Quick & Easy Cafecito Recipe

Interested in trying out Miami-style cafecito for yourself? we have both the traditional sweet version and some creative substitutes to create a better-for-you alternative…

Inspired by our “Cafecito Coffee & Cocoa Nibs” flavor (and our article in this week’s The Scoop. You can check it out here) we decided to show you how to whip-up a traditional cafecito in both the cortadito and colada varieties without any specialty gear. And because we’re all about better-for-you alternatives, we add in some substitutions to make that caffeine boost a little less sugar and fat intense. Ready?

Creates 2 cafecito servings

Stuff you’ll need (equipment)

Equipment

• Coffee pot, espresso maker or coffee pod machine (basically anything to brew espresso-style coffee — although drip-coffee machines make ‘Americano’ style coffee that’s too weak)
• Carafe, small pitcher or measuring cup (2 cups is best, so you’ll have some room to whip it without sloshing over the sides)
• Spoon
• Two small serving cups

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Ground coffee or 1 coffee pod. (Arabica beans if you want a little smoother or Robusta if you want more kick)
• 2 tbsp sugar. I like raw sugar, at least it’s less processed. For sweetness you can substitute your favorite alternative sweetener, honey or maple syrup — although you won’t get the ‘espuma’ creamy foam effect.

For the cortadito variety, you also use…

• ½ cup Whole Milk or Condensed Milk (If you want to cut the dairy, you can use your favorite plant-based milk)

Instructions

• Brew the coffee.
• If you have a pod-coffee machine like Nespresso or Keurig, use 1 pod of espresso blend and put only 1 cup of water in the tank to make sure it doesn’t use too much water. If the machine has an small ‘demitasse’ or espresso option use that. Make 2 servings…
• For a stovetop coffee pot, use 3 tbsp of ground coffee to 1 cup of water and brew it until it’s very dark and not translucent. You want a strong coffee!
• In your carafe/pitcher, add sugar to the dry container. If you are using a wet ingredient like maple syrup or honey, pour the coffee in first. You can add anything from the full amount to just a dollop. Of course, the full 4 tbsp is the genuine article.
• Add the coffee and Whip it. Whip it good! For the sugar, you want it to foam up a little. Basically, imagine you’re making whipped cream or a really fluffy set of scrambled eggs.

If you’re going for a colada style cafecito, you’re done! Pour it into two little serving cups and enjoy. If you want a cortadito style, there’s one more step…

• Add the milk of your choice, and keep whippin’ until it’s really integrated. If you want to be super authentic, warm up the milk first so it’s not going in cold. Once it’s foamy and has crema, pour it into a couple of little cups and enjoy!