How to Make Latte Art: Steps & Design Ideas

While many agree that making good espresso is an art within itself, latte art refers to patterns made in the foam topping espresso drinks. To make these beautiful designs, ensure that your milk is properly steamed and that your espresso has great crema (the delicate foam on top of the espresso shot). We interviewed professional barista Jaden Zhao to teach you all the steps of making latte art, from steaming the milk and pouring the espresso to creating fun latte art designs in the foam.

How to Do Latte Art at Home

Pour an espresso shot into a wide-mouthed cup.
Pour steamed milk into the espresso until the cup is about halfway full.
Lower the pitcher to the cup's surface to pour the concentrated white microfoam.
Pour the microfoam into a circle, then pour the milk through the circle to create a heart.
Or, pour dots of microfoam around the perimeter then drag a stir stick through them to create petals.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Steaming the Milk

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1
Pour cold milk into a chilled pitcher. Chill a metal steam pitcher in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you plan to make the latte art. Then, take it out and pour in cold milk until it reaches the bottom of the spout. This will give the milk room to expand and foam as it heats.^{[1]
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- For example, if you have a 12-ounce (355 ml) pitcher, pour in about 10 ounces (295 ml) of milk.
- Because of its high fat content, whole milk is easier to steam than skim or low-fat milk.
- While whole milk works the best, if you want or need a dairy-free alternative, oat milk froths better than other non-dairy milks.
- Zhao says if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, “You can also use a French press, which has a manual milk frother. You do need to have a little device, but it doesn't have to be an espresso machine.”
2
Insert the steam wand into the pitcher and turn on the steam. Lower your espresso machine’s steam wand into the bottom of the pitcher and immediately turn it on. Slowly bring the wand up so it’s near the top of the milk. The milk should be swirling like a whirlpool.^{[2]
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- The steam wand should be pointing diagonally toward the back of the pitcher near the handle.
- Before inserting the wand into the pitcher, point it away from you and turn it on for a few seconds. This will clean the wand of any milk that may be stuck in it. Turn it off and immediately lower it towards the bottom of the pitcher.
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3
Heat the milk until it reaches 140 to 145 degrees F (60-63 degrees C). Lower the steam wand back down so it’s about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) away from the top of the milk. The milk should not stretch too much, nor should there be any big bubbles. This will create a smooth, velvety microfoam instead of a dry, stiff foam. To check the temperature of the milk, insert a thermometer along the inside of the pitcher. Once properly heated, turn off the wand and tap the pitcher on the counter to prepare it for pouring.^{[3]
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- The microfoam is steamed milk that is made up of many tiny bubbles. This makes a softly textured milk that’s easy to pour into art. The microfoam should ideally have a texture similar to wet paint.
- Keep in mind that the milk will continue to heat for a little bit after you’ve turned off the steam wand. Avoid overheating the milk or you’ll increase the risk of burning yourself.
- Swirling the milk will get rid of any big bubbles in the foam that could make it hard to pour.
- When you’re done steaming the milk, clean the espresso machine by wiping the steam wand with a wet cloth. Then, purge it by turning it on for a few seconds to clear out any milk that’s been left inside. If you used a thermometer, wipe it off as well.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Pulling Your Espresso & Pouring the Milk

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1
Dose and tamp the espresso. Measure about 7 to 8 grams of espresso for each shot into a clean portafilter. Use the tamper to press down evenly on the grounds to give it about 30 to 40 pounds (13 to 18 kg) of pressure. Avoid leaving the tamped espresso to sit for very long in the portafilter, especially if the portafilter is hot. This could burn the espresso.^{[4]
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- Practice pushing down on a bathroom scale to figure out how hard to press down on the portafilter.
- If you want to practice latte art but don’t have espresso, Zhao says “You can do different kinds of solid concentrate, like tea. As long as there’s a color difference, you can do latte art.”
2
Pull the espresso shot. Immediately put the portafilter into the espresso machine and turn it on. It will take a few seconds before the espresso begins to drip out of the machine into your shot glass or small pitcher. Give the double shot about 21 to 24 seconds before you turn it off. There should be a creamy foam at the top of the shot, known as the crema.^{[5]
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- With a little practice, you should be able to start the espresso and steam the milk at the same time. This will ensure that neither the espresso nor steamed milk sit for long.
3
Pour the espresso and immediately add some steamed milk. To make your latte, slowly pour the espresso shots into a wide-mouthed serving cup or mug to keep the crema on top. Then, hold the cup in your non-dominant hand and tilt it about 20 degrees toward the pitcher of milk you’re holding in your other hand. Slowly pour the milk directly into the espresso until the cup is about halfway full.^{[6]
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- If you let the espresso shot sit for too long (more than 10 seconds) before you pour in the steamed milk, your designs won’t have as much definition.
- A wide-mouthed cup gives you more space for your latte art.
- The goal is to keep the rich crema floating on top. If you pour too quickly, it can wash out the espresso, which will make it difficult to create latte art.
4
Bring the pitcher close to the cup to add the design. Once the cup is half full, tilt it back until it’s straight up. At the same time, move the pitcher of steamed milk right above the surface of the espresso. Some of the white microfoam should appear in the espresso, and you can begin making a design.^{[7]
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- Zhao recommends taking classes if you’re struggling with latte art: “Take some classes to learn some basics, or maybe watch some YouTube videos. In-person classes are better because you will get feedback. You should learn about milk texture and controlling the flow of the milk for higher and lower positions.”

