It’s not often that we purchase expensive, chic specialty coffee drinks at shops like Starbucks. The major reason is we can make a treat just as satisfying with simple ingredients and equipment at home.

My wife Molly makes a “mean” latte in our kitchen! Seriously, who needs to hit the drive-thru window on the weekend when you can stay comfortable at home and still sip something sweet and smooth?

Molly starts by whipping 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in our stand mixer. (You can also use a hand mixer if that’s all you have. That’s the method she used before my parents gave us a wonderful Kitchenaid for our wedding.) She mixes the ingredients until they begin to thicken without forming peaks.

Then she divides the foam into coffee mugs, pours hot coffee over it and stirs. Just garnish (with nutmeg or other toppings) and serve. You can also experiment with adding pumpkin spice, cocoa or another ingredient to the cream to specialize your latte.

Folks spend a lot of money each week/month/year on grabbing constant cups of specialty coffee. If you like lattes, you can save a lot of those hard-earned dollars by making your own at home with this recipe. Just modify it to suit your taste. We hope you enjoy!