The Best Cappuccino Recipe You Can Easily Enjoy At Home

This simple Cappuccino recipe combines espresso, milk and cocoa to create a favorite drink for many coffee lovers that you can also make at home.

The Italian Cappuccino Recipe History

The Capucin order of Monks give their name to this delicious drink because of their habit of wearing brown hooded robes with their shaved heads. To someone years ago, these two things seemed similar, but I choose not to spend a lot of time comparing the two.

Coffee houses in Europe started mentioning the cappuccino’s ancestor as early as the 1700’s, although the amount of milk was considerably less as refrigeration was not very common. Espresso machines were developed in the early 20th century, and would bring the drink closer to what we recognize today.

What’s the Difference Between a Cappuccino and a Latte?

A cappuccino consists of espresso, steamed milk, and foam. Some say in equal parts, but that isn’t typically true. In Italy, only a single shot of espresso coffee is used, and considerably more milk and foam are added later.

A caffè latte is made up of espresso and steamed milk, sometimes with a thin layer of foam on top. The foam is not required and the milk is quite a bit more than the espresso. Admittedly, a latte was my drink in the US, but I have yet to try one here in Italy. Because of this, I can only speak from what I’ve seen others drink.

The Best Cappuccino Recipe

Cappuccino Brewing Instructions

1. Brew a very strong espresso. I use a 3 tazzina moka, but traditionally it is served with a single espresso shot.
2. Steam and froth the milk until the quantity is doubled or tripled.
3. Pour milk into a  cappuccino cup, 75% steamed milk and 25% milk foam.
4. Pour the espresso into the cappuccino cup. If you can do latte art, now is the time.
5. Dust the cappuccino with powdered unsweetened chocolate.
6. Serve with a nice pastry or biscotti.

What Is The Best Milk To Use With This Cappuccino Recipe?

For me, whole milk is the best to use with this recipe. The milk foams up well and stays foamy without overpowering the taste of the espresso. I wouldn’t use skimmed milk because it doesn’t foam as well, and I probably wouldn’t use heavy cream because it can be overpowering.

You can try non-dairy alternatives, but I have never used oat or say milk and can’t speak to how well it foams up.

Can You Make Steamed Milk Without an Espresso Machine?

Yes, you can steam and froth milk at home that will have a surprisingly similar texture to steamed milk from a commercial espresso machine. To froth milk, warm around ⅓ of the final product in a microwave and froth it using a fine whisk, electric mini-whisk until a fine, velvety texture has been created. You can also use a manual milk frother on a stove at low heat, again starting with 1/3 of what you expect the final product to yield.

More Italian Coffee Culture Articles And Recipes