Can Lattes Be Decaf?

Last updated on September 17th, 2022 at 07:04 am

Lattes are a delicious mug of goodness. Made with espresso, milk, and sweetener, this drink gives you the pick-me-up you need with wonderful flavor. 

You can customize flavoring and types of milk for the perfect cup of goodness. But, coffee contains caffeine that some can’t have. 

That’s why there is decaf coffee. What about lattes? 

Can lattes be made decaf so non-caffeine coffee lovers can drink them too?

Lattes can be made with decaf espresso so those who do not drink much caffeine can still enjoy them. Decaf espresso won’t give you as much of an energizing boost but will give you that coffee taste you crave.

It’s a chilly December morning as you wake up you start to crave the taste of coffee. Wanting to cut back on your caffeine intake you think there is no way you are getting a latte. 

Lattes are made with espresso and have a high level of caffeine, milk, and sweetner. These come hot or cold depending on the weather or what you like best. 

A latte just sounded so good to you but you don’t want that energy boost caffeine gives you. Let me assure you that there are lattes that don’t have much caffeine in them. 

These are decaf lattes and they still taste great! So, lattes can definitely be decaf. They are just made with decaf espresso beans so you can enjoy the coffee without the jitters.

Is There A Caffeine Free Latte?

Some may not be able to consume any caffeine. Yet, you love the taste of coffee. If this is you then you could be wondering if there’s such a thing as a caffeine free latte?

Unfortunately no lattes are entirely caffeine free. Even lattes made with decaf espresso will have between 3-16mg of caffeine in them. So a decaf espresso latte is the closest thing to caffeine free that you can get. . 

A decaf latte is perfect for those who love coffee but not the caffeine however there is still some caffeine in them.  When ordering one of the beverages at your favorite coffee place ask for decaf espresso. When making it at home, buy decaf espresso or decaf espresso beans. 

Even if you don’t drink a lot of caffeine, you can still enjoy lattes.

How Much Caffeine Is In A Decaf Latte?

Lattes taste so good. But regular coffee is full of caffeine. If you don’t want to consume very much caffeine, is decaf an option? Is there any caffeine in decaf lattes at all?

A decaf latte has between 3-16mg of caffeine in it. Unfortunately even decaf coffee and espresso still have some caffeine. So although the caffeine content is much lower it is not entirely free of caffeine. 

Having between 3-16mg of caffeine might seem like a pretty big range but unfortunately removing the caffeine from the espresso beans is not an exact science. So although there is far less caffeine in a decaf latte you should still expect some to be in it. 

Contrary to what many people believe, decaf lattes do not contain zero caffeine. If you can’t have the caffeine that regular espresso has, you can have a decaf one. Just opt for decaf espresso beans and have this in your latte instead. 

Regular espresso has a lot of caffeine in it but if you choose decaf then you won’t have to worry about drinking tons of caffeine although there is still some in it. 

Do Decaf Lattes Taste Different?

Decaf lattes don’t have very much caffeine in them. It is made with espresso beans from which most of the caffeine has been removed. So, do decaf lattes taste different than normal ones? 

Decaf lattes don’t really taste that much different from regular lattes. Though they won’t give you energy the full caffeine does, they still taste very similar to the coffee drinks containing caffeine.

The taste of coffee is just so delicious that you want to still enjoy it even though you may have to get a decaf latte. Well, the taste of a decaf latte is very similar to a regular espresso latte.  

There is a slight difference since decaf beans may taste a little bit more bitter than regular but overall, they still taste good and give you the coffee taste you like without all that caffeine.

What’s In A Decaf Latte?

Decaf is great to drink for those who cannot have a lot of caffeine. You still get the creamy, sweet coffee you love. What exactly is in a decaf latte?

A decaf latte is made virtually identically to a regular latte except decaf beans are used. It is made with espresso beans that contain much lower caffeine. Milk is then poured into the beverage and sweetener like syrups are added for flavor.

Decaf coffee or espresso beans go through a caffeine removal process. “The beans are usually soaked in organic solvents till they absorb all the caffeine from the beans.” says the article, What Is Decaf Coffee? Is It A Good Idea To Replace Regular Coffee With It? 

Then they are roasted or ground to be used for yummy coffee beverages.

How Much Caffeine Is In A Regular Latte?

So, we know that decaf lattes do not have much caffeine in them. There is caffeine in regular lattes, but how much is there?

There is about 63mg of caffeine in a small regular latte. If you are trying to cut back on your caffeine intake try a decaf latte which contains much less caffeine (3-16mg). 

So, you can enjoy coffee without all of that caffeine if you go with decaf instead. 

To put this in perspective, a 8 ounce cup of coffee contains around 80 to 100 mg of caffeine. A double shot of espresso may be needed for some people which can bump that caffeine count up to a little over 120 mg. 

If you are looking to reduce the amount of caffeine you drink then decaf is a great option. It has much less caffeine at only 3-16mg in a latte.

Final Thoughts

Lattes are delicious and there are even some with hardly any caffeine in them. This decaf latte is made with espresso beans that go through a caffeine removal process so that those who don’t want to or can’t drink much caffeine can still enjoy a latte or two. 

Decaf lattes still taste good and are made the same as regular lattes except with the decaf beans. If you are a coffee lover and are craving a latte, try a decaf latte and enjoy!