A great way to think about the difference is to think of a latte as a “dessert” and a cafe au lait as a “cocktail”. Continue reading to find out cafe au lait vs cafe latte difference.

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Cafe Au Lait is simply the French term for coffee with milk. Cafe Latte is a specific preparation in which espresso is poured into a cup with steamed milk. Both drinks are simple enough to make at home but require the skill of a trained barista. Therefore, mastering these drinks will put you in good company with the locals and make you a star in your own kitchen.

A latte is all about the milk, and a bit about the coffee. It’s about the milk that is steamed and then frothed. A latte will be made with steamed milk as the basis, and then some frothed milk will be added. The demand for froth is based on the fact that a latte is a sweet drink. Therefore, it’s a dessert.

A cafe au lait is more about the coffee. Moreover, it’s about the coffee, and not the milk. The milk is poured over the coffee. There’s not a lot of frothing happening in this drink.

A latte is sweeter and more creamy, while a cafe au lait is more acidic and less creamy. Moreover, a latte is made with espresso, while a cafe au lait is made with a “blend”.

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Cafe au Lait vs Cafe Latte milk amount

Typically in a coffee to milk ratio, you will have one part coffee to two parts milk, with three parts being the maximum. Therefore, if you are using a latte mug, you will need to use two shots of espresso, so your ratio would be one cup of coffee to two cups of milk.

Lattes are usually served in a 10 or 12 ounce mug. Meanwhile Cafe au lait is usually served in a 12 ounce mug.

This is not just a matter of preference, but rather this is a matter of the amount of liquid you are using to make your cup of coffee.

Cafe au Lait at home recipe

1. Boil milk in a saucepan or in microwave. Once boiled and ready to use, discard the water and add fresh milk to the same pan.

2. Add coffee and a pinch of sugar. Mix very well.

Cafe Latte recipe

1. First, you need to pour about 20 ml of the espresso into a cup.

2. Next, add about 10 ml of the steamed hot milk into the cup.

3. Stir the mixture until all the liquid is incorporated.

4. Add sugar or honey to taste.

Moreover, for a good espresso you’ll need a great espresso machine. Therefore, you may find interesting this post: Best Espresso Machine under 200.

Cafe au Lait vs Cafe Latte difference

Here is the answer: The main cafe au lait vs cafe latte difference is that a cafe au lait is made with both coffee and hot milk whereas a latte is made with espresso, hot milk and flavoring.