Skip the line at Starbucks and make your Vegan Chestnut Praline Latte at home! This 5-minute recipe tastes rich, nutty, and satiating. It’s lightly sweet, frothy on top, and the perfect beverage to cozy up to this holiday season.

It’s officially cozy season now that we wake up to frost most mornings and my puffy coat has moved back into its familiar spot on the coat rack. Puffy and I are good friends but what I truly crave during the cold season is wrapping my hands around a steaming beverage that will warm me from the inside out. Most of the year there’s tea in my cup, but with Christmas dangling on the calendar, a chestnut praline latte is what feels uber-seasonal and scrumptious.

It's been quite a few years since I ordered coffee from Starbucks. But their cute names and flavor combinations are so enticing I immediately want to run home and make one. Let’s do it! How fun and delicious does a vegan chestnut praline latte sound? It rings of toasty chestnut flavor and just the right amount of caramel sweetness. The grande finale topping it with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of praline crumble. Each sip tastes like a Nat King Cole Christmas carol. I’m ready to get my cozy on, want to join me?!

How do you make a vegan latte?

A latte is simply espresso/coffee mixed with steamed milk. A vegan latte is espresso/coffee mixed with non-diary milk. The milk we are using in this recipe is cashew milk. Here’s the best part: You can make the milk and the latte at the same time by adding all the ingredients to a blender. Soft nuts and coffee liquify in the blender making the coffee/milk combination in a single step. Bonus: The whizzing action of the blender creates foam, so you don’t need a fancy milk steamer.

What’s in a chestnut praline latte?

The Starbucks version is made by mixing freshly brewed espresso, steamed milk, and caramelized chestnut flavoring. Then it’s topped with whipped cream and praline crumble.

My vegan version is made with:

Freshly brewed coffee- Use the strength you prefer when making drip or French press coffee.
Toasted pecans-for rich toasty flavor
Cashews- Soaked until soft, these blend up just like cashew milk
Roasted and peeled chestnuts- These come ready to use in a bag so there’s no need to roast and peel your own.
Brown sugar- adds just the right amount of caramelly sweetness
Vanilla-complements the warm flavors

I promise you won’t miss the over-sweet syrup and chemical flavoring of a Starbucks latte!

Praline Crumble:

The ultimate touch is sprinkling praline crumble over the top just before serving. Pralines are mostly nuts and sugar and that’s exactly what this crumble is made of.

Finely crushed toasted pecans
Brown sugar
A pinch of nutmeg

Mixed together, this tastes just like a crumbled-up praline!

Should I use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar?

You can use either! I tested the recipe with both light and dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar tastes slightly sweeter and dark brown sugar has more caramel and bitter notes. Both are delicious so use what you have on hand.

Tips for making the perfect Vegan Chestnut Praline Latte

Soak your cashews- This is important so you don’t end up with little lumps in the bottom of your cup. Soft cashews blend up silky smooth. There’s no need to strain the latte after blending.
Use coffee you love- The main ingredient in this latte is coffee (obvs) so choose coffee you really enjoy, freshly brewed to your preferred strength. Straight espresso will be too strong.
Roast the pecans- It’s worth the time to roast your own pecans if you can’t find them already roasted. I usually make a big batch and then use them throughout the holiday season. I’ve got an easy recipe for you below.
Blend for at least 90 seconds- We want all the little tasty bits of nuts to liquefy and turn into nut milk. Be patient, it takes at least 90 seconds in a high-powered blender for this to happen.

Roasted Pecans- Spread 1 cup of pecans on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F / 177°C for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. You’ll know they’re done when the nuts are a deeper shade of brown and smell fragrant.

After the first sip, I knew this vegan latte was going to be my new winter bestie. So sorry puffy coat! I know you’ll love it too, it’s:

Toasty with a nutty chestnut flavor
Just the right amount of sweetness
Rich and satiating
Quick and simple to make
Very very delicious

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe:

Ingredients for Chestnut Praline Latte

12 oz (1½ cups) of freshly brewed coffee at your preferred strength and still hot
8 toasted pecans (17g)
2 tablespoons (17g) of cashews, soaked
2 roasted and peeled chestnuts (17g)
2 tablespoons (25g) of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Praline Crumble Topping

1 teaspoon of finely crushed toasted pecans, mixed with
½ teaspoon of brown sugar
A pinch of nutmeg

Step 2

Step 3

Enjoy!

How to make Chestnut Praline Latte

1. Soak your cashews- Add the cashews to a small bowl and pour hot water over them, enough to cover. Let soak for 20 minutes until soft. Or cold soak the cashews overnight.

2. Add all of the ingredients to a blender- Blend on high speed for 90 seconds, until no lumps of nuts remain.

3. Pour into your favorite mug- top with dairy-free whipped cream and a sprinkle of praline crumble.

Isn’t’ cozy season the best? Stoke up the fire, grab your favorite sweater, and settle into one of these warm winter beverages, with a bakery item for dipping of course!

Here’s some irresistible recipes for you to try:

Vegan Gingerbread Blender Muffins with Cashew Golden Milk

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Currant Scones with Vegan Chai Latte Recipe

Gluten-Free Banana Mini Muffins with Chocolate Chips with Red Velvet Hot Chocolate

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Yield: 1 (12 oz.) Serving

Author: Carol Clayton