Coffee Drink
Coconut Milk Latte: Recipe, Calories and Milk Choice
A coconut milk latte combines espresso with warmed, lightly foamed coconut drink. A barista carton gives this version a flowing texture and fragrant coconut note; taste it with the coffee before choosing extra sweetness.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- 75 mg reference36 g generic prepared espressoEstimate uses USDA data for the 36 g espresso portion; coconut drink adds no caffeine.
- Calories
- Estimated 65 kcalAlpro UK Coconut Barista 750 ml cartonIngredient estimate for 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) Alpro carton drink plus 36 g espresso.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 latte: 36 g prepared espresso + 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) cold coconut drink; no syrup
- Made with
- Espresso and lightly foamed coconut drink
- Sugar
- Estimated 5.9 g total. The carton lists sugar and fructose. Its UK panel gives total sugars, not a separate gram figure for added sugars.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes; equipment ready
About 2.7 g protein with the named carton, which contains soy. Product labels checked 25 September 2026; other formulas differ. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Choose a barista coconut drink for a light coconut accent and pourable latte texture.
- 2Taste before adding syrup: a sweetened coconut drink may already give the balance you want.
- 3For a richer, frozen coconut coffee, try the separate Vietnamese coconut coffee recipe.
For richer culinary coconut milk, choose kopi santan; for a sweet frozen blend, choose Vietnamese coconut coffee.
On This Page10 Sections
Carton Coconut Drink or Canned Coconut Milk?
The named Alpro UK Coconut Barista 750 ml contains coconut milk, hulled soybeans, sugar and fructose among its ingredients. It is a plant-based product, but not soy-free or unsweetened. Check your local carton because formulas vary by market and change over time.
Why the carton and can are not interchangeable
Canned coconut milk is usually sold for cooking and can be much more concentrated. Here is our equal-volume calculation from two published labels:
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| Named ingredient | Label basis | Calories in 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz), before coffee |
|---|---|---|
| Alpro UK Coconut Barista 750 ml carton | 33 kcal per 100 ml | 59 kcal |
| Native Forest US Organic Unsweetened Classic canned coconut milk | 140 kcal per 80 ml | 315 kcal |
The table compares the coconut ingredients before coffee is added. The canned example is unsweetened yet contributes more energy in the same volume. Sweetness and richness answer different questions.
Use the Native Forest can for a recipe designed around that richer ingredient. Coconut cream and sweetened cream of coconut are different ingredients again.
Coconut Milk Latte Recipe
Measure the coconut drink cold, before foam expansion changes its apparent volume.
Recipe
Coconut Milk Latte
- Makes:
- 1 latte; cup at least 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz)
- Time:
- 5 minutes; equipment ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee beans, ground for espresso; aim for 36 g brewed
- 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) cold barista coconut drink, measured before heating
Equipment
- Espresso machine and grinder
- Scale and measuring jug
- Thermometer
- Milk pitcher for the steam wand, or small pan and handheld frother
- Heatproof cup, at least 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz)
- Espresso basket suited to 18 g and tamper
Method
- Measure. Shake the carton as directed. Measure 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) cold barista coconut drink into a suitable pitcher.
- Brew. Brew 18 g ground coffee to 36 g espresso in a warmed cup of at least 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz).
- Texture and pour. Steam gently to 65°C (149°F) for the named Alpro carton, or follow your product’s guidance. Add a little air for fine foam. Turn off the steam before removing the wand, then wipe and purge it. If the portion is too small for your wand, warm it in a small pan, remove from the heat and froth briefly. Swirl and pour the whole measured coconut drink into the espresso.
Estimated nutrition: 65 kcal · 5.9 g total sugar. Per latte, using Alpro UK Coconut Barista 750 ml and no syrup.
Prepare the coffee using the espresso brewing method, then texture the measured coconut drink.
Alpro recommends 65°C (149°F) for its coconut drink. For another carton, follow its heating guidance. Avoid boiling and repeated steaming.
What Does a Coconut Milk Latte Taste Like?
A coconut milk latte brings a fragrant coconut note around the espresso. With the barista carton used here, the texture stays flowing, with a light foam cap and some sweetness already in the drink. A strongly flavored carton can make coconut lead; a subtler one leaves more of the coffee’s roast character visible.
I taste a barista coconut drink with the espresso before adding syrup. Some cartons are already sweet and distinctly coconut-flavored enough for me, so the first finished cup tells me more than a default syrup measure.
Coconut Latte vs. Other Milk Coffees
| Drink | What changes |
|---|---|
| Dairy latte | Dairy milk replaces the coconut drink; nutrition and texture need a different calculation |
| Soy latte | Uses a soy drink as the main milk alternative; a coconut blend can also contain soy |
| Oat milk latte | Oat formulation changes sweetness and foam; it does not change the espresso's caffeine by itself |
| Vietnamese coconut coffee | Our separate recipe blends canned coconut milk, condensed milk and ice into a frozen topping; it is not this steamed latte |
Coconut water is a clear liquid from the coconut and does not behave like either the barista drink or canned coconut milk. Use the coconut water coffee recipe for that lighter, non-milky combination.
