Almond Milk Latte: Recipe, Frothing and Calories

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Flavor and Tasting Notes

Almond can bring a toasted or marzipan-like note alongside the espresso. Some cartons make a light drink; others include ingredients that give it more body. Sweetened and unsweetened versions can taste quite different, so taste the almond drink on its own before adding syrup.

Coffee with chocolate or nut descriptors is a reasonable pairing to try, but origin alone does not predict the result. Keep a familiar espresso and change the milk first so you can judge what it contributes.

Preparation and Recipe

Makes: 1 latte · Time: about 5 minutes with the machine ready · Cup: at least 250 ml, allowing room for foam.

Ingredients

• 18 g coffee beans, ground for espresso, to produce 36 g brewed espresso as a starting point
• 180 ml cold barista almond milk, measured before heating

Equipment: espresso machine and grinder, scales, milk pitcher, thermometer and cup. Use a pitcher that can handle the measured portion. If your equipment requires extra milk to work, that is preparation stock; keep the amount intended for the drink at 180 ml before aeration.

1. Prepare the milk. Shake the closed carton as directed and measure 180 ml cold almond milk into a suitable pitcher. Choose a cup of at least 250 ml so there is room for the espresso and light foam.
2. Extract the espresso. Prepare 18 g ground coffee and aim for 36 g brewed espresso in your cup. Adjust the grind for your beans and machine; this 1:2 ratio is dry coffee to brewed espresso by weight.
3. Heat and texture. Introduce a little air near the start of steaming, then keep the milk moving until it has fine bubbles and reaches about 60°C (140°F). Follow the manufacturer's guidance if it differs; do not boil.
4. Combine and serve. Swirl the pitcher to integrate the foam, then pour the warmed milk into the espresso. Stop below the rim and serve promptly. The primary recipe has no added syrup or garnish.

Alpro recommends 60°C for its Barista Almond. Treat that as a product example and follow the guidance on your own carton. The coffee and milk quantities are a repeatable home starting point, not a universal café standard. Espresso weight and milk volume are different measures; they are not an exact liquid-volume ratio.

Without a steam wand: warm the measured milk gently in a small saucepan, then use a handheld frother briefly and swirl. Expect a different texture. Without an espresso machine, about 40 ml strong moka-pot coffee gives an approximation; it has a different extraction and caffeine contribution. See the espresso guide for the primary coffee method.

Which Almond Milk Works Best?

Start with a carton intended for coffee, then decide whether you prefer sweetened or unsweetened. Barista is a preparation category, not a promise of zero sugar or a fixed protein content. For example, Alpro Barista Almond's UK ingredient list includes sugar and fructose.

Homemade almond milk can work as warm milk coffee, but its concentration and filtration are less standardized. If it gives little foam, that does not mean the espresso or the whole drink has failed.

Almond Milk Latte vs. Oat and Soy

A fair comparison uses the same espresso and 180 ml of each drink. Changing the shot and milk together makes it harder to identify the difference.

Dialing in and Troubleshooting

Do not solve every texture problem by heating more. If the milk foams well alone but separates in the espresso, note that distinction; the combination needs attention as well as the frothing technique.

Iced Variation

For one iced version, use the same espresso with 150 ml cold almond milk and 100 g ice in a glass of at least 350 ml. Add the milk and ice, then the espresso; stir to combine. Skip steaming. The smaller milk portion leaves room for ice, which dilutes the drink as it melts.

Almond Milk Latte Calories and Caffeine

A label calculation is more useful than one calorie number for every almond latte. Alpro Barista Almond UK lists 24 kcal and 2.5 g total sugars per 100 ml. Multiplying by 1.8 gives about 43 kcal and 4.5 g sugars for this recipe's 180 ml almond portion, before espresso or toppings. This is a calculation from the published label, reviewed 19 September 2026, not a measurement of the finished drink. Use your carton if its formula differs.

The espresso supplies the caffeine. Almond milk does not remove it, and this 36 g shot has not been measured for caffeine. Choose decaf beans for a lower-caffeine version; decaf can still contain some caffeine.

The plain recipe uses plant ingredients. Check added sauces and flavorings if you want to keep it vegan, and remember that almond milk contains almonds.

Editor's Take

Practical Detail

Common Questions

Sources and Further Reading

• Alpro Barista Almond UK — ingredients and portion-defined nutrition example
• Alpro Barista guidance — manufacturer-specific steaming temperature