Coffee Drink
Spanish Latte: Condensed-Milk Recipe, Calories and Iced Version
A Spanish latte commonly combines espresso, milk and sweetened condensed milk. Our hot home version uses 36 g espresso, 120 g (½ US cup) milk and 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk: a modestly sweet starting point you can also serve over ice.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- About 75 mg (reference)36 g prepared espresso × generic USDA 212 mg per 100 gGeneric prepared-espresso reference for the served portion.
- Calories
- About 125 kcalWhole milk, named condensed-milk label and espressoAssumes all 120 g (½ US cup) milk and 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk are served. No extra topping or sweetener.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 hot drink; a 220 ml (7.4 US fl oz) cup leaves headroom
- Made with
- 36 g espresso + 120 g (½ US cup) milk + 15 g (0.5 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- Sugar
- About 14.3 g total. Includes milk sugars and sweetener in condensed milk. The selected label does not separate its added-sugar amount.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes with the espresso machine ready
Ingredient-label and USDA nutrition estimates, checked 25 September 2026. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Use 36 g prepared espresso, 120 g (½ US cup) cold milk and 15 g (0.5 oz) sweetened condensed milk. Mix the condensed milk with hot espresso first.
- 2This serving is about 125 kcal and 14.3 g total sugar. Its roughly 75 mg caffeine figure is a generic espresso reference, not a measurement.
- 3Café con leche does not require condensed milk; bombón commonly pairs coffee with condensed milk without this extra plain-milk portion.
On This Page11 Sections
What Makes a Spanish Latte Different?
For example, a Nespresso recipe collection specifies 110 ml (3.7 US fl oz) lungo, 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) milk and 50 g (1.8 oz) condensed milk. Our smaller espresso-based version uses different amounts.
Balanced Spanish Latte Recipe
Use a 220 ml (7.4 US fl oz) cup, leaving room for the milk's expansion and stirring.
Recipe Snapshot
The 18 g ground-coffee dose makes 36 g finished espresso, a 1:2 brew ratio by mass. Keep that espresso recipe separate from the milk and condensed-milk quantities. You do not need equal thirds of all three ingredients.
Use a heatproof cup. If 120 g (½ US cup) milk is below your pitcher's practical steaming level, use the saucepan method so you can serve the whole measured portion.
Recipe
Spanish latte with condensed milk
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 5 minutes; espresso machine ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee, ground for espresso
- 120 g (½ US cup) cold whole milk
- 15 g (0.5 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Equipment
- Espresso setup, scale, small saucepan or milk pitcher, spoon, 220 ml (7.4 US fl oz) cup
Method
- Weigh 15 g (0.5 oz) sweetened condensed milk into a 220 ml (7.4 US fl oz) heatproof cup.
- Brew the 18 g coffee dose to 36 g espresso in a separate cup. Add it to the condensed milk and stir until smooth.
- Warm 120 g (½ US cup) milk to 60°C (140°F) in a small saucepan, stirring without boiling, or steam it in a suitable small pitcher with little added air.
- Pour all the warmed milk into the sweetened espresso, stir gently and serve.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 125 calories; total sugar 14.3 g. Serving: 36 g espresso, 120 g (½ US cup) milk and 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk.
Recipe notes
Use sweetened condensed milk; stir it thoroughly into the espresso.
Use the espresso brewing method for the primary coffee base; the moka-pot adaptation has its own quantities below.
Nutrition for This Recipe
| Defined serving | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Energy | About 125 kcal |
| Total sugar | About 14.3 g |
| Caffeine | About 75 mg, generic reference |
| Added sugar | Not separated by the selected condensed-milk label |
Serving calculation, caffeine and allergen notes
The calculation uses USDA whole milk, FDC 171265 at 61 kcal and 5.05 g total sugar per 100 g; restaurant-prepared espresso, FDC 171891 at 9 kcal, 0 g sugar and 212 mg caffeine per 100 g; and Carnation's UK condensed-milk tin label, which lists 322 kcal per 100 g and 27.5 g sugar per 50 g.
For the stated recipe, energy is 73.2 + 3.24 + 48.3 = 124.74 kcal, rounded to 125. Total sugar is 6.06 + 0 + 8.25 = 14.31 g, rounded to 14.3. The condensed milk's total includes lactose as well as added sweetener. FDA's explanation distinguishes naturally occurring milk sugar from sugars added as sweeteners.
The caffeine arithmetic is 36 × 212 ÷ 100 = 76.3 mg, rounded to about 75 mg. This is a generic prepared-coffee composition reference, not caffeine calculated from the 18 g dose or measured in our shot. Milk does not remove caffeine. A decaf substitution has a different, usually lower but not necessarily zero amount.
Both dairy ingredients contain milk. Recalculate plant-based substitutions from their own labels, matching grams or milliliters to the label units.
