How to Make a Coffee Taste like a Cappuccino

Tired of spending a fortune each morning to get your cappuccino fix? Even if you opt for the cheaper, better tasting cappuccino offered at McDonald's, you're still apt to pay about $3 a day. There is nothing more annoying than seeing dozens of those little charges on your monthly bank statement, when you know that if you weren't so picky, you could save hundreds by opting for an easy cup of coffee at home; except an easy cup of coffee at home is a far cry from the creamy, frothy delicious cappuccino at the café. Or at least, it was. Now, you can make a homemade cup of coffee taste almost as good as a store bought cappuccino, without an espresso machine.

How to Make a Coffee Taste Like a Cappuccino

While your homemade "cappuccino" may not taste exactly like the real deal, it's a close second and significantly cheaper.

What You'll Need:

Coffee Beans

Grinder

1 or 2% Milk

Frother or Pan and Whisk

Microwave or Stovetop

Start by grinding your preferred coffee bean of choice to a medium grind. Since you'll be using more milk than you typically would for a regular cup of coffee, your coffee should be a little stronger than usual. If you normally use weak or mild coffee, consider opting for something stronger. Starbucks House Blend is a good choice and creates that strong flavor found in cappuccinos. Then start your coffee pot.

If you own a frother (IKEA sells them for $2 or find the IKEA ones on EBay for about $4), then fill your mug with milk, about one-quarter full. Keep in mind that the fattier the milk is, the harder it is to froth. Then microwave the milk for about 30 seconds, which is enough time for it to get hot without forming a skin. Once heated, froth your milk until it has almost doubled in height. If you don't own a frother, you can slowly heat the milk in a pot over the stove, whisking constantly to create the froth. Then pour it into a mug.

Pour your coffee over the froth, filling the cup. You should see a good-sized, creamy froth along the top of your mug. Add sugar to your homemade cappuccino, if desired.