If you find yourself looking at a Starbucks menu, you’ll come across a drink called Caffe Misto.
What is caffe misto and should you consider ordering it? We’ll cover what it is and how you can make a version of it at home too.
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What is Caffe Misto?
Misto means mixed in Italian. Caffe Misto is a drink found on Starbucks’ menu and consists of equal parts brewed coffee to steamed milk. So its name implies the mixing of coffee and milk. At Starbucks, the default for caffe misto is 2% milk but it can also be enjoyed and customized to non fat, whole, 1% milk or milk alternatives like soy and almond milks.
(A note for Starbucks Rewards members: caffe misto is under the Brewed Coffees section, meaning it is a 50 star item. When you’ve reached 50 stars – attained after spending $25 – you can redeem a caffe misto for free including adding any customizations like sauces, syrups, whipped cream and milk alternatives.)
The caffeine content for a grande caffe misto (16 ounce) is 150 milligrams of caffeine, which is about the same as two shots of espresso.
Here’s their official description of a caffe misto is a one-to-one combination of fresh-brewed coffee and steamed milk add up to one distinctly delicious coffee drink remarkably mixed.
This may sound a lot like a cafe au lait. And that’s because caffe misto is basically just what Starbucks names their cafe au lait.
What is cafe au lait?
Cafe au lait is French for coffee with milk. It’s the same as what caffe misto is – equal parts brewed coffee to milk. Meanwhile, in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries, caffe misto/cafe au lait is called cafe con leche, cafe com leite in Brazil and in Germany, milchkaffee.
The preparation for this equal parts brewed coffee to milk may differ slightly depending on the country and cafe. When it comes to cafes for example, at Starbucks, caffe misto is made by simply combining brewed coffee with steamed milk. At Peet’s Coffee, they add a layer of foam on top. And at Blue Bottle Coffee, the cafe uses pour over coffee (made with their Bella Donovan blend) and finishes it with steamed milk.
Though the method may be slightly different, the drink is basically the same, but there is one different cafe au lait – the American version.
What is American cafe au lait?
The American version of caffe misto/cafe au lait is the same as everywhere around the world except for one added ingredient – chicory.
Chicory is a root that comes from the endive plant and is known to be beneficial for digestion, may support weight loss and improve blood sugar control. When the root is roasted and grounded, it’s brewed like coffee as a caffeine free alternative to coffee.
It’s also added to coffee, like famously in Cafe du Monde’s cafe au lait. Chicory is added to bring out the flavor of coffee and gives their cafe au lait a chocolatey flavor. It goes really well with Cafe du Monde’s iconic beignets (fried dough squares covered in powdered sugar.)
Cafe du Monde is a must visit when in New Orleans. The cafe was established in 1862. The history of their cafe au lait goes back to the mid 1700s when coffee first arrived in New Orleans when the French began settling along the Mississippi River. Due to coffee shortages during the civil war, chicory was added because they found it added body to the coffee, resulting in the Cafe du Monde coffee we know today.
Cafe au Lait vs Latte
Now that we’ve discussed what caffe misto/cafe au lait is, you might be thinking, this sounds a lot like a latte. Both coffee drinks are made of coffee and milk, but there are key differences:
- Coffee: In a cafe au lait, milk is combined with brewed coffee, meanwhile a latte contains espresso.
- Milk Ratio: Cafe au lait has equal parts coffee to milk. A latte is typically ⅓ expresso, ⅔ steamed milk and topped with a layer of milk foam.
- Caffeine Content: Cafe au lait has more caffeine than a latte. Sometimes. A 16 ounce cup of cafe au lait, which contains 8 ounces of brewed coffee contains approximately 97 milligrams of caffeine. Meanwhile, a latte with one shot of espresso will have approximately 64 milligrams of caffeine. But if you have a double shot of espresso in your latte, it’ll be approximately 128 milligrams of caffeine. So the caffeine content will depend on how much coffee you’re drinking.
Here’s How You Can Make Caffe Misto at Home
Now that you know what caffe misto is, it’s time to try making it at home.
This is a very simple and quick way to make Caffe Misto at home. It’s easy to make when you’re in a hurry and also when you don’t want to spend $5 for a caffe misto at Starbucks. Plus, you’re in control of the type of coffee beans you use.
In this case, we used a Green Mountain k-cup for our Keurig to show how fast it can be to make. But we’d also recommend using a reusable k-cup to put your own freshly ground beans or use a strongly brewed pour over coffee.
Caffe Misto Ingredients
This caffe misto can be made in just under 5 minutes and only requires two ingredients.
- 1 cup brewed coffee (we used Green Mountain Breakfast Blend)
- 1 cup milk or milk alternative (we used Califia Farms Barista almond milk)
- Sugar, coffee syrup (optional)
How to Make Caffe Misto at Home
Step 1
Brew one cup of coffee.
We used our K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker, filled the water line to 8 ounces (1 cup) and used a Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend k-cup.
Step 2
Heat one cup of milk over the stovetop or for even faster preparation, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
We used Califia Farms Barista Blend Almondmilk. It’s a milk alternative that’s made to foam like regular milk.
Step 3
Add milk to the brewed cup of coffee. Enjoy!
Caffe Misto Recipe
Caffe Misto (Cafe au lait)
A coffee drink with equal parts brewed coffee to steamed milk.
Materials
- 1 cup brewed coffee (we used Green Mountain Breakfast Blend)
- 1 cup milk or milk alternative (we used Califia Farms Barista almond milk)
- Sugar, coffee syrup (optional)
Notes
1. Brew one cup of coffee.
We used our K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker, filled the water line to 8 ounces (1 cup) and used a Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend k-cup.
2. Heat one cup of milk over the stovetop or for even faster preparation, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
We used Califia Farms Barista Blend Almondmilk. It’s a milk alternative that’s made to foam like regular milk.
3. Add milk to the brewed cup of coffee. Enjoy!
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