This homemade salted caramel latte uses NESCAFÉ Gold Espresso dissolved in a small amount of hot water to create a strong, espresso-style concentrate, then topped with frothed milk, caramel syrup, and a pinch of sea salt. It's a café-style latte at home, no espresso machine needed, and it's ready in about 5 minutes.
The coffee concentrate is key. Dissolving 2 teaspoons of NESCAFÉ Gold Espresso in just ¼ cup of hot water gives you a dark, intense base that holds its own against the milk, rather than tasting like diluted coffee. That concentrated, espresso-like base makes this taste like a real latte rather than flavored coffee.
Heat ½ cup of your preferred milk — whole milk gives the creamiest foam, but oat milk and barista-blend almond milk work well too — with 1 tablespoon of caramel syrup and a pinch of sea salt. Froth it with a handheld frother or whisk until a glossy layer of micro foam forms, then pour it over the coffee base. Finish with whipped cream and an extra drizzle of caramel if you want the coffeehouse version.
Sea salt sets this apart from a regular caramel latte. It sharpens the sweetness of the caramel and cuts through the bitterness of the espresso, giving you a drink that tastes rich and balanced rather than just sweet. The finished latte should be creamy with a distinct sweet-salty contrast and a smooth layer of foam on top.
This instant coffee latte also works as an iced salted caramel latte — dissolve the coffee in hot water first, stir in the caramel and salt, then pour over cold milk and ice instead of frothing. This makes one 8-ounce latte and requires only a mug, a spoon, and something to froth with.
