This banana bread latte is espresso and steamed milk sweetened with a quick homemade syrup made from one ripe banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, so every sip carries the warm, toasty flavor of a fresh loaf. The recipe makes two mugs and a small jar of syrup from a single banana, with one saucepan doing double duty for the syrup and the milk. The key is a gentle simmer and a quick strain, which pulls the banana flavor into a smooth syrup that stirs easily into hot milk. I kept it to pantry ingredients so it can become a slow weekend morning for two without a trip to the coffee shop.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two mugs: the syrup batch is small, so you are not left with a big bottle to use up.
- One spotty banana: the riper and more speckled, the better, which makes it a good home for the banana nobody wanted to eat.
- Hot or iced: the same syrup works in a steaming mug or a tall glass over ice.
- About 20 minutes: most of that is the syrup simmering while you brew the coffee.
- No special syrup to buy: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla are usually already in the cupboard.
What is a banana bread latte?
A banana bread latte is a regular latte, espresso and milk, sweetened with a banana syrup that is spiced like banana bread. Brown sugar brings the caramel notes of a well-browned crust, cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg bring the bakery spice, and vanilla rounds it out. The result is a creamy coffee with a gentle banana flavor rather than a fruit smoothie.
The drink has been popping up on coffee shop menus and all over social media this fall, and plenty of people are recreating it at home. A homemade syrup is the simplest way to do that, and it lets you decide how sweet and how spiced your latte should be.
What makes it work
A very ripe banana. A banana with plenty of brown speckles is sweeter and more fragrant, and that flavor is what the syrup captures. A yellow banana with green at the stem gives a flat, starchy syrup.
A gentle simmer. Eight to ten minutes over medium-low heat is enough to soften the banana and let its flavor move into the sugar and water, while reducing the liquid just slightly. A hard boil would reduce the small batch too quickly and scorch the sugar.
Straining. Pressing the banana through a fine-mesh strainer leaves a smooth syrup that dissolves evenly in hot milk, with no stringy bits settling at the bottom of the mug.
Vanilla at the end. Stirring the vanilla in off the heat keeps its aroma bright.
How it’s sized for two
Most banana bread latte recipes are written for one drink but make syrup for many more. Here, one banana, 1/2 cup of water and 1/3 cup of brown sugar make enough syrup for two lattes with a little left over for a second round later in the week. Each mug gets two tablespoons of syrup, two shots of espresso and 3/4 cup of milk.
The same small saucepan simmers the syrup and, after a quick rinse, heats 1 1/2 cups of milk for both drinks, so there is only one pan to wash.
Ingredients for a homemade banana bread latte
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. A few notes help with shopping and swaps.
- Banana: one medium banana, as ripe as you can find. Mash it with a fork before it goes into the pan so it releases its flavor faster.
- Brown sugar: light brown sugar gives the caramel, banana bread flavor. Dark brown sugar works too and makes the syrup a little deeper.
- Spices and vanilla: ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. The salt is small but it makes the banana taste more like banana.
- Espresso or strong coffee: four shots of espresso for two drinks, or 1 cup of strong brewed coffee if you do not have an espresso maker.
- Milk: whole milk makes the creamiest latte and froths well. Lower-fat or plant-based milk works too; oat milk is a good choice for foam.
How to make a banana bread latte
- Simmer the mashed banana, water, brown sugar, spices and salt into a light syrup.
- Stir in the vanilla and strain the syrup.
- Brew the espresso or strong coffee.
- Heat and froth the milk.
- Stir syrup and espresso together in two mugs, add the milk and foam, and dust with cinnamon.
Step-by-step notes
Simmering the syrup. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then let the syrup bubble gently for 8 to 10 minutes. It is ready when it coats a spoon lightly and the kitchen smells like banana bread. It will look thin while hot and thicken as it cools.
Straining. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a jar or bowl and press the soft banana with the back of a spoon to get every drop of syrup out. The pulp left in the strainer can go into oatmeal or a smoothie.
Heating the milk. Warm it over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until it steams and tiny bubbles appear around the edge, then take it off the heat before it boils. A handheld frother makes foam in seconds; a whisk and a bit of energy also work.
Building the drinks. Stir the syrup into the espresso first so it dissolves completely, then pour in the milk while holding back the foam with a spoon, and finish with the foam on top.
