Homemade (And Handmade) Cappuccino Recipe

There's no question that coffee is a "must" in most people's lives. We love it hot, iced, whipped, and frozen — whatever shape or size gives us that optimal hit of caffeine. One of the oldest types of specialty coffee is the cappuccino, which has been popular around the world for quite some time. It's smooth, creamy, and delicious with breakfast or as an after-dinner treat; it's good choice for those who like to keep their coffee simple and classic.

Have you ever wanted to make cappuccino at home but find you don't have the necessary tools? Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for homemade and handmade cappuccino, which you can make without an espresso machine and allows you to enjoy this iconic cup o' joe anytime you'd like. "My favorite thing about this cappuccino is how rich and smooth it is, and if you add sweetener or whipped cream it doubles as a dessert," Hahn shares. If you regularly enjoy a cappuccino, then you know that it typically involves espresso and super-frothy milk. This homemade version utilizes dark roast coffee grounds and a simple handheld frother, so really anyone can enjoy this elevated yet accessible drink in the comfort of their own home.

We only need a few ingredients to make this luscious cappuccino. The first is a full bodied, dark roast coffee, followed by whole milk, cinnamon, and some hot water. Hahn says if you want to make this drink vegan you can use soy or oat milk, both of which froth very well.

The first step is to brew the coffee. We are using a French press so add the coffee into the glass base and then follow with ½ cup of boiling water. Let this steep for about 4 minutes, then push the plunger down and stream the coffee into a mug. "By using a small amount of water and a dark roasted coffee, we get the strength of espresso to use in our cappuccino. If you don't have a French press, you can brew the coffee another way using the same ratio of coffee and water," Hahn tells us.

Since ⅓ of a cappuccino is milk and ⅓ is foam (the other ⅓ is the coffee), we need to get the milk nice and hot so it will froth well and create the foam we are going for. Pour it into a small pot and bring the heat to medium-high. In a few minutes test the milk with a food thermometer. The milk should be somewhere between 140-150 F.

Once it's within this range pour it into a glass container with a spout (preferably) and one that has at least 5 inches of room at the top to accommodate the foam. Use a handheld frothing wand to froth the milk. It should take about 3 minutes to increase in size and become bubbly and foamy. If you don't have a handheld frother, you can use the French press to froth the milk. Just pour it in and push the plunger up and down at a quick pace for a few minutes to get the same effect.

Now that the milk is very light and foamy, pour it into the coffee. If you like your coffee on the sweeter side, you can add in a sweetener of your choice, along with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top and optionally some whipped cream. With this homemade cappuccino recipe, you can avoid the lines at your local coffee house and make your own cappuccino any time you get the craving!