Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Video: Barista says you’ve been making iced lattes wrong your whole life

This easy fix will help your iced lattes taste even better

By
Iced latte
Demi DeHerrera / Unsplash

We all love a good iced latte. Particularly in the summer months when the mornings are steamy, that chilled caffeine rush is really the only way to start the day. Though, what started out as a once-a-day breakfast caffeine treat has now evolved into something most of us are sipping on constantly throughout the day. Of course, there’s the one that gets us out of bed in the morning. But then that 10 a.m. meeting rolls around, and we’re desperate for another. Then there’s the post-lunch crash when that beautiful iced latte is an absolute requirement, and before we know it, we’ve crushed several before the day is even close to over. So, there’s really no reason we shouldn’t be getting the most out of these popular, nay, necessary beverages in all of our doses.

We all know how to make an iced latte, right? Well, as it turns out — not so much. Typically, this simple drink is made by pouring coffee over ice, then topping it with your creamer and/or sweetener of choice, stirring, and sipping. And while that’s almost correct, one clever TikToker reveals that it’s actually the incorrect way to make an iced latte.

@whiterosecoffee

You’ve been making Iced Lattes WRONG! ❌ #coffeetiktok #icedcoffee #icedcoffeeroutine #baristagram #baristalife #howto #EatFreshRefresh #sundaybrunch

♬ i love being with you – Elijah Who

In the TikTok video, a barista from White Rose Coffee explains that it’s best to actually put the milk in before the espresso. Why? It turns out that cold ice hitting piping hot espresso doesn’t make for the best combination. The barista explains that in the same way dry ice burns our skin, regular ice can scorch espresso because it comes out of the machine so hot. Burned espresso can cause your iced latte to taste watery and over-extracted. By adding the milk to the glass first, you will avoid shocking the espresso and therefore create a much richer, tastier iced latte.

Recommended Videos

So the next time you go to make yourself a tall, refreshingly smooth burst of velvety caffeine, remember — the milk goes in first.

Iced latte
Jayden Sim / Unsplash

Iced latte recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 shots espresso
  • 2 teaspoons sugar, honey or maple syrup, to taste
  • 8 ounces milk (any variety)

Method

  1. Pour milk into a tall glass filled with ice.
  2. Add sweetener to milk.
  3. Pour espresso into the glass and stir until all of the ingredients are combined.
Iced latte
Valeriia Miller / Unsplash

Iced latte tips and tricks:

  • No matter what kind of milk you use for your iced lattes, this method will work. Just be sure to add it to your ice before your espresso.
  • As with many mixed coffee drinks, feel free to mix up your flavors and get creative by blending different milks and sweeteners.
  • If you prefer to make your iced lattes ahead, just omit the ice in the recipe. Combine the espresso and milk and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to drink, simply pour over ice.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
The 5 biggest lies you’ve been told about salmon
Don't believe these myths about salmon
Raw salmon filet

According to a report from IntraFish, salmon is the second most consumed seafood in the United States, falling behind only shrimp on an extensive list of commonly enjoyed kinds of seafood. It makes sense. Attend any wedding or catered event, and salmon is sure to be on the menu. The seafood counter at your local grocer is likely to have more of this beautifully orange-hued fish than any other variety on display, and there are more Pinterest recipes for salmon dishes than anyone knows quite what to do with.
The little black dress of the seafood world, salmon can be dressed up or down and is appropriate for any meal of the day, and everyone has their favorite version. It's also one of the most diverse, healthy, crowd-pleasing foods that's actually easy to prepare. Cooking salmon is at least a once-a-week occurrence in my house and one of the few healthy things my kids will eat without complaint.
Because of its sparkling popularity, though, salmon - inevitably - is bound to be the victim of some rumors.

You shouldn't eat salmon skin
This common misconception took a strong hold back in the early '90s when people were absolutely terrified of consuming anything containing fat. As we should all know now, though, there's a big difference between good fats and bad fats. Salmon skin is indeed fatty, but it falls into the good fats category, along with deliciously healthy ingredients like avocados, nuts, and olive oil. These good fats contain omega-3 fatty acids that are wonderful for everything from helping to prevent cardiovascular disease to clearing up breakouts. So crisp up that delicious skin with a little salt and olive oil, and enjoy!

Read more
Can you freeze lettuce? The do’s and don’ts of making your produce last
What you need to know about freezing lettuce
Man outside holding a cut head of lettuce

While standing in the grocery store, picking up some lettuce to make healthy salads sounds like a great idea. Many of us buy lettuce as part of our weekly grocery run, only to find it going bad faster than we're able to use it. If you've ever found yourself tossing soggy or brown lettuce in the trash week after week, you know the disappointment of wasted grocery spending. With rising grocery costs along with inflation, finding new hacks to help cut down grocery spending is important -- but so is ensuring that no food purchased with your hard-earned money goes to waste.

One way to help cut down on wasted food is to freeze foods you won't consume before they go bad. Surprisingly, many people do not know that produce such as lettuce can be frozen. But how? Below, we'll teach you how to keep lettuce fresh by freezing it -- so you can skip that "throw it in the trash" disappointment.

Read more
You can make a quick hollandaise in your microwave in under 2 minutes – here’s how
It's time to stop cursing at broken sauces
Eggs Benedict on plate

During my very first break from culinary school, I went home to visit my parents. As one does, I'd decided to show off with all of my fancy new culinary know-how and spent the weekend preparing a royal spread of pastries, breads, desserts, and every meal I could dream up...or had at least had jotted down in one of my notebooks. But on the third or fourth morning, exhausted from croissants and brioche, I decided to make for my my parents eggs benedict, complete with the most silky and buttery of all the sauces - hollandaise. Hollandaise sauce is truly something straight from the gods. Traditionally made from egg yolk and butter, emulsified slowly over low heat and accentuated with a lemony kiss, this velvety sauce is what brunchtime dreams are made of. Traditionally served over a number of dishes, it just doesn't get any more delicious than a classic hollandaise.

Unfortunately, however, this delicious sauce can also be one of the most finicky to make. That morning with my parents, hopeful and full of joy and optimism after spending a few nights in my childhood bedroom, I set to work making a perfect eggs benedict with hollandaise for my sweet parents. I did everything right. The eggs were tempered, the bain marie was perfect, the eggs were poached to perfection. And then, out of nowhere and with no warning, along with my sweet young heart, my hollandaise broke. In a fury of embarrassment, I poured the entire batch down the drain and started again. And again. If memory serves, it was the fourth batch that finally worked, though I'd done absolutely nothing different than in the first three batches. Needless to say, it was a frustrating (and expensive) morning.

Read more