Condensed Milk Sweetness Guide
Hold 36 g espresso and 120 g (½ US cup) whole milk fixed, then change only the condensed milk. This makes the difference easy to track.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Sweetened condensed milk | Estimated whole-drink calories | Estimated total sugar |
|---|---|---|
| 10 g | About 110 kcal | 11.6 g |
| 15 g (0.5 oz), our starting point | About 125 kcal | 14.3 g |
| 20 g | About 140 kcal | 17.1 g |
The comparison uses the same named label throughout. Each extra 5 g adds about 16 kcal and 2.75 g total sugar. Caffeine does not change because the coffee portion stays fixed.
Weigh condensed milk rather than treating a spoonful as a fixed number of grams. A branded “Spanish latte sauce,” dairy whitener or plant-based condensed product may have a different formula.
Spanish Latte vs. Similar Drinks
| Drink | How it differs from this recipe |
|---|---|
| Latte | Espresso and milk; sweetener is optional |
| Café con leche | Coffee with hot milk; sweetened condensed milk is not required |
| Café bombón | Commonly coffee with sweetened condensed milk, without this extra plain-milk portion |
| Vietnamese coffee | A wider coffee tradition; condensed-milk versions often use a phin and a different coffee-to-milk balance |
Ask what is in the cup, how much coffee it contains and whether it is sweetened; a menu name alone cannot establish its calories or caffeine.
Sweetened Condensed vs. Evaporated Milk
Carnation's sweetened condensed milk contains milk and sugar. Its evaporated milk has no added sugar, although it contains naturally occurring milk sugar. Both are concentrated dairy products, but they are not interchangeable in this recipe.
Replacing 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk with 15 g (0.5 oz) evaporated milk changes sweetness and solids. Treat that as a separate coffee, then choose any sweetener independently. Caramelized condensed milk and dulce de leche also have a different flavor; neither is the plain product specified here.
Iced Spanish Latte Variation
For an iced glass, I stir the condensed milk thoroughly into warm espresso before adding anything cold. I prefer the sweetness through the drink, rather than finding a heavy layer still waiting beneath the ice.
Stir 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk into 36 g hot espresso in a small heatproof cup. Put 100 g (3.5 oz) ice and 120 g (½ US cup) cold milk in a 350 ml (11.8 US fl oz) glass, pour in the sweetened coffee and stir. The ice adds water as it melts; it does not remove the original caffeine or sugar.
The same ingredient estimates apply if you consume everything and add no extra syrup. The finished volume depends on melting and foam. For a less diluted result, cool the sweetened espresso first; allow extra cooling time.
How to Make It Without an Espresso Machine
For a separate moka-pot adaptation, combine 45 g (1.6 oz) prepared moka coffee, 15 g (0.5 oz) condensed milk and 110 g (0.45 US cup) warmed milk. Use your normal moka-pot recipe rather than deliberately overfilling or overtamping it.
Instant coffee also works as an adaptation: follow the product's directions for a small concentrated serving. Neither substitute inherits the espresso caffeine reference on this page.
Spanish Latte Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to change |
|---|---|
| Too sweet | Reduce condensed milk to 10 g while holding coffee and milk fixed |
| Dense layer at the bottom | Stir condensed milk fully into the hot espresso before adding milk |
| Coffee seems lost | Try 100 g plain milk; do not assume more condensed milk will help |
| Milk tastes cooked | Use gentle heat and stop at 60°C (140°F); do not boil |
| Iced cup becomes watery | Cool the coffee first and use the measured ice portion |
| Thick milk foam dominates | Add less air; the goal is a fluid milk drink, not a dry foam cap |
Common Questions
What is a Spanish latte?
Is Spanish latte from Spain?
How much condensed milk should I use?
Is Spanish latte the same as café con leche?
Can I use evaporated milk instead?
Can I make Spanish latte iced?
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
6 references
External links open in a new tab
Preparation and ingredients
- NespressoSpanish latte recipe examplePublished recipe using lungo, milk and condensed milk.(opens in a new tab)
- Carnation UKSweetened condensed milk tinNamed calculation basis: 322 kcal per 100 g and 27.5 g total sugar per 50 g; check your current can.(opens in a new tab)
- Nestlé Professional UKEvaporated milkNo added sugar in this product; distinguishes it from sweetened condensed milk.(opens in a new tab)
Serving calculations
- USDA FoodData CentralWhole milk, FDC 171265Generic whole-milk energy and total-sugar values used with the measured 120 g serving.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA FoodData CentralPrepared espresso, FDC 171891Generic prepared-espresso energy and caffeine composition.(opens in a new tab)
- FDATotal and added sugarsExplains why naturally occurring milk sugar and added sweeteners are distinct.(opens in a new tab)