker roast in particular.
The recipe
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 double shot of espresso, or 120ml strong brewed coffee (Black Gold, Signature Gold or White Gold, depending on the style above)
- 200ml milk, dairy or plant-based
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- a small pinch of ground clove
- 1-2 tsp brown sugar or honey, to taste
Method
- Brew your coffee a little shorter and stronger than you normally would. It needs to hold up once the milk goes in.
- Warm the milk in a small pan with the spices and sugar, stirring so nothing catches on the bottom. Take it off the heat just before it boils.
- Froth if you fancy it (a handheld frother, a jug and whisk, or even a blender all do the job), or skip that step if you'd rather it stayed silkier.
- Pour the coffee into your mug, top with the spiced milk, and finish with an extra pinch of cinnamon.
Serving it iced: let the spiced milk cool fully before pouring over ice, then add cooled coffee or cold brew on top.
Dairy-free: oat milk works well here, and it's what we'd reach for with Black Gold in particular. It's one we've found holds up well with plant milk without losing that fuller body.
Where our coffee comes from
Black Gold and Signature Gold both come from Fernando Lima's farm, Finca Santa Elena, on the slopes of the Santa Ana volcano in El Salvador. It's been in his family since the 1930s, and the coffee from there has picked up Cup of Excellence recognition most years since 2006. White Gold comes from further afield, from the Chirinos cooperative in Cajamarca, Peru, a group of smallholder farmers who've been working together since 1968.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's in a spiced latte?
A spiced latte is espresso or strong coffee topped with milk warmed through with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of clove, plus a little sugar or honey to taste. Unlike a pumpkin spice latte, there's no pumpkin puree involved, just the spice blend and your coffee of choice.
What's the UK version of pumpkin spice?
British mixed spice is the closest equivalent, usually a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and coriander or clove. It's sold in every UK supermarket's baking aisle, so there's no need to track down American pumpkin pie spice to make a spiced latte at home.
Can I make this without an espresso machine?
Yes. Strongly brewed coffee from a cafetiere, moka pot, or Aeropress works just as well as espresso here. The main thing is to brew it a little stronger and shorter than usual, since the milk and spices will mellow the flavour out once everything's combined.
Is a spiced latte the same as a chai latte?
Not quite. A chai latte is built on black tea steeped with spices, while a spiced latte keeps coffee as the base and adds the spices to the milk. Both share similar warming flavours, but the underlying drink is different.
