HOT OR ICED · MADE IN YOUR KITCHEN
Spanish Latte Recipe
A Spanish latte is strong coffee, plain milk and sweetened condensed milk, served hot or iced. Stir the condensed milk into warm coffee first, then add warm milk for a hot cup, or cold milk and ice for an iced one.
| Part | Starting amount | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Strong coffee or espresso | 60 ml, about 1/4 cup | Sets the coffee flavor |
| Plain milk | 120 ml, about 1/2 cup | Makes it a longer, milky drink |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 20 g, about 1 tbsp | Adds the sweet, thick finish |
| Ice, for an iced cup | 120 g, about 1 cup | Chills it and slowly adds water |
YOUR KITCHEN CARD
How to make Spanish latte at home
1 serving · Prep: about 3 minutes · Total: about 7 minutes
Start with these amounts, then adjust your next cup to taste. Allow roughly the time shown for measuring, brewing and mixing. Spoon conversions are approximate, using a 240 ml cup and a 15 ml tbsp.
Ingredients
- 60 ml espresso or strong coffee (1/4 cup; 4 tbsp).
- 120 ml plain milk (1/2 cup; 8 tbsp).
- 20 g sweetened condensed milk (about 1 tbsp; weigh for a closer measure).
- For the iced version: 120 g ice (about 1 cup of cubes, depending on their size).
Ingredient diagram, not a pouring order.
Numbered steps
- Set out a mug for hot coffee or a roomy glass for iced coffee. Measure the milk and condensed milk before brewing so you can mix while the coffee is warm.
- Brew the coffee into a separate cup. Aim for a small, full-flavored brew. Taste a little before adding milk; adding sweetness won't remove a burnt flavor.
- Add the condensed milk to the warm coffee. Stir across the base and around the sides until the sticky streaks disappear. This makes sweetness spread through the drink.
- For a hot cup, gently warm the plain milk in a pan until steaming, without boiling. Pour it into the sweet coffee and stir. A little foam is optional.
- For an iced cup, put cold milk and ice in the glass. Pour the sweet coffee over them. Stir right down to the bottom before tasting; the pretty layers are not meant to stay separate.
- Taste the finished drink. Add a small extra spoon of condensed milk only if you want more sweetness. Note the amount for your next cup instead of changing every ingredient at once.
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What makes this a Spanish latte?
Sweetened condensed milk is what turns a plain milk coffee into a Spanish latte. It sweetens the cup and gives it a thicker feel than milk alone. There's still fresh milk in there, so you get a real milk coffee, not a shot with a sweet cap.
The name doesn't lock in one ratio. Home cooks and cafes pour different amounts, and a pale color won't tell you how much coffee went in. Read what a Spanish latte is for the taste, the name and its condensed-milk cousins.
How much condensed milk should you start with?
Start with about 20 g, roughly one tablespoon, then taste. Use a scale if you have one, because condensed milk clings to the spoon. A level spoon and a heaped spoon make very different cups.
Stir it in fully before you decide the drink needs more. A sweet pool at the bottom leaves the first sip plain and the last sip like dessert. Too sweet already? Add a splash more coffee and plain milk together, and reach for a bigger cup.
Hot or iced: which method fits today?
Pick hot for a slow, cozy mug and iced for a warm afternoon. Both start from the same sweet coffee base. Only the milk and the ice change.
For a warm cup, heat the milk gently; you don't need a tall cap of foam. The hot Spanish latte method covers whisking, warming and keeping the milk from catching.
For a cold cup, plan the ice before you brew, since hot coffee melts it fast. The iced Spanish latte recipe explains the pour order and how to keep it from turning watery.
What are the easy swaps?
No espresso machine? Use strong brewed coffee, or plain instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water. The no-machine methods give you a measured starting point. A sweet coffee sachet already carries sugar and creamer, so it won't swap in for plain coffee without shifting the balance.
Going plant-based? Change both milks, not just one. Coconut condensed milk brings its own flavor, while oat or soy drinks change the texture. Read the labels instead of assuming one swap fixes everything.
Evaporated milk isn't the same as sweetened condensed milk. It adds a richer milk taste but none of the sweetness. The ingredient and swap guide helps you pick what to change first.
What should you do with leftovers?
Make only what you'll drink now when you can. An iced latte keeps shifting as the cubes melt, and a warm milk drink loses its fresh texture fast. Prepping ahead? Keep brewed coffee and milk apart in clean, covered containers in the fridge.
Follow the milk carton and the condensed milk label for storage once they're open. Use a clean spoon each time and close the container before it goes back in the fridge. Don't save a half-finished warm cup as a base or reheat it through the day.
A local cup, and a recipe of your own
Cafe Ni Joe in Davao City serves a Spanish latte. At home you can pour the same idea: strong coffee, plain milk and sweet condensed milk. Start with the amounts here, then tune the sweetness and milk until the cup is yours.
Keep a short note of the coffee you used and the weight of condensed milk. Change just one of them next time. That beats chasing a cafe color in a photo, where the glass, lighting and ice all change what you see.
Stir before every taste so each sip carries coffee and both milks. You'll spot which part to nudge. Joe's Blend Coffee, a family coffee brand from Davao City, runs this guide.
Questions over coffee
Can I skip the condensed milk?
You can, but then it's basically a regular latte. Sweetened condensed milk is the part that gives this drink its sweet, thick character.
Do I need to froth the milk?
No. Smooth warm milk works for a hot Spanish latte. For the iced version, cold milk goes straight into the glass.
Why does my drink have a sweet bottom layer?
The condensed milk hasn't mixed through. Stir it into the warm coffee first, then scrape the bottom gently when you combine the drink.
Is this an exact cafe recipe?
No. It's a home recipe you can adjust. Cafes pick their own coffee, milk and portions, so the same name covers a range of tastes.
Updated 18 September 2026