Christmas is all about Bailey’s coffee and Irish coffee but I’ve always preferred rum to those drinks, so are rum lattes a thing? They absolutely are! However, many iterations are chai rum lattes, gingerbread rum lattes, and cocktails – which all sound delicious but I just wanted a simple latte with a hint of rum. I’ve played around with this drink a lot and found that using real rum doesn’t work very well, it tends to overpower the drink and tastes vile. So, I had to take the alcohol out, and use rum essence instead, so you get a sweet, and spicy latte that’s perfect for cool autumn and winter mornings.
I love the taste of rum but not so much alcohol itself so this drink is perfect for those who would rather not drink, or your designated driver!
How To Make A Rum Latte
Prep Time
Less than 5 minutes
Cooking time
5 minutes approx.
Total
Less than 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 200ml Non-dairy milk of choice (I recommend oat milk for any coffee drinks)
- 1 espresso shot (or equivalent amount of coffee)
- 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
- 20ml rum essence (if you want to make this with real rum, then a rum syrup might work – but be warned that it’s a lot more time and effort)
- dash of cinnamon (optional)
Method
The first thing you do in combine your maple syrup, rum essence or rum syrup, and spices in a mug, then get working on your espresso and milk.
When it comes to flavoured lattes I prefer the coffee to be the strongest flavour, rather than the rum in this case, so if you like strong coffee then brew a strong espresso or even a double shot! The coffee and the spice of the rum goes amazing together.
When it comes to brewing your espresso, the method really depends on what you actually have available to you.
If you have an espress maker, then great, brew your espresso! If not, then my trick is to use a French press. Put in enough grounds for one person (or more if you’re making coffee for a few people), and add hot water. The ratio of coffee to water for an espresso is 1:2, so you put in twice as much water as coffee. The rule of thumb for one shot is 8 grams (so 16 ml of water), but if you want a double shot make it 16 grams (with 32ml of water). Another important thing for making espresso is that pressure is just as important as water and heat, so place your plunger down on the surface of the water for a few minutes and then push it down the whole way.
For more on making espresso without a coffee machine, check this guide out.
If you’re not much of a coffee snob or want a super lazy way to do this then feel free to just put a teaspoon in a mug and mix it with two teaspoons of hot water.
Pour your espresso into the mug, over the maple syrup and rum essence.
To froth the milk, you can either use a handheld milk frother, but if you don’t have one of those then pour your espresso into a mug (and throw the coffee grounds away – you can DIY them into a great exfoliator!) and pour your milk in. Push the plunger up and down until the milk expands and froths.
Then pour over your espresso, and there you have it, a quick, easy, and delicious vegan-friendly alcohol free rum latte! Top with some vegan whipped cream, a cinnamon stick or anything you fancy!
Nutritional Breakdown
The exact nutritional breakdown of this homemade vegan maple latte will depend on the exact ingredients you use, such as your milk alternative or how much maple syrup you decide to go with. It should fall somewhere within this range.
| PER SERVING | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 481kJ / 115cal |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrate | 27.5g |
| Sugars | 18.4g |
| Protein | 0g |
| Salt | 6.9mg |
If you’re not a coffee person then you might prefer my vegan pumpkin spice hot chocolate instead!
Drink up me, hearties! What are your favourite seasonal drinks?