Are Lattes Hot Or Cold?

Last updated on August 12th, 2022 at 07:06 pm

It’s a crisp, December day. The bare limbs of trees feature ice crystals and fresh fallen snow is laid out on the ground. The bright sun beams reach down for a cheery glow shining through the cold. 

Walking along downtown you smell the aroma of fresh coffee. Not too far down is a coffee shop and you decide to step inside. As you enter the building you get whiffs of some pleasant smells drifting from the coffee brewing behind the counter. 

Glancing over the menu items you narrow it down to a latte. The sweet milky drink with a hint of coffee just sounds so good. But, since it is chilly outside you want something warm to drink. Are lattes hot or cold?

Lattes can actually be made either hot or cold. If you want an iced latte, it is made with ice and regular cold milk with sometimes some cold foam topping it. A hot latte is made with steamed or frothed milk and is creamy and warm.

So, lattes can be made hot or cold. If it’s a cold winter day, you probably want a warm drink and that calls for a hot latte. This specialty coffee is made by making a shot or two of espresso and adding it into a cup of flavoring syrup. Then some milk (any kind you’d like) is steamed/frothed and poured into the cup as well. 

The milk is mixed with the espresso and flavoring. Then the last of the milk, which is really frothy, is used to top the latte.

A cold latte is made a little different. Before you add anything to the cup you fill it up about halfway with ice. Then you pour the shots of espresso over the ice. 

Next, you add the flavoring syrup. 

Then regular steamed milk is poured to fill up the remainder of the glass. Then all of the ingredients are mixed all together for a refreshing iced latte. 

A cold latte can be topped with whipped cream for extra sweetness. As you can see, lattes can be hot or cold.

Are Starbucks Lattes Hot Or Cold?

Starbucks is an icon in the coffee world. With their first store opening in 1971, they have grown into a billion dollar company. They serve their guests with all kinds of delicious coffee. 

This coffee business, of course, has lattes that you can purchase. Are Starbucks lattes hot or cold?

Starbucks lattes are served both hot and cold depending on what you like the best. You can order an iced latte or a hot latte with whatever flavoring you like as well. Starbucks lattes are sweet and available both hot and cold.

Starbucks says, “At Starbucks, we make sure everything we do honors that connection—from our commitment to the finest quality coffee, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly. From Starbucks beginnings as a single store, in every place we’ve been and every place we touch, we’ve tried to make it a little better than we found it.” 

Our English word “latte” comes from the Italian phrase “cafe latte” meaning “milk coffee”. This specialty coffee tastes the least like coffee out of all of the coffee beverages because it is mostly milk with a slight taste of coffee. If you like a stronger coffee flavor, another shot of espresso will do the trick.

Lattes are a popular choice for coffee and are available hot or cold at almost any coffee shop. This includes the famous Starbucks. 

Starbucks can make lattes either hot or cold according to what you like the best. Hot or iced, these lattes come in a variety of flavors. 

Both Starbucks’ hot lattes and Starbucks’ iced lattes are delicious. Since they are offered either hot or cold, these coffee drinks are perfect for any time of the year.. Hot for winter. Cold for summer. Or some may prefer hot year round or cold year round. 

Whichever you choose, Starbucks can make the milky latte beverage for you hot or cold.

Is An Iced Or Hot Latte Better?

It’s great to have choices. If you are wanting something cold and refreshing you choose an iced latte. If you are wanting something hot and comforting you can choose a hot latte. 

Both are good but which one tastes better?

Both iced and hot lattes are good. Depending on if you like hot or cold beverages better will determine which latte you like better. Whether iced lattes are better than hot lattes is a matter of personal preference.

It is said that hot lattes are more acidic than ice lattes. This means that the cold version of the drink could be better for you. But then again, hot coffee has more antioxidants than cold coffee making it a little more healthy. 

Now, if we are talking about caffeine, then cold coffee has less of this than hot coffee does. Iced coffee contains nutrients that help your body. Because of what it contains, it can protect you from heart disease. 

Another benefit of hot coffee is that it can put you in a better mood since it is warm to drink. It can calm you and is considered to be de-stressing.

According to the article, Iced Coffee vs Hot Coffee: Similarities and Differences, “Coffee is the ultimate elixir of rehabilitation for many people. Iced coffee and hot coffee are both popular varieties, but they have some key differences that set them apart from one another. Especially if you’re new to the coffee scene, it helps to know what kind of brew and temperature is best for your needs. The difference between iced and hot coffee is the temperature at which it’s prepared. Iced coffee can usually be made in larger quantities, and has ice added after it is brewed. Hot coffee is brewed between 195-205˚F. Any brew of coffee can be prepared to be either hot or iced.”

Final Thoughts

Lattes can be either hot and cold. Any coffee place including Starbucks, can make this specialty coffee beverage iced with regular milk or hot with steamed/frothed milk. 

Both kinds of lattes are good and which is better is entirely a decision based on personal preference. If you want a warm and comforting coffee, choose a hot latte. 

If you want a cold and refreshing coffee, choose an iced latte. Lattes are sweet, milky and delicious and are available hot or cold.