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Creating Latte Art Designs

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Heart design Once you see the white dot of microfoam in the cup, keep pouring right into it until a large, white circle forms. When you’ve almost filled the cup, pour the milk through the white circle towards the other side of the cup. This pulls milk through the circle to create the heart shape.^{[8]
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- Alternatively, pull a toothpick or stir stick through the middle of the circle to turn it into a heart shape.
- Remember that you’re moving the milk and the pitcher, not the cup with the espresso.
- If the milk is too dry or stiff, you may end up with more of a white blob. Try it again and steam the milk so it’s looser.
- Zhao says the heart is the “easiest” design to do. It uses “very basic techniques, so it’s very simple to start with. Every type of latte art is based on the heart shape.”
2
Tulip design Stop pouring the foamed milk as soon as the white dot appears in the crema. Wait a second, then pour another dot right behind the first dot. Continue making as many dots as you like, then pour the milk through them. This will connect all of the dots and make them look like leaves or petals.^{[9]
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- Or, use a toothpick or stir stick to connect the dots.
- The final dot will resemble a little heart, and the end of the heart will become the stem for the flower.
- Zhao recommends learning the tulip design after mastering the heart shape, then progressing toward more advanced designs. “Tulips are basically like hearts, but in layers. Then you can combine hearts with tulips, or keep going to create swans or dragons or other fancy shapes.”
3
Rosetta design As soon as the white dot of microfoam forms in the crema, use your wrist to gently rock the milk from side to side as you pour it into the cup. The microfoam should begin to fan out. Continue rocking the milk until the cup is almost full and the design is almost covering the top of the cup. Lift the milk pitcher up a little and pour directly through the milk towards the other side of the cup.^{[10]
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- Avoid using your whole arm to rock the milk into the cup. This will give you less control over the design.
4
Words or designs Take a toothpick or skewer and drag it through the foam on the top of the latte to create your own patterns, words, or art. This works well even if your foam isn’t made of delicate microfoam. Etching also works well to create words in the foam.^{[11]
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- Or, use chocolate syrup to write words or create designs on top of the crema.
5
Stencil Use any stencil you like and place it over the finished latte. Shake cocoa powder, cinnamon, or a spice mix over the stencil, then lift it away. This will leave the stencil’s design on top of the latte.^{[12]
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- Make your own latte stencil with thin plastic or wax paper. Use a blade to carefully cut away the design you want into the plastic. Then, set it over the latte like a stencil.
6
Cocoa powder For a unique design, sprinkle some cocoa powder over the espresso in the cup before you pour the milk into it. When you pour the milk over the powder, the latte will look darkly speckled. You can also make swirls in the foam using chocolate syrup.^{[13]
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- Experiment by drawing webs, snowflakes, or flowers using chocolate syrup.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you train for latte art?

Jaden Zhao
Barista
Jaden Zhao is a Barista and the Owner of Jiaren Cafe & Yoga Studio in Santa Clara, California. Her cafe specializes in matcha drinks, espresso, coffee, fruit drinks, and herbal drinks. Additionally, the cafe hosts classes and features a yoga studio and a community space. Jaden earned an MS from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jaden Zhao

Barista

Expert Answer

It helps to watch YouTube videos and take classes! In-person classes are the best option, because you'll get feedback. It's important to learn about the milk texture, as well as controlling the flow of milk for higher and lower positions.

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How do you practice latte art without espresso?

Jaden Zhao
Barista
Jaden Zhao is a Barista and the Owner of Jiaren Cafe & Yoga Studio in Santa Clara, California. Her cafe specializes in matcha drinks, espresso, coffee, fruit drinks, and herbal drinks. Additionally, the cafe hosts classes and features a yoga studio and a community space. Jaden earned an MS from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jaden Zhao

Barista

Expert Answer

Use a very solid concentrate like tea! As long as there's a color difference, you can do latte art.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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Question

What is the easiest latte art shape?

Jaden Zhao
Barista
Jaden Zhao is a Barista and the Owner of Jiaren Cafe & Yoga Studio in Santa Clara, California. Her cafe specializes in matcha drinks, espresso, coffee, fruit drinks, and herbal drinks. Additionally, the cafe hosts classes and features a yoga studio and a community space. Jaden earned an MS from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jaden Zhao

Barista

Expert Answer

The heart is the easiest shape to make—it only requires basic techniques. Plus, every type of latte art is based on the heart shape.

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Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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Tips

Try to use the best espresso machine you can to make latte art. These usually have the best steam wands which makes it easier to get microfoam.

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Always use fresh milk when you're steaming the foam. Never reheat milk since it won't foam up properly.

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Practice steaming without wasting a lot of milk by steaming water. Add a drop of dish soap to a pitcher full of water and practice steaming and pouring it.

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Tap your foam pitcher on the counter a few times after you steam the milk to get rid of any large bubbles in the foam.
Keep the foam pitcher in your fridge to keep it chilled. This can help make the milk foam thicker and easier to pour.

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