Iced Latte Vs Iced Cappuccino: What's The Difference?

For some odd reason, your coffee shop order is seen as important. Someone who takes their coffee black is different from somebody who adds sugar and cream to coffee in the correct order, and both are different from anyone who just wants to order an espresso shot. What about an iced latte versus an iced cappuccino? If both are just espresso and milk poured over ice, then why does it matter if you order one over the other?

Firstly, it doesn't truly matter what your coffee shop order is. However, there is a difference between iced cappuccinos and iced lattes, even if it's a fairly minor one: An iced latte will have more milk and less foam than an iced cappuccino. An iced latte tends to focus more on the flavor of the milk, while a cappuccino will taste more strongly of espresso (and it'll have that big layer of milk foam on top). In that case, if you prefer a creamier, more refreshing drink in the morning, then you may opt for a latte. If you prefer the strong, sweet and coffee-ish taste of espresso, then you might go for the cappuccino instead.

Many people drink iced cappuccinos with an equal ratio of espresso and milk, and add in extra milk for an iced latte. Keep in mind that cappuccinos traditionally use more steamed milk overall — about twice as much milk as espresso — but about half of this milk goes into the foam. The espresso and milk are fairly even in the drink itself.

On the other hand, an iced latte includes more milk in the drink itself. In recipes, it's not uncommon to see just a single shot of espresso (which is equal to a fluid ounce) mixed with four or more ounces of steamed milk. Very little, if any, milk goes into the foam, and some people don't consider foam or any steamed milk to be necessary for an iced latte anyway. For this reason, iced lattes tend to have more calories than iced cappuccinos, because espresso is fairly light (a single espresso shot contains about two calories) while milk is heavier in calories. That depends on the kind of milk you use, as well.

Normally, you make that milk foam by mixing or whisking milk that's been heated up, although baristas and other people who are serious about their espresso will have milk frothers. The foam can be a point of contention for baristas: Some baristas balk at adding hot foam to a cold cappuccino, on the grounds that the mixture of hot and cold temperatures will degrade the drink's quality and melt the ice faster.

If you don't have a milk frother, then it's possible to create cold milk foam using a French press instead. Skim milk is a great choice for cold foam because it's got a decent amount of protein. A more crude alternative would be adding whipped cream to your drink instead, which is room temperature and won't heat up your iced drink, although it'll be thicker and more sugary. In any case, it's still very possible to enjoy an iced cappuccino with plenty of foam. Plenty of coffee shops serve it anyway, and if you have a Dunkin' in your state then it makes iced cappuccinos with thick foam layers on top.