Tips for the best results
- Use the spottiest banana in the bowl; it has the most flavor.
- Keep the heat at medium-low and let the syrup simmer gently rather than boil hard.
- Taste the finished latte and add a little more syrup if you like it sweeter.
- Warm the mugs with hot water while the syrup simmers, so the lattes stay hot longer.
- Shake or stir the syrup before using it, since a little banana settles to the bottom.
Variations
- Iced banana bread latte: let the syrup cool, fill two tall glasses with ice, add two tablespoons of syrup and 3/4 cup of cold milk to each, stir, and pour the espresso over the top.
- No espresso machine: use 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee per drink in place of the two shots.
- Decaf: decaf espresso or coffee turns it into a cozy evening drink.
- Plant-based: any dairy-free milk works in both the hot and iced versions.
Storing the syrup
Pour any leftover syrup into a small jar, cover it and refrigerate it. Because it is made with fresh banana, use it within 5 days. It thickens in the fridge; shake it well and warm it briefly if it is too thick to stir.
The lattes themselves are best made fresh. Do not leave milk or finished lattes at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
What to serve with it
A banana bread latte is sweet and cozy on its own, so simple pairings work best.
- Buttered toast or a plain muffin for a slow weekend breakfast.
- Oatmeal topped with a few banana slices and a pinch of cinnamon.
- A few plain cookies for an afternoon coffee break for two.
Next time a banana turns spotty on the counter, turn it into two warm mugs of this. Pour, sprinkle with cinnamon and sit down together while it is still steaming.
Frequently asked questions
What do banana bread lattes taste like?
Like a creamy latte with a gentle banana flavor and the warm brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla notes of banana bread. The coffee still comes through; it is not a fruit smoothie.
What exactly is a banana latte?
It is espresso and milk sweetened with a banana syrup instead of plain sugar or vanilla syrup. A banana bread latte adds brown sugar and warm spices to that syrup.
Does Starbucks have a banana bread coffee?
Yes, Starbucks added an Iced Banana Bread Latte to its fall menu. This homemade version is its own recipe, made with a quick banana syrup you control.
How long does the banana bread syrup last in the fridge?
Keep it covered in the fridge and use it within 5 days. Shake it before using, since it thickens and settles as it sits.
Can I use instant coffee instead of espresso?
Strong brewed coffee is the swap this recipe is written for: 1/2 cup per drink in place of two shots. Instant coffee made up as strong coffee can stand in the same way.
Print
Banana Bread Latte for Two
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 lattes
Description
The trending banana bread latte for two: a quick syrup of ripe banana, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla stirred into espresso and frothed milk, hot or iced.
Ingredients
- 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a pinch for dusting
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 shots espresso (about 4 ounces), or 1 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 1/2 cups milk (3/4 cup per latte)
Instructions
- Put the mashed banana, water, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer gently 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the syrup thickens slightly and smells like banana bread.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar or bowl, pressing on the banana to get all the liquid out. Rinse the saucepan.
- Brew the espresso or strong coffee.
- Heat the milk in the saucepan over medium-low heat until it steams and small bubbles form around the edge, 3 to 4 minutes; do not let it boil. Froth it with a milk frother or whisk it hard until foamy.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of the syrup into each mug, add 2 shots of espresso (or 1/2 cup coffee) to each and stir. Pour in the hot milk, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon and serve.
Notes
Equipment: two mugs, small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, espresso maker or coffee maker, milk frother or whisk
- Iced version: cool the syrup, fill two tall glasses with ice, add 2 tablespoons syrup and 3/4 cup cold milk to each, stir, and pour the espresso over the top.
- Adjust the sweetness with more or less syrup; start with 2 tablespoons per drink.
- Use decaf espresso or coffee for an evening latte.
- Any milk works, dairy or plant-based; oat milk froths well.
- Doneness: The syrup is ready when it coats a spoon lightly and has reduced a little; it thickens more as it cools.
- Doneness: The milk is ready when it steams and tiny bubbles form at the edge of the pan, before it boils.
- Refrigerate leftover syrup in a covered jar and use it within 5 days. Stir or shake it before using, and warm it briefly if it has thickened.
- Do not leave milk or finished lattes at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
