Coffee Drink
Chestnut Praline Latte: Recipe with Real Chestnut Spread
A chestnut praline latte brings chestnut and caramel-like nut flavors to espresso and milk. This home recipe uses actual sweetened chestnut spread, with a small praline-syrup addition. Whisk the spread into hot coffee first for a smoother drink, whether you serve it hot or iced.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- About 75 mg (reference)36 g prepared espresso; generic USDA composition76.32 mg before rounding. The home extraction has not been measured for caffeine.
- Calories
- About 170 kcalNamed spread and syrup; no toppings169.84 kcal before rounding, with all measured ingredients served.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 36 g espresso + 160 g whole milk + 20 g chestnut spread + 5 ml praline syrup
- Made with
- Espresso, milk, sweetened chestnut spread and praline syrup
- Sugar
- About 22.0 g total. Includes about 10.0 g from spread, 3.8 g from syrup and 8.1 g from milk.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes; equipment and spread ready
Clément Faugier and Monin US labels plus USDA composition records, checked 26 September 2026. These figures describe this home recipe. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Use 20 g sweetened chestnut spread and 5 ml praline syrup with 36 g espresso and 160 g whole milk.
- 2The hot serving is about 170 kcal, 22.0 g total sugar and 75 mg reference caffeine, without toppings.
- 3Sweetened chestnut spread, unsweetened purée and flavored syrup are different ingredients. This recipe contains milk and actual chestnuts.
On This Page10 Sections
Which Chestnut Ingredient Should You Use?
Buy sweetened chestnut spread for this recipe. Also sold as crème de marrons, it brings chestnut solids as well as sweetness. It is not a bottle of hazelnut syrup with a new name.
Our named spread, Clément Faugier Crème de Marrons, lists chestnuts first, along with sugar, candied chestnuts and vanilla. A separate 5 ml portion of Monin US Praline Syrup adds a caramel-and-pecan-style flavor accent. That flavor description does not mean the syrup contains pieces of pecan.
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| Ingredient | What it changes | Use in this recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetened chestnut spread | Adds chestnut solids, sweetness and body | The measured 20 g ingredient |
| Unsweetened chestnut purée | Supplies chestnut with a different sugar level and texture | Needs a separately balanced recipe |
| Chestnut-flavored syrup | Supplies a liquid flavoring; ingredients vary | Not gram-for-gram equivalent to spread |
| Hazelnut syrup | Gives another nut-style flavor | Makes a hazelnut drink, not the same chestnut recipe |
The distinction matters when shopping online: “chestnut cream” can mean sweetened spread, while a jar labelled purée may be unsweetened. Read the ingredient list before choosing. For another nut-flavored espresso drink, see hazelnut latte.
Chestnut Praline Latte Recipe
Makes one hot latte in about 5 minutes with the espresso equipment ready. A 250 ml cup leaves pouring space; its capacity is not the exact drink yield.
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee, ground for espresso
- 160 g cold whole milk
- 20 g Clément Faugier Crème de Marrons sweetened chestnut spread
- 5 ml Monin US Praline Syrup
Use a scale for the spread, coffee and milk, plus a marked ml measure for syrup. Have a small whisk and suitable milk pitcher ready. Follow opened-product storage instructions on the jar and bottle.
Method
- Put 20 g chestnut spread and 5 ml praline syrup in a warmed 250 ml cup.
- Brew 18 g ground coffee to 36 g espresso. Add it gradually to the spread and whisk until smooth.
- Steam 160 g cold whole milk to about 60–65°C with fine, pourable foam.
- Swirl the pitcher, pour all the milk into the chestnut coffee and stir gently. Serve without toppings.
The espresso method explains the coffee preparation. Keep the distinction between 18 g dry grounds and 36 g collected espresso. Choose steaming equipment suited to the small milk portion; nutrition counts the original 160 g milk, all served.
Work on the chestnut mixture before the milk goes in. Gradually loosening a thick spread is more useful than trying to break up a lump after filling the cup. If your spread is noticeably coarse, its texture will carry into the drink; this is not a clear flavored syrup.
Iced Chestnut Praline Latte
Whisk 20 g chestnut spread and 5 ml praline syrup into 36 g hot espresso. Let the smooth mixture cool briefly. Add 120 g ice and 120 g cold whole milk to a 350 ml glass, pour in the chestnut coffee and stir thoroughly.
