Cafe Au Lait Recipe

Brew strong coffee

Brew 2 cups of very strong coffee using your preferred method. For best results, use a French press, an espresso-style brewer, or pour-over with a higher coffee-to-water ratio (about 1:12 by weight). Aim for a bold brew that will stand up to the milk.

Heat the milk

While the coffee is brewing, pour 2 cups whole milk into a small saucepan. Warm the milk over medium-low heat until it's steaming and just starting to form small bubbles around the edges (do not boil), about 4–6 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Sweeten and flavor (optional)

If you want a lightly sweetened cafe au lait, stir 1 teaspoon granulated sugar into the warm milk until dissolved. If using, add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness to preference.

Froth (optional)

If you prefer a slightly foamy top, froth about half of the warmed milk using a handheld milk frother or whisk vigorously until a light foam forms. You can reserve the foam to spoon on top of the served drinks.

Combine coffee and milk

Divide the hot brewed coffee between two warmed cups (about 1 cup coffee per cup). Pour an equal amount of warm milk into each cup so the ratio is roughly 1:1 coffee to milk (about 1 cup milk per cup coffee). If you frothed milk, spoon foam on top.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Offer extra sugar on the side. For iced variation, cool the brewed coffee, fill glasses with ice, add cold milk in a 1:1 ratio, and stir.