* This is a sponsored post for Melitta *
Winter is all about cinnamon flavours. It's a spice that is so versatile, in sweet and savoury dishes, but we have kept it simple here and stirred some in to a milky latte for a comforting Cinnamon Coffee.
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Why you will love it
- Less than 150 calories per serving
- Ready in 5 minute
- Easy to adapt with different flavours
- Cheaper than your regular takeout coffee
Ingredients needed
- Skimmed milk - We used dairy milk, but this will still work fine with non-dairy milk.
- Espresso shots - Difficult to make without a coffee machine (see below), but you could use instant coffee if you wanted. This will result in a less intense coffee flavour though.
- Maple syrup - You could also use honey or your favourite flavoured syrup.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a lovely richness to the flavour.
- Ground cinnamon - Other spices you could use are nutmeg and ginger.
- Cream and cinnamon to serve (optional)
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Put the milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in to a pan and gently heat through. This will take about 3-4 minutes. You can also use the steamed milk setting on your coffee machine.
Two: Add the espresso to the pan and stir well.
Three: Pour into cups/glasses and top with cream and extra cinnamon.
What coffee to use
We used two shots of espresso for this cinnamon coffee, but how do you make espresso? You make Espresso coffee by forcing hot water through closely packed, finely-ground coffee grounds. This can be tricky to do at home, but we used our Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart machine.
This bean-to-cup machine makes amazing coffee! Let's repeat that - this makes the BEST coffee we've ever tried! The machine is so easy to set up, has an app for ease of use and has a menu of 21 customisable coffee recipes.
The machine is quite large (although only 259mm/10.2 inches wide), and fairly heavy, but once it's in place on your kitchen worktop, you will have access to a plethora of options.
What makes it so easy to use?
The touch sensitive interface is super easy to use. It allows you to select options easily and also to completely customise the amount of coffee or milk that goes into your drink.
Some (but not all) of the features
- Huge choice of drinks - With 21 fully customisable drinks, there's something for everyone. Whether you want a simple Americano, a milky latte, frothy cappuccino or maybe even a Ristretto, Black-Eye or Dead-Eye, you'll never get bored!
- Dual bean hopper - Two bean hoppers mean that different beans (dark or light roast) can be used for different drinks.
- Ground coffee hopper - Don't have full beans? No problem - just use the supplied spoon to use ground coffee.
- Automatic milk frother - Most coffee machines struggle with getting a good milk froth. Not the Caffeo Barista TS! Just plug in the tube to the milk container (which can be mounted either side) and let the machine give you the perfect froth on your drink. You can use this to make the hot milk for the drink too, and then just stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon.
- Make two drinks at once - Making a drink for two? Simply press the X2 button and position two cups under the spout and you can make two drinks at the same time - perfect for at home coffee dates.
- Totally customisable - While settings can be configured through the machine's menu, you can also use the smartphone app to totally customise your drink recipes. From coffee to milk ratio, coffee flavour and intensity and drink temperature. And up to eight different people can have their own profile with their own drinks.
Is it easy to clean though?
Absolutely! Not only does it have a smart clean function after each use, but the Caffeo Barista TS lets you know when the milk system needs cleaning, when the coffee system needs cleaning and when the machine needs descaling.
Cleaning is a breeze as the machine takes you through the process step by step with on screen instructions. You will need to buy cleaning solution and descaling tablets fairly regularly though.
Are there any cons?
A few - but none that should stop you from considering getting a Caffeo Barista TS.
The drip tray is tricky to clean. It is quite shallow but still holds a lot of liquid, meaning transferring it to a sink to dispose of the liquid can result in spillages. Simply position your machine near to a sink and this will make disposal of liquid easier.
This is not the cheapest bean-to-cup machine, but you do get what you pay for. For those that really appreciate good coffee, this machine is a must as the quality of coffee produced is exceptional. And consider how much all those expensive coffees from your favourite coffee shop will add up to. The Caffeo Barista TS could pay for itself in less than a year. So, it is actually great value.
We did have an issue with our machine having an error message. However, after a couple of minutes on the phone to customer service they arrange collection and delivery of a fixed machine in a couple of days. The customer service is amazing and the staff are very knowledgeable.
Conclusion
Melitta definitely know a thing or two about coffee machines - just head to the Melitta website to see the full range of products that are available.
This is, without doubt, an outstanding machine and probably the best bean-to-cup coffee machine we've come across. It offers unrivalled flexibility, ease of use and a huge menu of coffees. But, most importantly, it delivers exceptional tasting coffee.
Cinnamon flavour
Our local coffee shop does the BEST cinnamon coffee. I would happily sit there all day drinking cup after cup, but that's really not good for my bank balance of caffeine consumption!
This coffee isn't flavoured with a super sugary cinnamon syrup. Instead, cinnamon is just heated with the milk and adds so much autumn spice. We added a little maple syrup for sweetness, but you can leave it out if you don't like sweet drinks.
Make it festive
For those that don't drink alcohol at Christmas and prefer to go down the coffee route, then serve them something a bit special like this coffee with spices. You can add some ginger and nutmeg too and make it really festive.
What makes this a Christmas Coffee? Well, serve it in a seasonal cup and make it that little bit more indulgent with some cream and chocolate shavings. Top with some mistletoe if you want to go all out!
FAQs
When it comes to coffee, I am all about the creamy milky coffees. I know they aren't always the best calorie wise, but it's not like I am drinking 4 a day. Well, not always. We made this with skimmed milk, but we have also used almond/cashew milk, Oatly, and semi-skimmed too.
More drink recipes
If you’ve tried this cinnamon coffee, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Cinnamon Coffee
Ingredients
- 500 ml Skimmed milk
- 2 Espresso shot
- 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 0.75 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- Cream and cinnamon to serve - (optional)
Instructions
- Put the milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in to a pan and gently heat through. This will take about 3-4 minutes. You can also use the steamed milk setting on your coffee machine.
- Add the espresso to the pan and stir well.
- Pour into cups/glasses and top with cream and extra cinnamon.
Notes
- Add some nutmeg and ginger too and make it a real festive Christmas coffee.
- You can a different milk than what we have used. We have successfully made this with almond, cashew, oatly, skimmed and semi-skimmed.
- If you don't like milky coffee, then you can stir some cinnamon in to an Americano for an autumnal coffee.
- If you don't like sweet coffee, then leave the maple syrup out.
Tara
This coffee looks absolutely wonderful! Love the combination of maple and cinnamon. So perfect for this chilly morning.
Chris
This is just like Christmas in a mug. So comforting on a cold day.