Do you love rich, milk-based coffee flavors? There are many options for adding milk to espresso. Why are there so many different flavors if adding milk is so simple? It depends on the type of milk used and how it’s added. We’ll compare two milk-centered drinks with different types of milk: cafe con Leche vs latte.
Cafe con leche and latte may look almost identical in a cup, but they are not the same coffee at all. While both are made with coffee and milk, they differ in brewing method, milk ratio, flavor strength, and even cultural origin.
If you’ve ever ordered one thinking it would taste like the other, this comparison will clear the confusion and help you choose the drink that truly matches your taste.
Latte:
A latte typically uses one espresso shot, combined with steamed and foamed milk.
Cafe Con Leche:
Café con leche is made with whole milk and an espresso shot.
Also, Café con leche is called a Spanish latte.
Café con Leche vs latte: What is the real difference?
Although both add a similar volume of espresso, there are differences in the use of milk and the taste.
When we add more milk to espresso, it becomes milder and sweeter. Cafe con Leche uses less milk than a latte, even though both are made with espresso.
Infographic: café con Leche vs latte
Let’s check all the differences in detail.
Cafe con leche vs latte: Which flavor adds more milk?
Latte contains twice as much milk as cafe con leche.
Café con leche uses half the milk compared to a latte. Additionally, it heats the milk but not to the boiling point; it only adds hot milk and no steamed or foamed milk.
A latte generally adds 4 ounces of steamed and foamed milk to espresso. And café con leche comes with only 2 ounces of milk. However, a latte adds 6 to 8 ounces of milk when making a large glass.
A latte steamed and foamed milk, whereas Café con leche doesn’t add steamed or foamed milk; it only uses hot milk.
Also, check breve vs. latte.
Cafe latte vs cafe con leche: Why is latte smoother and sweeter than cafe con leche?
If you want creamy, sweet, and bitter coffee, Café con leche should be your first choice because a latte is a milder and sweeter coffee with added flavors.
Café con leche is a creamy, sweet coffee with a slightly bitter taste due to the equal volume of espresso. In contrast, a latte has a creamy, foamy texture with a milder, sweeter taste.
Since the latte has a double volume of steamed and foamed milk, it gives a unique, creamy, flavorful taste.
Cafe con leche vs latte: Calories difference?
The calorie content in a coffee cup depends on which milk you’re using and how much milk you add to a cup. So, a latte that has more milk means it has more calories than a café cone leche.
To be precise, a café con leche comes with 100 to 120 calories per serving.
On the other hand, a latte has more steamed milk. It has 140 to 160 calories per serving.
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Cafe con leche vs latte: Difference in origin
Well, it’s the battle of two traditional coffee nations, Spain and Italy. Both these countries have produced some great coffee flavors over the years.
Café con leche is a relatively new Spanish coffee. A latte is a popular Italian coffee enjoyed worldwide.
Cafe con leche vs latte: Which drink is better and healthier?
Both beverages have distinct features that make them different. It isn’t easy to pick one drink as a favorite. It is essential to make both drinks at home, check the taste and texture, and decide which coffee suits you.
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If you look at the calorie content, café con leche has fewer calories. It usually doesn’t add flavors and sugar, so you can pick it over a latte.
Many people are conscious of the calorie content in their beverages. Drinks with fewer calories are generally healthier.
In contrast, a latte is a creamy, foamy coffee with a sweeter taste. From a health perspective, café con leche is a better drink with fewer calories.
A latte with high calories, you should drink once in a while.
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Now let’s check how these coffees can be made at home and what ingredients will be needed.
What is café con leche?
Café con leche is a Spanish coffee. It is still not well-known in America. This coffee is quite similar to a latte, but they have a few differences.
It adds whole milk to espresso, unlike regular coffee flavors, latte, and cappuccino, which add steamed and foamed milk.
Café con leche is a Spanish word that means “coffee and milk.” since this drink is prepared with espresso and milk.
This drink originates from Spain and has all the ingredients that you can expect from a Spanish coffee.
This drink prepares with equal parts of milk and espresso. It usually uses whole milk to get the creaminess. Cafe con leche adds milk and espresso with a ratio of 1:1.
In this coffee, whole milk is scalded instead of steamed. Scalded milk differs from steamed milk; it doesn’t create any foam.
Also, scalded milk is prepared hot to get a hot café con leche.
How to make café con leche at home?
It is an easy coffee to make at home. Espresso shots can be made with an espresso machine or a Moka pot.
Ingredients
- One espresso shot
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ tablespoon of sugar(optional)
Instructions
- Make espresso shot
- Take a saucepan, pour whole milk into it, and heat it, but avoid boiling it. It doesn’t require steamed or foamed milk for café con leche.
- Gently pour the milk into the espresso cup. Stir the cup well.
- Add sugar if you want a sweeter coffee.
A cup of café con leche is ready to enjoy.
What is a café latte or Latte?
Café latte or latte is a worldwide famous Italian coffee. You can get this coffee at almost every coffee shop internationally. This coffee, known as café latte in Italy, means “coffee with milk.”
The Café latte is prepared with espresso and milk. However, the milk uses almost double or triple the volume of espresso.
In this drink, espresso to milk comes with a 1:2 or even 1:3 ratio.
Also, check the recipe for a Nutella latte.
It depends on how much milk you prefer in your espresso. The more milk you add, the more milk-dominated coffee you get.
First, make steamed and foamed milk from whole milk since whole milk gives the ideal steamed milk.
What I like most about latte is that it can add as many flavors as you want since it has high-volume steamed milk.
Adding flavors like chocolate sauce, caramel, and vanilla spreads, everything works perfectly.
Check the difference between dirty chai and chai latte.
How to make a latte coffee?
It is another simple drink to make at home. You don’t need many ingredients to make it.
Ingredients
- An espresso shot
- Whole milk
Instructions
- First, make an espresso shot.
- Now start frothing the milk. Also, whisk the milk to get foam at the top. You can use a microwave to make good foam.
- In the next step, pour the steamed milk into the espresso. When you pour milk into the espresso, it gives a good milk foam at the top. Steamed milk should be 2/3 to the ratio of espresso.
- You can create latte art at the top. The latte art is a traditional whole mark of a latte coffee.
- Add any flavor or sugar to the latte. (optional)
Enjoy your latte.
No, a Cappuccino is made with espresso and steamed milk with a ratio of 1:2, whereas café con leche is made with whole milk and espresso with a ratio of 1:1.
Both drinks are made with espresso and milk, but they have distinct differences.
Café con leche means coffee with milk. So many coffees in America are made with a combination of coffee and milk.
Yes. Cafe con leche is traditionally made with strong, brewed coffee, so no espresso machine is required.
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Final thoughts
Adding steamed and foamed milk to an espresso shot gives a different taste and texture. And if you add more milk compared to coffee, it makes a significant difference.
Latte stands ahead of other coffee flavors due to its extra use of milk.
Even though Cafe Con Leach has its unique taste and aroma, the popularity of the latte is significantly high.
Very few flavors, like café con leche, add hot milk to espresso. The hot milk with espresso fits well and can give a unique taste.
You should try both drinks before picking one over the other.