Using less milk leaves space for the ice. This version is about 145 kcal and 19.9 g total sugar with the named products. Its reference caffeine remains about 75 mg. Mixing the spread into the warm coffee first matters more than preserving attractive layers; stir again if chestnut solids settle. See iced latte for the unflavored base.
What Does Chestnut Praline Latte Taste Like?
The intended combination is a sweet chestnut base, a small caramel-and-nut flavor accent, creamy milk and espresso. Chestnut spread also contributes body, so this version may feel different from a latte made only with a clear flavored syrup.
Praline is not one universal bottled ingredient. The chosen Monin product describes a pecan-style profile, whereas other products can use different nuts or flavorings. Adding more praline syrup increases sweetness and shifts the balance away from the chestnut spread.
A pistachio latte offers a useful ingredient comparison: syrup and actual nut paste are different choices there, too. For a dessert latte without chestnut solids, try caramel brûlée latte.
How This Differs from the Starbucks Drink
Starbucks describes its Chestnut Praline Latte as espresso and steamed milk with caramelized-chestnut and spice flavors, finished with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs. That description establishes a familiar café style; it does not disclose the exact formulation of this home recipe.
Our version uses a measured chestnut spread and no topping. It is not a tested replica of a proprietary syrup. If ordering at a café, check its current regional menu for sizes, ingredients, allergens and seasonal availability. A historical holiday announcement is not confirmation that the drink is available today.
Whipped cream, cinnamon or praline crumbs can be optional additions, but keep them out of the base calculation unless you measure and account for them. Toppings can introduce additional ingredients and allergens.
Adjust Sweetness and Texture
| Problem or preference | Practical adjustment |
|---|---|
| Too sweet | Omit the 5 ml praline syrup; this becomes a simpler chestnut latte, about 155 kcal and 18.1 g sugar |
| Lumps in the cup | Add hot espresso gradually and whisk the spread smooth before adding milk |
| Slight settling as it stands | Stir again; the recipe contains actual chestnut solids |
| Want more coffee presence | Check the espresso extraction first, then change one ingredient at a time |
| Only have unsweetened purée | Use a recipe developed for it; this spread's sweetness and nutrition no longer apply |
The syrup-free option loses the praline accent as well as some sugar. To change the milk, use a carton suitable for your preparation and recalculate its portion; replacing dairy does not remove the chestnuts.
Calories, Sugar and Caffeine
The main hot serving is about 170 kcal, 22.0 g total sugar and 75 mg reference caffeine. It contains milk and chestnuts. Monin currently identifies its US Praline Syrup as a formulation without nut allergens, but that product-specific statement does not make this chestnut-spread recipe nut-free. Check the physical labels and preparation separately.
Serving calculation and source assumptions
Clément Faugier's 450 g jar record lists 270 kcal and 50.2 g sugar per 100 g. The 20 g spread contributes 54 kcal and 10.04 g sugar. Monin US Praline Syrup lists 90 kcal and 23 g sugar per 30 ml: 5 ml adds 15 kcal and about 3.83 g sugar.
USDA whole milk, NDB 01077, contributes 97.6 kcal and 8.08 g sugar for 160 g, using 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g. Prepared espresso, NDB 14210, contributes 3.24 kcal for 36 g. The hot total is 169.84 kcal and 21.95 g sugar before rounding.
Using 120 g milk gives the iced version 145.44 kcal and 19.93 g sugar. Omitting syrup from the hot drink gives 154.84 kcal and 18.12 g sugar. All figures include milk sugar and exclude toppings.
USDA's generic espresso reference, 212 mg caffeine per 100 g, gives 76.32 mg for 36 g, rounded to about 75 mg. This is calculated reference caffeine, not a measured home extraction. Different products, coffee and serving amounts change these estimates.
Common Questions
Does this chestnut praline latte contain real chestnuts?
Can I make it without praline syrup?
Is chestnut spread the same as chestnut purée?
Can I make it vegan?
Can it be decaf?
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
7 references
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Ingredient labels
- Clément FaugierCrème de Marrons, 450 g jarChestnut-containing sweetened spread; 270 kcal and 50.2 g sugar per 100 g(opens in a new tab)
- MoninPraline Syrup, US labelNamed flavoring; 90 kcal and 23 g sugar per 30 ml(opens in a new tab)
- MoninNut-allergen formulation notesProduct-specific current formulation statement; physical labels control(opens in a new tab)