The Only 2 Ingredients You Need To Make The Best Breve Coffee At Home

If you like your coffee with a splash of dairy, you've probably noticed that there's a world of difference between coffee with milk, and coffee topped with half and half. While both may be perfectly enjoyable, the latter will be a richer, more satisfying experience, thanks to the heavy cream inhabiting the half and half. But if half and half can make that much of a difference in a regular cup o' joe, what about an espresso-based drink where milk plays more of a starring role?

Enter the breve. A breve is essentially a latte made with half and half. If you've already perfected your latte-making skills at home, all you need to make the perfect breve is one simple swap: half and half instead of milk. Hopefully, you already have the second key ingredient on hand: quality espresso beans. If you don't have a go-to espresso source, start with a local roaster or, for a store-bought option, we recommend Peet's Coffee. You may be surprised at how the half and half changes the flavor and texture of your usual latte, producing a caramelly, velvety, wonderfully indulgent drink.

While other niche espresso drinks using steamed milk are fairly standardized in terms of sizing (a macchiato, cortado, and flat white are typically 3, 5, and 6 ounces, respectively), a breve's size can vary. At Starbucks, a breve is not a separate drink on the menu; rather, most drinks can be ordered as a breve by specifying half and half as your milk preference.

To make your breve, pull your espresso shots as usual from your machine of choice. Use two shots as opposed to a single shot for a richer, more caffeinated beverage. Then, steam your half and half and pour it into the espresso. To steam it, use the steam wand of an espresso machine. Or, simply heat it (being careful not to bring it to a boil!) before incorporating air with a stand-alone milk frother. 

Due to the higher fat content, half and half typically produces a thicker foam than regular milk, giving breves a unique texture — so we don't recommend skipping on the frothing. However, you could technically make an iced breve using cold half and half, bypassing both steaming and frothing.

Before you make breves your new morning pick-me-up, keep in mind that half and half is quite a bit more full of calories than even whole milk. Eight ounces of whole milk contains about 149 calories, while a cup of half and half is approximately double that. Additionally, half and half is going to have a bigger impact on your wallet. Thirty-two ounces of Walmart's Great Value half and half is about $3, while 65 ounces of whole milk by the same brand is just over $2. One way to offset the additional calories and cost is to make your breves slightly smaller than your lattes. The caffeine content can remain the same, just sip slowly to make it last longer, and enjoy.