Apple Cider Donut Latte

The donut stand at the apple orchard, in a cup. This apple cider donut latte recipe steams unsweetened apple juice with Firepot chai and oat milk, then pours it over Vanilla Coffee Syrup, two shots of Howler espresso, and a dusting of cinnamon. The chai brings the warm spice a cider donut needs, and the vanilla stands in for the sugar coating. One rule you can't bend: oat milk only. Dairy will curdle.

Apple cider donut latte in a white ceramic cup, heart latte art dusted with ground cinnamon, warm cream background.

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Portion the Vanilla Coffee Syrup into the bottom of a 12 oz cup.
  2. Pull 2 shots of Frothy Monkey Howler Espresso directly over the syrup, then stir vigorously to combine.
  3. Dust a small amount of ground cinnamon over the espresso and syrup.
  4. Fill a steaming pitcher with the Firepot Masala Chai Concentrate, apple juice, and oat milk.
  5. Steam the mixture to 150 to 155°F with a wet, glossy latte texture.
  6. Pour the steamed mixture over the espresso, syrup, and cinnamon.
  7. Finish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon.

Barista Tips

Why can't I use dairy milk?

Apple juice is acidic and so is coffee. Put dairy milk between them and the proteins seize up and curdle. It happens fast and there's no saving it once it goes. Oat milk doesn't have those proteins, so it stays smooth through the whole build. If you want dairy in the drink, the only safe place for it is a whipped cream or cold foam topping that sits on top and never gets steamed into the base.

Should I shake the chai concentrate first?

Always. The spices settle to the bottom of the bottle, so the first pour out of an unshaken bottle is thin and the last one is muddy. Give it a hard shake before you measure and every serving tastes the same.

Can I make this iced?

Yes. Pull the espresso over the vanilla syrup and stir it hard before anything cold touches it. Combine the chai concentrate, apple juice, and oat milk in a separate pitcher, stir, then pour everything over ice.

Products Featured In This Recipe

Grab everything you need to make this café quality drink at home.

Howler Espresso Blend Vanilla Coffee Syrup
Howler
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Howler$18.00

Howler is our medium-dark espresso blend, built on a buttery natural Brazil paired with a chocolatey Central American coffee. Almond butter, dark chocolate, and red grape, with low sweet acidity. That low acidity matters here, since the apple juice already brings plenty of brightness and a sharper espresso would tip the whole drink sour.

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Vanilla Coffee Syrup

$8.00

Made in Nashville with real vanilla rather than flat artificial sweetness. In this latte it stands in for the cinnamon sugar coating on a cider donut, and it's the element that keeps the apple and the chai spice reading as bakery instead of as tea.

Shop Vanilla Syrup

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