How to Make Café au Lait: A Classic Coffee Recipe

If you’ve ever ordered a café au lait in a French bistro or seen it on a breakfast menu, you know it’s more than just coffee with milk. But making it right—balancing strength, temperature, and texture—isn’t always straightforward. Many home brewers either scorch the milk or under-extract the coffee, missing the smooth, rounded result that makes this drink so beloved.

To make one serving of café au lait, use 1.2 cups of depth-roast coffee and 100–120ml of hot milk, extracted and heated to fill an 8/10 full preheated cup. That’s the simple formula—but getting each element right takes precision.

What Is Café au Lait?

Café au lait ("coffee with milk" in French) is a classic coffee drink made with brewed coffee and hot milk, typically in roughly equal parts by volume. Unlike lattes or cappuccinos that use espresso, café au lait starts with filtered or press-style coffee—most traditionally made using a coffee pot. It’s a milky, smooth coffee ideal for casual drinking, often served in larger bowls or wide cups.

Why Depth-Roast Coffee Works Best

The original café au lait is built around a strong, low-acid brew. That’s why it traditionally uses dark or depth-roast coffee. A deep roast reduces acidity, boosts body, and develops flavours like chocolate, caramel, nuts, and toast—notes that pair naturally with hot milk. These roasts bring out the Maillard reaction’s full range, producing over 800 aromatic compounds that contribute to a rounded, sweetish cup. Without the high acidity of lighter roasts, the milk blends more smoothly, creating a balanced drink rather than a sharp or thin one.

What You’ll Need

• Coffee: 1.2 cups (approx. one standard coffee pot setting) of depth-roast coffee
• Milk: 100–120ml
• Grind size: Medium-fine
• Coffee-to-milk ratio: Roughly 1:1 by volume
• Equipment: Coffee pot, small saucepan, preheated café au lait cup (typically larger and wider than an espresso cup)

Step-by-Step: How to Make Café au Lait

Follow this sequence for the best texture and temperature balance:

1. Heat the Milk: Pour 100–120ml of fresh milk into a small saucepan. Heat gently until just boiling, then immediately pour it into your preheated café au lait cup. Take care to minimise the formation of a milk skin on the surface.
2. Brew and Heat the Coffee: Using a coffee pot, brew 1.2 cups of depth-roast coffee (equivalent to one pot setting). Gently reheat the brewed coffee if needed (do not boil), then pour it carefully into the cup with the hot milk, filling the cup about 80% full.

Key Ratios and Measurements

For one serving:
• Coffee: 1.2 cups (1 coffee pot setting)
• Milk: 100–120ml
• Cup: Fill to approximately 80% capacity after combining

For two servings:
• Coffee: 2 cups (2 coffee pot settings)
• Milk: Scale accordingly (roughly 200–240ml)
• Cup: Adjust size as needed

Important Tips

• Use a medium-fine grind suitable for filtered coffee or coffee pot brewing.
• Always preheat your cup to help maintain temperature.
• Heat milk slowly to avoid scorching and to reduce the chance of a skin forming.
• The coffee-to-milk ratio can vary slightly depending on cup size—adjust to taste while keeping the volumes roughly equal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between café au lait and a latte?

Café au lait is made with brewed coffee (usually from a pot) and hot milk, typically in a 1:1 ratio by volume. A latte uses espresso and steamed milk, with a smaller coffee-to-milk ratio and a layer of microfoam on top. Café au lait is smoother and less foamy, with a rounder mouthfeel due to the absence of espresso crema.

Can I use espresso instead of brewed coffee for café au lait?

Traditionally, café au lait is made with brewed coffee, not espresso. Using espresso turns the drink into a different style, closer to a flat white or latte. However, you can experiment by substituting espresso if you prefer a stronger, more intense coffee flavour.

What grind size is best for café au lait coffee?

The recommended grind size is medium-fine, similar to what you’d use for pour-over or automatic drip coffee. This works well with standard coffee pots and ensures proper extraction without over- or under-brewing.

Do I have to use depth-roast coffee?

Depth-roast is traditional for café au lait because its low acidity and rich, toasty flavours complement the milk. However, you can use a medium or medium-dark roast if preferred—just expect a brighter or more acidic profile.

How hot should the milk and coffee be?

The milk should be heated until just boiling, around 95–100°C, then poured into the cup immediately. The coffee can be freshly brewed or gently reheated, but avoid boiling it after brewing to prevent over-extraction or bitterness.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Café au Lait

For a classic café au lait, choose depth-roast coffees with low acidity and rich, sweet notes. FrontStreet’s PWN Golden Mandheling offers bold chocolate, nut, and spice tones with a clean, smooth finish. Their Brazil Queen Manor brings hazelnut, caramel, and soft fruit brightness, ideal for balancing milk. The Colombia Huila adds a layer of berry and cocoa with natural sweetness. All three roasts deliver the body and flavour depth that make café au lait so satisfying. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.