Caramel Brûlée Lattes are the perfect dessert drink you can make at home! You only need a few ingredients for this sweet and indulgent latte including a homemade caramel sauce, whipped cream, and crushed caramel candies on top.

Since I started making my lattes at home a few years ago, I’ve become enamored with all the different kinds of lattes you can make with just a few simple ingredients. You basically can’t make an easier latte at home than my vanilla latte.

So I guess it was only a matter of time before I started to flavor my lattes with caramel sauce.

I mean, I freaking LOVE caramel sauce whether it’s on pie, in brownies, or in cheesecake. The idea for this latte evolved from these Salted Caramel Affogatos and I basically haven’t been able to shake the idea of caramel + espresso since.

So go ahead and skip that daily Starbucks run and make this Caramel Brûlée Latte at home! This caramel latte recipe is so simple and easy to make for a delicious and indulgent mid-afternoon treat or even as a new Christmas morning tradition.

Caramel Brûlée Latte Ingredients

Here’s your basic shopping list for this caramel latte recipe, but you can find all the measurements and steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Espresso
Milk
Vanilla simple syrup
Salted caramel sauce
Whipping cream
Sugar
Crushed caramel candy — I use Werther’s

What is a Latte?

Simply put, a latte is coffee with steamed milk. It’s a shortened version of the Italian phrase “cafe latte,” which literally means milk coffee.

Lattes are usually made with a shot of espresso and a lot of warm milk, often frothed milk. It’s less foamy than a cappuccino, another Italian milk and coffee drink.

You can make latte recipes flavored with almost anything! Caramel lattes are my go-to these days, but I also love eggnog lattes and gingerbread lattes around the holidays. You can even make iced lattes at home!

How to Make a Latte at Home

Here are some tips and tricks to make the perfect copycat Starbucks caramel brûlée lattes at home, but you’ll find the full steps and ingredients for this caramel latte in the recipe card below!

STEP 1: First, froth the milk after you’ve made the espresso. You can use an electric milk frother or heat your milk on the stove top and whisk until it’s frothy.

STEP 2: Now, make the whipped cream! Whip your cream and sugar with a mixer until you see soft peaks.

STEP 3: Time to assemble! First, pour the espresso into a 16-ounce mug. Then, add the vanilla syrup and caramel sauce and stir until they dissolve. Finally, pour the milk into the mug and top it all with a swirl of whipped cream and some crushed caramel candies!

How to Make Caramel Sauce

Homemade salted caramel sauce is super simple to make and it’s WAY tastier than store-bought options! I make mine with just 3 ingredients.

To make a basic caramel sauce, heat sugar over medium-high heat until it begins to liquify. Then boil without whisking until it until it turns deep brown.

Once it’s a dark copper color, add the butter and whisk until it’s all mixed together. Now, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream.

Other caramel sauces that will work with this latte are this Maple Bourbon Caramel Sauce in the fall for a smokey, rich flavor and this silky Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce. If you’re not into salted caramel sauce, don’t feel like this latte requires it; there are other options!

What to Serve with Caramel Brûlée Lattes

I love a sweet, fluffy crumb cake, and there’s none better than this New York Crumb Cake! With a soft cake and big crumbs, this cake is exactly like what you’ll find in all the NY delis.

Along the same lines as crumb cake, this Cinnamon Streusel Sour Cream Coffee Cake is also a terrific cake to go with these lattes. It’s a big ol’ Bundt cake that’s drizzled with vanilla glaze and it’s big enough for a crowd but freezes well too if you have leftovers.

These Pan Banging Sugar Cookies are some of my favorite Christmas cookies! They’re dusted with pearl sugar and are a great Christmas or Christmas Eve dessert with a caramel latte.

If you love espresso, you’ll devour these Espresso Dark Chocolate Sablés! These rich, chocolatey, buttery shortbread cookies are a perfect addition to a Holiday Dessert Charcuterie Board.

And of course, if you’re a brunch-at-home fan – and who isn’t these days? – make these caramel lattes along with the Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole you’ve got in the oven or a rich and delicious serving of Biscuits and Sausage Gravy.

Caramel Brûlée Latte

Name: Caramel Brûlée Latte
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 shots of brewed hot espresso (approximately 2 oz); 8 oz milk (any variety - cow, coconut, soy, oat, almond, etc.); 1 oz vanilla syrup (optional); 1 oz salted caramel sauce (see Note #1 below); ½ cup heavy whipping cream; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 hard caramel candy, roughly crushed (like Werther's)

Yield: 1 (12 oz) drink

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

For the latte:

2 shots of brewed hot espresso (approximately 2 oz)
8 oz milk (any variety - cow, coconut, soy, oat, almond, etc.)
1 oz vanilla syrup (optional)
1 oz salted caramel sauce (see Note #1 below)

For the whipped cream:

½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup granulated sugar

For the caramel brûlée topping:

1 hard caramel candy, roughly crushed (like Werther's)

Instructions

Froth the milk: For this, you can use an electric milk frother or heat the eggnog in a small sauce pan on the stove and whisk until it's frothy.
Make the whipped cream: Whip the cream and sugar in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
Make the latte and assemble: Pour the espresso into a 16 oz coffee mug or heatproof coffee glass. (See Note #2 below.)
Pour the vanilla syrup and caramel sauce into the mug or glass and stir to combine.
Pour hot frothy milk into the glass and then dollop the whipped cream on top of the drink. Sprinkle with some of the crushed caramel candy. Serve while still hot with cookies on the side, of course.

Notes

Use whatever caramel sauce you love most. Of course, I'm a little obsessed with homemade caramel so these are the other recipes I suggest:
- Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
- Maple Bourbon Caramel Sauce
You can either brew the espresso directly into the mug or glass if you have an espresso machine or make the espresso on the stove top with a Moka pot and pour it into the mug or glass when finished brewing.

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