Are you wondering what a skinny latte is? Don't worry, we'd explain it all. Black coffee can be delicious, robust, and refreshing but what happens when you want to try out other coffee drinks? You should really experiment.

A skinny latte is a popular drink that many coffee lovers like to make. It will still give you the energy boost you need and satisfy your coffee cravings.  If you’ve been searching for a new drink aside from black coffee, then you should give the skinny latte a try. You've probably heard of the skinny latte but don't know what it is? A skinny latte is an espresso drink that is mixed with nonfat or low-fat milk. 

In this post, we’d tell you how this coffee drink became popular over the past years and how you can make it in your kitchen.

FIRST LET'S TELL YOU ABOUT THE BASICS OF BREWING GREAT COFFEE

Before we start talking about making a skinny latte, we’d take a step backward and give you an overview of how different types of coffee are made. When you make a regular cup of coffee, you’d be extracting the flavorful compounds, and oils with hot or cold water.

Coffee can be made with a wide range of coffee makers like espresso machines, Nespresso machines using coffee pods, French press Moka Pot, etc.

Espresso is like regular coffee, and it is the major ingredient for a latte and skinny latte. To brew espresso, you have to grind coffee beans, tamp it properly in a portafilter and allow hot water to run through the grounds within 30 seconds.

Espresso cannot be brewed with other machines, it has to be an espresso machine. But you can always brew espresso-style coffee with a Moka pot or French press.  An espresso machine has a small pressure where you can fill water. Once the water is heated and pressurized, it will run through the finely ground coffee and produce that aromatic and robust coffee filled with caffeine. 

To make a cup of latte, you’d have to pull one shot of espresso, so the flavors can balance with the milk. Using regular coffee will only make the latte so sweet and creamy. The sweeter latte made with regular coffee can be enjoyable on some days, but it is not classified as a latte. 

As we previously mentioned, the latte is made with a shot of espresso and about 8 ounces of steamed milk. A latte can be topped with cream, or you can add microfoam to it. Many baristas use this foam to create various latte designs, you can learn how to do it if you keep practicing.  If you want to alter the taste of your latte a bit, you can opt for any syrup like vanilla or maple syrup, peppermint, or chocolate syrup. 

LATTE TO SKINNY LATTE?

A regular latte is a perfect option for those who don't like drinking black coffee and are willing to add some calories to their coffee. The traditional black coffee does have a single calorie while a latte has about 100 calories and sugar depending on how many ingredients you add.

The skinny latte on the other hand is replacing the regular whole milk with nonfat milk. You can also add a syrup that doesn't have calories. It may seem like swapping these ingredients will make a lot of difference in the coffee’s taste but no, it's just you cutting back hundreds of calories in a week.

There are different low-fat milk in the market, you should keep your options open and experiment till you find the right milk for you. So to switch from latte to skinny latte, you have to switch from regular whole milk to nonfat or low-fat milk. You can try almond milk, coconut milk, and soy milk. Oat milk is a popular choice as it gives the latte earthy flavors. It also contains nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin B, Fiber, calcium, and many more.

The only drawback of using nonfat milk is that the milk foam will be difficult to whip. We are not saying the milk is bad, but you’d have to spend more time aerating it. The foam won't stay on the milk as long as foam from whole milk would have stayed. 

WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT THE REGULAR LATTE?

The regular latte is satisfying to a lot of people who like their espresso with milk. The milk will create a velvety foam that will linger as you drink. The texture of the latte complements the espresso. In other words, the regular latte is a balanced drink with smooth, robust flavors that has a softened espresso taste.

WHAT'S BETTER ABOUT THE SKINNY LATTE?

As we previously mentioned, the skinny latte has fewer calories since it is made with low-fat or nonfat milk. It will highlight the taste of the espresso more since the foamed milk will dissolve faster. Since it lacks fat and smoothness, it won't suppress the intense flavors of the espresso.

HOW TO MAKE SKINNY LATTE

If you’ve had experience making coffee, making the skinny latte can still be a bit confusing. The easiest way to make the latte is with any espresso machine, Gaggia or Breville Touch. These machines are not so expensive and easy to use. You can master the basic functions after reading the manual. 

If you don't have much space on your kitchen counter, then get a smaller machine that brews espresso like a portable espresso maker or a Nespresso machine. To brew espresso with a portable espresso maker, read the instructions on the manual.

Most espresso machines have a chamber where you can pour water and another chamber where you can put finely ground coffee. The grounds have to be fine else the coffee will under-extracted.

Related: How To Grind Coffee

When you've added the two ingredients to your espresso maker, hit the brew button and allow the device to fill your mug with a hot cup of coffee.

When the brewing process is over, it is time to add the low fat or nonfat to the machine. Your espresso should have a steam wand that will steam the milk properly.  As a general rule, you have to use 8 ounces of milk, but you can tweak the recipe, depending on your taste preference. For those who want to add sugar or another flavor, add it to the mug before brewing the espresso.

By putting the syrup or sugar first, you can make sure that it mixes thoroughly with your espresso. If this is the first time you are making a skinny latte, you should start with a few ingredients first, so you can focus on following the recipe. 

FINAL WORDS

Now that you know how to make a skinny latte, the next step is to get the basic ingredients, low-fat milk, and freshly roasted coffee beans and start brewing. The skinny latte will not come out perfect if you use stale coffee beans to brew, so buy fresh coffee always. 

There are a lot of ways to personalize this latte especially when it comes to using different milk products and syrups. If you own an espresso machine, and you want to enjoy a cup of latte, you can buy compatible Nespresso pods and make your latte.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Are The Best Mixtures For A Skinny Latte?

The liquid you add to your espresso all depends on your personal preference. If you want to make a latte that is robust and aromatic, you should only use 1% milk or nonfat milk. Oat milk, coconut milk, and almond milk are popular options, and they have their profile as well that can blend with the espresso. 

Are Skinny Lattes Healthier Than The Regular Lattes?

If you want to limit your consumption of sugar and fat, the skinny latte is a better option than the regular latte. Note that the traditional latte is healthy too as long as you are using high-quality ingredients. Also, avoid processed food sweeteners as much as you can. 

What this means is that if you are not on a diet, or you like full-fat milk, then the regular latte is the perfect option for you. Whole milk will soften the edges of the espresso drink especially if you don't like the bold coffee flavor. So are you looking for a taste of luxury? The regular latte is the best option, or you can try a cappuccino or cortado.