A hot, creamy cup of cafe au lait can be the best way to greet the day or enjoy a lazy morning. When you make it at home, you can sip on it without needing to leave your house to go to the coffee shop. This recipe uses Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee, so it’s gentle on the stomach so you can feel good the rest of the day.

Cafe au Lait vs Caffe Latte

What’s the difference between a cafe au lait and a caffe latte? Caffe latte gets some attention, but cafe au lait has a few advantages over a latte. 

• It’s easier to make, since you don’t have to foam your coffee perfectly.
• There’s a higher ratio of coffee to milk, so you can taste the coffee more. It’s even better with a complex, low-acid coffee, such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee, because it is less bitter but still intense.
• It’s less rich than caffe latte, so it can be gentler on the stomach.

Both have their pros and cons, but it’s good to get familiar with cafe au lait if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it!

Milk in Cafe au Lait

A creamy milk is best for cafe au lait. Whole milk and oat milk are usually the top choices, but you can experiment. For example, if whole milk bothers your stomach, choose a lower-fat milk or a vegan alternative. Soy milk and almond milk can work as well as oat milk for a plant-based, lactose-free substitute.

Here are some ways you can prepare your milk.

• Froth it with a hand-held frother or whisk.
• Invest in a French press to froth it.
• Steam it using an espresso machine.

Coffee in Cafe au Lait

Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee is the best choice for this recipe. It’s intense, guaranteed fresh, and full of flavors such as nut, vanilla, and chocolate. You can choose your level of caffeine, since it’s available in Regular, Decaf, and Half Caff. Be sure to make your coffee super strong so you can taste it well.

Serving Your Cafe au Lait

If you just want to dream for a bit, you can definitely have your cafe au lait on its own. You can also have it at breakfast or serve it for brunch with croissants, scones, or muffins. Biscotti or other hard cookies are nice in the afternoon. By the way, if you’re having company, you can double or quadruple the recipe below. 

Recipe

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (½ cup) of strong brewed Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee
• 4 ounces of steamed whole milk or oat milk

Instructions

1. Brew Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee as strong as you can make it so you get better flavor. You can make it cold brew to keep it lower in acid; just heat it well before making your cafe au lait.
2. Steam the milk using your method of choice. If you use an espresso machine, stretch the milk to 20 to 25% in height.
3. Pour the hot coffee in a cup. Pour the steamed milk over it and serve immediately. Enjoy!