Coconut milk and coconut flavor are separate choices. A toasted-coconut latte may use coconut-flavored syrup with milk; banana-coconut coffee can use banana syrup and coconut concentrate. Ask which milk and flavorings are used.
Coconut Milk Latte Troubleshooting
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| Problem | Check first | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Milk separates in coffee | Carton suitability, freshness and heating instructions | Shake as directed; try a coffee-specific formula and avoid overheating |
| Large, stiff bubbles | Too much introduced air | Add less air, then swirl to integrate a thin foam layer |
| Little foam | Formulation or equipment limits | Follow the carton; do not assume every coconut drink froths like dairy |
| Too sweet | Sugar in the carton and any syrup | Skip syrup, or choose an unsweetened coconut drink |
| Coconut overwhelms espresso | Strongly flavored or concentrated ingredient | Confirm you used a drink carton rather than canned milk or cream |
Without a steam wand, warm 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) coconut drink in an open pan to the carton’s recommended temperature, remove it from the heat and froth briefly. Without an espresso machine, brew a moka pot at its normal capacity and use 36 g (1.3 oz) prepared coffee in place of the espresso. Combine it with the same coconut-drink portion in a heatproof cup of at least 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz). The espresso caffeine estimate does not apply to the moka version. For a richer frozen drink made with canned coconut milk and condensed milk, see the Vietnamese coconut coffee guide.
Iced Coconut Milk Latte
Use 36 g prepared espresso, 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) cold barista coconut drink and 100 g (3.5 oz) ice in a glass of at least 350 ml (11.8 US fl oz). Add the milk and ice, pour in the espresso and stir. Skip steaming and leave space below the rim.
With the same Alpro carton, that smaller milk portion gives an estimated 55 kcal, 5.0 g total sugar and 2.3 g protein including the generic espresso contribution. The same 36 g espresso reference still supplies 75 mg caffeine.
Coconut Milk Latte Calories and Caffeine
The hot recipe has estimated totals of 65 kcal, 5.9 g total sugar and 2.7 g protein with 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) of the named Alpro carton and 36 g espresso. Its estimated caffeine is 75 mg, using USDA data for the espresso portion.
Ingredient calculation and caffeine reference
For the hot recipe, multiply the named carton's per 100 ml values by 1.8: 59.4 kcal, 5.94 g sugars and 2.7 g protein from 180 ml. USDA's generic espresso record FDC 171891 adds 3.24 kcal and about 0.04 g protein for 36 g, with no sugar in that record. Rounded for a practical serving estimate, that is 65 kcal, 5.9 g total sugar and 2.7 g protein.
The same generic espresso record has 212 mg caffeine per 100 g. At 36 g, that is 76.32 mg, presented as 75 mg reference caffeine. Bean choice, dose and extraction affect caffeine; changing the milk leaves the same coffee portion.
For another carton, scale its label to the cold portion used. If its label is per 100 ml, measure millilitres; if it is per 100 g, weigh grams or use a verified density conversion. The FDA's plant-drink guidance likewise explains why these products need individual label comparisons.
Common Questions
Can I use canned coconut milk in a latte?
Is a coconut milk latte dairy-free and vegan?
Is it sugar-free without syrup?
Does coconut milk latte have less caffeine than a regular latte?
Can I use an unsweetened coconut drink?
Is a café version the same size?
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
7 references
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Ingredients and preparation
- Coconut Barista 750 ml cartonAlpro UK · Per100 ml: 33 kcal, 3.3 g sugars and 1.5 g protein; ingredient list includes soy, sugar and fructose.(opens in a new tab)
- Barista heating guidanceAlpro UK · Manufacturer guidance for coconut barista drink: about 65°C; follow your own carton.(opens in a new tab)
- Classic canned coconut milkNative Forest US · Organic Unsweetened Classic label: 140 kcal per 80ml; a different formulation from a coffee carton.(opens in a new tab)
Nutrition references
- Plant-drink nutrient differencesUS Food and Drug Administration · Plant drinks vary in ingredients and nutrients; the category name is not a nutrition specification.(opens in a new tab)
- Espresso reference: FDC 171891USDA FoodData Central · Generic espresso per 100g: 9 kcal and 212 mg caffeine, scaled to 36g.(opens in a new tab)
Flavor and milk choice
- Toasted-coconut ingredient exampleStarbucks · March 2026 description uses coconut-flavored syrup and milk; an ingredient example, not a current availability claim.(opens in a new tab)
- Cafe con Banana y CocoMonin · Producer recipe distinguishes banana syrup and coconut concentrated flavor from the milk ingredient.(opens in a new tab)