Skip the long drive-thru lines and make a delicious Chestnut Praline Latte in the comfort of your own home instead. This easy recipe makes the best holiday beverage!
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About this Chestnut Praline Latte Recipe
Nope, those aren’t sleigh bells you’re hearing. It’s just the holiday spirit of this chestnut praline latte ringing through! This super cozy recipe is just the thing to keep you warm on a chilly winter morning.
From first sip to the very last drop, the chestnut flavor of homemade syrup creates the most comforting morning coffee ever. Dare I say, it may just be even more cozy than a pumpkin spice latte! I know, I know — bold statement. But man this latte is tasty!
This copycat Starbucks chestnut praline latte is way better than what you’re used to getting at the coffee shop. With nutty overtones from homemade chestnut syrup and strong coffee flavor from fresh espresso, it’s always a knock out of a recipe.
Serve this latte with a warm chai muffin and the bite from the cold winter air won’t even effect you! You’ll be lost in the warmth and sweetness of a new chestnut praline latte and delicious chai spices instead.
More latte recipes: Lavender Latte • Eggnog Latte • Autumn Spice Latte
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I’ll never get tired of recreating Starbucks Christmas drinks! They are so delicious to make at home.
- Making your own lattes at home is much more cost efficient. You’ll be surprised at how much money you can save when you skip the drive-thru!
- When you create homemade syrup, you can be sure that the ingredients are top notch. No additives, food dye, or preservatives.
- This Chestnut Praline Latte is super easy to make and has the best flavor. You may even like it way more than what you can get at the coffee shop!
Tools & equipment
To make this latte, you will need some way to brew espresso or make strong coffee. You also need to have a way to steam and froth milk. Whether that’s the steaming wand on an espresso machine, a saucepan and manual frother or another method you use. Make sure you have a large enough coffee mug for your chestnut praline latte too.
You will need a saucepan and measuring cups and spoons, along with a whisk or mixing spoon, to make the syrup. And if you plan to roast the chestnuts, then have a baking sheet on hand.
Ingredients
Here’s the ingredients you need to make both the chestnut praline syrup and the latte:
For the Chestnut Praline Syrup:
- chestnuts
- chopped pecans
- brown sugar
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
- water
For the Chestnut Praline Latte:
- chestnut praline syrup
- 2% milk
- espresso
- nutmeg
Substitutions & variations
Make your latte dairy free with a dairy free milk option. Almond milk and oat milk tend to be the most creamy, but cashew milk, coconut milk and soy milk work too.
While I highly recommend making homemade chestnut praline syrup, you can use store-bought if you prefer.
Don’t have a way to make espresso? Not to worry! Make some really strong brewed coffee and use that in place of espresso.
How to Make Espresso
The easiest way to make this easy latte recipe is with an espresso machine. Personally, I use a Nespresso machine and I love it.
Having it on hand for my favorite Starbucks copycat recipes is so convenient. I use it to make cappuccinos iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso, a gingerbread latte and so much more. It is a game changer. It is definitely the easiest way to make espresso drinks at home.
If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can still make this recipe! Just use very strong coffee or brew espresso another way:
- With an Aeropress: Learn how to use this easy method for making coffee and espresso. It’s really simple!
- With a stovetop espresso maker: You can make really good espresso on the stove top with a simple little pot like this.
- Using Instant espresso powder: This is probably my least favorite method becuase the flavor isn’t very fresh. However, it’s great in a pinch especially good for traveling or if you can’t access these other methods.
Homemade Chestnut Praline Syrup
With these step by step instructions, you’ll have the best Christmas chestnut latte ready in no time. Here’s how to make it:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (20°C). Cut an X shape into each chestnut — this prevents popping. Then place them on a baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes, until fragrant.
Let chestnuts cool, then peel off the hard shell.
Add the peeled chestnuts and pecans to a medium saucepan and then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Toast over low heat, 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Add the remaining brown sugar, spices and water. Cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes.
Let cool completely and then store in a food-safe, airtight container such as a mason jar for up to 1 month.
Instructions
Now that the syrup is made, you’re ready to craft your latte!
First, brew your espresso and let it cool slightly. Then pour the chestnut praline syrup over ice, and top with espresso.
Top it with slightly-cooled steamed milk. Dust with sprinkles or other toppings, if desired, and serve!
Tips & tricks
Running into some questions as you make this yummy Christmas drink? Then check out these tips and tricks:
- For the best flavor, use high quality espresso beans. The cheap stuff really does make coffee creations taste subpar.
- Give your latte a taste test! If it isn’t sweet enough, then feel free to stir in a splash more of homemade syrup.
- I highly recommend steaming and frothing the milk. It really changes the texture of this latte and makes it super smooth and creamy.
Food pairings
Serve this incredible latte with all of your breakfast favorites or simply some baked goods. Golden waffles and dutch poffertjes are some of my favs for breakfast time. This would also pair well with coffee cake and pumpkin bread!
Make Christmas morning extra cozy with a serving of croissant breakfast casserole alongside your homemade latte. Or even enjoy your cup of jo as an afternoon pick-me-up with a Mexican hot chocolate cookie.
FAQ
This is a matter of personal preference, but in general, chestnut praline is pretty sweet. Made with brown sugar, it has a more rich and sticky sweet flavor which makes it a bit “heavier” than other lattes.
First and foremost, this latte contains chestnut praline syrup which is made from chestnuts, pecans, brown sugar and spices. Then the rest of the ingredients are standard for any latte — espresso and steamed milk!
More coffee recipes
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Chestnut Praline Latte
ingredients
Chestnut Praline Syrup
- 1 cup chestnuts
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar plus 1 teaspoon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 cup water
Chestnut Praline Latte
- ⅓ cup espresso freshly-brewed
- 2 ounces whole milk or your milk of choice
- ½ ounce chestnut praline syrup
- pinch nutmeg for garnish
instructions
Chestnut Praline Syrup
- Preheat oven to 400°F (20°C). Cut an X shape into the rounded side of each chestnut — this prevents popping. Place flat-side-down on baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes, until fragrant.
- Let chestnuts cool, then peel off the hard shell. Discard the shells.
- To a medium saucepan, add peeled chestnuts and pecans. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Toast over low heat, 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add the remaining brown sugar, spices and water. Cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes.
- Let cool completely. Store in a food-safe, airtight container such as a mason jar for up to 1 month.
Chestnut Praline Latte
- First, brew your espresso and let it cool slightly. Steam the milk until it doubles in size.
- Pour the chestnut praline syrup into a mug, then top with hot espresso.
- Spoon slightly-cooled steamed milk over top. Dust with a pinch of nutmeg or other toppings, if desired.
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