The Home Cafe Ratio Sheet
Every ratio we use, on one page. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and stop re-googling “cold brew ratio” at 7 am. Free — no email, no sign-up.
Cold foam
Cold Foam Ratio Calculator →| Drink | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Classic sweet cold foam | 3 tbsp heavy cream : 1 tbsp 2% milk : 1 tsp powdered sugar | Froth 20–30 sec until thick and spoonable |
| Lighter cold foam | 2 tbsp heavy cream : 2 tbsp 2% milk | Softer, pours faster, melts sooner |
| Nonfat 'Starbucks-style' | 4 tbsp cold nonfat milk | Nonfat froths tallest — froth 30–40 sec |
Cold brew
Cold Brew Calculator →| Drink | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Concentrate | 1:4 coffee to water by weight | Steep 16–20 hr, dilute 1:1 before drinking |
| Ready to drink | 1:8 coffee to water by weight | Steep 14–18 hr, serve over ice as-is |
Latte & espresso
Espresso Ratio Calculator →| Drink | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Latte | 1/3 espresso (or strong coffee) : 2/3 steamed milk | Thin layer of microfoam on top |
| Espresso (normale) | 1:2 dose to yield | 18 g in → ~36 g out in 25–30 sec |
| Iced latte | 2 oz espresso : 6 oz cold milk over ice | Add syrup to the espresso first |
| Drink | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Matcha latte | 1 tsp (2 g) matcha : 2 oz hot water : 6 oz milk | Whisk the matcha and water first — no clumps |
| Iced matcha latte | 1.5 tsp (3 g) matcha : 2 oz water : 6 oz cold milk | Slightly more matcha since ice dilutes it |
Simple syrup
Syrup Amount Calculator →| Drink | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple syrup | 1:1 sugar to water | Heat until dissolved; keeps ~1 month refrigerated |
| Rich syrup | 2:1 sugar to water | Sweeter per pump; keeps longer |
| Cafe pumps | 1 pump ≈ 1/4 oz (7.5 mL) | A grande-size drink uses ~4 pumps |
Conversions you always forget
1 tsp = 5 mL
1 tbsp = 15 mL
1 fl oz = 30 mL
1 cup = 240 mL
1 shot espresso = 1 oz (30 mL)
Grande cup = 16 oz (473 mL)
Ratios from our home-kitchen tests — the same numbers used across every recipe on Home Cafe Lab. Found one that didn't work for you? Tell us and we'll retest it.