A smooth and creamy espresso drink is possible with many kinds of milk, including non-dairy plant and nut varieties. Each type of milk will bring unique flavors and textures to your latte as you steam, froth and mix in your favorite ingredients. However, the results will vary depending on a number of factors like fat and protein content, viscosity and technique used.
Frothed Whole Milk: This is the ideal milk for frothing with a great balance of fat, sugar and protein. Whole milk will create a thick, velvety result but will take a little longer to achieve more voluminous foam for drinks like cafe macchiatos and cappuccinos.
Frothed Skim Milk: With less fat, this type of milk will froth quickly and create larger bubbles. You can knock out too-large bubbles by tapping the pitcher after frothing.
Frothed Cream Milk: While you can froth and steam cream or flavored coffee creamers, the high fat content may prevent the lighter foam needed for some espresso beverages. Cream will work better for drinks like cafe au laits and lattes.
Frothed Almond Milk: Almond milk has a higher fat content than some other non-dairy alternatives. This makes it a good choice for steaming and frothing and will yield similar results to using 2% milk (which is somewhere between whole and skim). This is also a good non-dairy option if you’re making latte art because the foam tends to be stable.
Frothed Soy Milk: Soy milk will also yield a nice light and airy result when frothing. Use soy milk for options that call for drier foam.
Frothed Oat Milk: Oat milk will froth up creamy and slightly sweet but should be used and consumed quickly as the bubbles formed may be less stable.