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Maple Pecan Latte Recipe (Starbucks Dupe)

maple pecan latte with ghost latte art

Baseball and hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly, maple and pecan. Some things just go together, and maple and pecan are two of the best examples. We love them on pancakes, they’re delicious in cookies, and they work exceptionally well in coffee, specifically lattes.

Some specialty latte recipes are complicated and require cabinets full of unusual ingredients, but this is not one of them. This recipe is fairly simple and only takes a few minutes to make. It’s a great alternative to spending a small fortune at your local coffee shop and tastes every bit as good. This short guide teaches you how to make it and gives you a few suggestions for equally tasty variations.

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Ingredients & Equipment

Before we start, you should make sure you have the necessary ingredients and gear on hand. Our recipe assumes you have an espresso machine, but you can substitute espresso for strong coffee if you prefer.

Equipment

  • Milk frothing wand
  • Espresso machine
Ingredients
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup pecan butter
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons condensed milk
  • 2 shots of espresso
  • ¾ cup of milk
  • Whipped cream (optional)
  • Chopped pecans (optional)

Maple Pecan Syrup Recipe

To make a delicious, smooth maple pecan latte, you need maple pecan syrup. We did not find any suitable off-the-shelf syrups, so we recommend making your own. It isn’t too complicated, and besides pecan butter, it only requires ingredients you probably already have.

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, butter, and condensed milk. Heat on medium until the ingredients are melted. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
  2. Once the mixture has a smooth, even texture, turn the heat up and leave it on high for 4 minutes. Continue to stir the mixture while it heats.
  3. After 4 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the pecan butter and condensed milk. You can skip the condensed milk, but your sauce will be thinner and runnier. It is essential to add the pecan butter when the mixture is still hot.

Ideally, the maple pecan syrup will be thick and viscous. If yours is thin, it could be due to insufficient heating. This recipe makes enough syrup for about a dozen lattes.

maple syrup in coffee
Image credit: Unsplash

Maple Pecan Latte Recipe

Now that you have the syrup finished, the rest is easy.

  1. Pull a double shot of espresso.
  2. Use a steam wand to froth 6 ounces of milk until you have the desired amount of microfoam. Traditionally, lattes have a thin layer of microbubbles but feel free to tweak the amount to your liking.
  3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the maple pecan syrup to the espresso and stir. Make sure there are no lumps before adding the milk.
  4. Add the steamed milk.
  5. If you want to replicate the fancy coffee shop experience more accurately, top with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

maple pecan latte with ghost latte art

Maple Pecan Latte

Some specialty latte recipes are complicated and require cabinets full of unusual ingredients, but this is not one of them. This recipe is fairly simple and only takes a few minutes to make. Enjoy your homemade maple pecan latte!
5 star average
Prep Time 6 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 drink(s)
Calories 160 kcal

Equipment

  • Milk frothing wand
  • Espresso machine

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup pecan butter
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons condensed milk
  • 2 shots espresso
  • ¾ cup milk
  • Whipped cream optional
  • Chopped pecans optional

Instructions
 

Maple Pecan Syrup Recipe

  • In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, butter, and condensed milk. Heat on medium until the ingredients are melted. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
  • Once the mixture has a smooth, even texture, turn the heat up and leave it on high for 4 minutes. Continue to stir the mixture while it heats.
  • After 4 minutes, remove the saucepan from heat and quickly stir in the pecan butter and condensed milk. You can skip the condensed milk, but your sauce will be thinner and runnier. It is essential to add the pecan butter when the mixture is still hot.

Latte Recipe

  • Pull a double shot of espresso.
  • Use a steam wand to froth 6ounces of milk until you have the desired amount of microfoam. Traditionally,lattes have a thin layer of microbubbles, but feel free to tweak the amount to your liking.
  • Add 2-3 tablespoons of themaple pecan syrup to the espresso and stir. Make sure there are no lumps beforeadding the milk.
  • Add the steamed milk.
  • If you want to replicatethe fancy coffee shop experience more accurately, top with whipped cream andchopped pecans.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal
Keyword maple pecan latte

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Maple Pecan Latte Recipe Variations

One of the most popular alternatives to this recipe is an iced version. You might assume that making an iced version is as easy as adding ice to this recipe and calling it a day, but there are a few complications that make it a little tricky.

If you try to make an iced maple pecan latte by pouring the espresso over ice before adding the rest of the ingredients, it can be difficult to get the maple pecan syrup to mix thoroughly. Make sure you dissolve the syrup in the coffee before pouring over ice for the best results.

A better option if you’re looking for a cold maple pecan treat is to combine the ingredients in a blender and then add ice. Using a blender gives the drink a different texture but also a more even flavor. Making cold coffee drinks with thick syrup can be challenging, and we think using a blender to make a maple pecan latte-smoothie hybrid garners the best results.

Another popular branching point comes when you choose what type of milk to use. We’ve made this recipe with almond milk and oat milk instead of regular milk with good results. Almond milk adds some sweetness—assuming you use the sweetened variety—and oat milk adds less flavor but more depth and texture.

Related Read: How to Make a Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte at Home: Easy Recipe


Featured Image Credit: Unsplash

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Sean Brennan

Sean’s obsession with coffee started when he received his first French press as a gift almost ten years ago. Since then, his love of coffee – and the number of coffee gadgets he owns – has grown considerably. A scientist by training, there is no stone he has left unturned in the never-ending quest for the perfect cup of coffee. He has spent many hours tuning his pour-over technique, thinking about how to best compare grind quality, and worrying about whether the Nicaraguan or Kenyan beans will make the best cold brew. These days he favors the Hario V60, and starts each day by hand grinding his coffee before enjoying a cup prepared with care and attention to detail.

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