For A Better Iced Latte, Pour Your Milk First

Making an iced latte is as simple as adding ice, espresso, and milk or plant-based milk to a glass. But did you know that the order in which you add the components of an iced latte matters? For a better iced latte, always pour your milk first.

The next time you craft an iced latte, start by checking out our list of 15 mistakes you need to avoid when making espresso at home. Then, make the espresso and pour ice into a glass. Add the milk before adding the espresso, instead of the other way around. The reason for this is to avoid shocking the espresso with a sudden temperature change from very hot to very cold. The shock can make the latte taste bitter and over-extracted. The hot espresso also quickly melts the ice, which can over-dilute the latte quickly when the espresso is added before the milk. Adding the milk first acts as a barrier between the ice and the espresso, and the latte will taste less watery and more creamy and velvety. Then, before enjoying the latte, add sweetener as desired and give the drink a good stir. 

Additionally, when you add milk before the espresso, you get a beautiful cascading effect. By adding a denser, colder ingredient like milk or plant-based milk first, you're also layering your iced latte effectively so the ingredients don't separate. It is also fine to mix your milk and coffee before you add ice to the glass. This way, you give the espresso time to adjust to the drop in temperature without shocking it immediately with ice. We've also seen baristas pour espresso and milk into a glass of ice at the same time. As long as the espresso does not come into contact with ice first when you're making your iced lattes at home, your drink will taste cafe-worthy.

Now that you know the best way to pour and layer an iced latte at home, it's time to explore some fun recipes and bring out your inner barista. For a nutty spin, take a stab at our DIY deluxe pistachio latte recipe and turn it into an iced drink. Follow the recipe but, for the iced version, add ice to a glass, then milk, espresso, and finally our beautifully verdant pistachio cream and a crown of chopped pistachios.