Maple Walnut Latte Recipe: Rich, Nutty, and Perfectly Sweetened

Making a maple walnut latte at home sounds fancy, but I promise it’s easier than you think.

I spent way too much money at coffee shops before I figured out how simple this drink really is. The secret isn’t some complicated barista technique—it’s just about infusing walnuts into maple syrup and letting time do the work.

KEY INFO

Prep time: 5 minutes (plus 20 minutes to overnight for infusion)
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 13 minutes active time
Servings: 1 latte (syrup recipe makes enough for 4-6 drinks)
Difficulty level: Easy
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Vegan-adaptable, Gluten-free, Can be dairy-free

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Small saucepan for syrup
• Espresso machine or Moka pot
• Fine mesh strainer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Serving glass
• Skillet for toasting (or use your saucepan)

Simple alternatives: Use a French press or strong drip coffee instead of espresso. A regular strainer lined with cheesecloth works if you don’t have a fine mesh one.

INGREDIENTS

For the Maple Walnut Syrup (makes 4-6 servings):

• ½ cup (60g) raw walnuts
• ½ cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) water
• 1 drop vanilla extract (optional)

For Each Latte:

• 1 cup (240ml) ice for iced version, or omit for hot
• 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) maple walnut syrup
• 1 cup (240ml) milk of choice (whole milk, oat milk, or walnut milk for double the nuttiness)
• 1-2 shots espresso (2-4 oz/60-120ml) or ½ cup strong coffee

METHOD

Making the Maple Walnut Syrup (Do This First)

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. You’ll smell them before you see much color change—that’s your cue they’re ready.
2. Chop the toasted walnuts roughly into small pieces. Don’t turn them into powder, just break them down so more surface area hits the syrup.
3. Add chopped walnuts, maple syrup, and water to your saucepan.
4. Heat on medium for 2-3 minutes until the mixture reaches a rolling boil and gets slightly thicker.
5. Remove from heat immediately and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Here’s the truth: 20 minutes works, but overnight in the fridge makes it incredible.
6. Strain out the walnut pieces using your fine mesh strainer. Press down gently to get every drop of that walnut-infused goodness.
7. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.

Assembling Your Latte

1. Brew your espresso shots fresh—this isn’t negotiable if you want it to taste right.
2. For iced: Fill your glass with 1 cup ice, add 2-3 tablespoons syrup, pour in cold milk, then slowly add hot espresso on top.
3. For hot: Add syrup to your mug, pour in steamed or warmed milk, then espresso on top.
4. Give it a quick stir and taste. Add more syrup if you want it sweeter—I usually start with 2 tablespoons and go from there.

CRUCIAL TIPS

• Toast those walnuts properly. Raw walnuts taste flat and slightly bitter. Toasted walnuts are sweet, buttery, and completely different.
• Don’t skip the infusion time. I tried rushing this once and the flavor was pathetically weak. Let it sit.
• Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. I know it’s more expensive, but the fake stuff has a chemical aftertaste that ruins everything.
• Adjust syrup amount based on your milk. Oat milk is naturally sweeter, so you’ll need less syrup. Unsweetened almond milk needs more.

STORAGE & SCALING

Storage: The syrup keeps for a week in the fridge in an airtight container. The assembled drink? Consume immediately—this isn’t one you make ahead.

Scaling: This syrup recipe makes enough for 4-6 lattes depending on how sweet you like it. Double the syrup ingredients if you’re making drinks for the whole week.

Freezing: Pour leftover syrup into ice cube trays. Pop one cube into your coffee whenever you want that maple walnut hit without making a fresh batch.

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

• Burning the walnuts: They go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. Stay by the stove and keep stirring.
• Not straining well enough: Walnut bits in your drink create an unpleasant grainy texture. Strain twice if you need to.
• Adding syrup to hot espresso first: The heat breaks down some of the delicate walnut oils. Always add syrup to ice or milk first, then top with espresso.
• Using pre-ground coffee that’s been sitting around: Stale espresso tastes sour and bitter, and no amount of fancy syrup will fix it.

VARIATIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

• Maple Walnut Cold Brew: Steep cold brew concentrate overnight, then mix with syrup and milk over ice. Less acidic than espresso-based versions.
• With Walnut Milk Foam: Use a milk frother to whip walnut milk into thick foam and spoon it on top. Feels ridiculously fancy.
• Warmed Fall Version: Add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to the syrup while it’s heating. Makes your kitchen smell like autumn.
• Blended Frozen Latte: Throw everything in a blender with extra ice for a Frappuccino-style situation.
• Stronger Walnut Flavor: Let the syrup infuse for 48 hours instead of overnight, or use walnut extract (just ¼ teaspoon) added to the finished syrup.
• Dairy-Free: Oat milk works beautifully here because it’s creamy and naturally sweet. Almond milk is too thin—you’ll want to use a barista blend if you go that route.

Listen, I’m not going to pretend this is health food. It’s got maple syrup in it. But walnuts are packed with omega-3s, and if you use unsweetened plant milk, you’re doing better than most coffee shop versions.

The real reason I make this isn’t nutrition though—it’s because it tastes like a cozy Saturday morning, costs a fraction of the $7 coffee shop price, and I can control exactly how sweet it