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    Home » Recipes » Fall

    August 2, 2023

    New Orleans Café Au Lait

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Café Au Lait in New Orleans is a thick cup of half coffee and half hot milk. It's the perfect addition to breakfast, brunch or dinner. 

    Here are some divine meals to serve with your hot cup of cafe au lait: New Orleans Calas, New Orleans Beignets, Pain Perdu (French Toast), Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Fudge Brownies, or Fried Peach Pies.

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait in a mug on a saucer.

    Latest Recipe Video:

    Jump to:
    • Latest Recipe Video:
    • Key Ingredients
    • How To Make Cafe Au Lait
    • How To Store Cafe Au Lait
    • Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
    • FAQs
    • More New Orleans Recipes
    • Before You Begin
    • 📖 Recipe

    I may have been as young as 5 years old when I had my first sip of café au lait when my family went to Cafe Du Monde. It's a right of passage, especially if you're going to stroll through the French Market.

    The scent of fried dough perfumes the air of the French market, almost putting you under a spell to stand in line to order 3 beignets with a cup of cafe au lait. The same way Americans commonly eat milk and donuts is the same way we eat donuts (beignets) and cafe au lait in New Orleans.

    The amazing thing about this drink is that it's effortless to make, but there's always something a little special that makes it uniquely New Orleans and will separate it from a traditional French cup of cafe au lait. It's the chicory roots added to the coffee.

    For the record, I prefer only to drink strong black coffee, but this is the only way I'll add milk. Let's jump into making this special cup of coffee with milk.

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait in a mug on a saucer.

    Key Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients and tools you'll need for a delicious cup of cafe au lait.

    New Orleans Chicory Coffee

    Coffee and chicory blend is the secret ingredient that separates a New Orleans-style cafe au lait from a traditionally served version. The added chicory gives a unique flavor and thickness to the coffee. The best-flavored Chicory coffee is made by CDM, French markets, or Cafe Du Monde blend, which is more accessible outside New Orleans.

    Milk

    You can use whatever milk you want for the steamed milk, but I love the rich flavor of half and half.

    Drip Pot

    I have a two-cup drip pot, so I use it when I have the time; other than that, I use my Keruig when short on time.

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait Ingredients.

    How To Make Cafe Au Lait

    A café au lait recipe is straightforward and should take only 5 minutes to brew. You only have to ask yourself if you will use a drip coffee maker or your Keruig to move faster.

    Chicory coffee in a coffee filter.

    Place coffee grounds in a coffee filter inside a drip pot; heat water in a medium pot over high heat; as soon as the water boils, remove it and pour it over the coffee grounds. 

    Scaled milk in a pot.

    While that's brewing. Heat half and half in a small pot over medium heat until it boils slightly. This is how you make scalded milk.

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait with a beignet being held.

    Evenly pour coffee into 2 coffee mugs, then stir in even amounts of hot milk. Serve hot, and enjoy with beignets or a piece of toast.

    How To Store Cafe Au Lait

    Cafe au lait is best when drunk immediately. However, you can keep a large batch warm in a pot or coffee urn.

    Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

    Here are a few notes I had after making batches of cafe au lait over the years.

    • If you like sugar in your coffee, add it. It usually is not because it's served with a sweet breakfast.
    • You can use any milk of choice regardless if it's whole milk, 2%, or non-dairy. The key is heating the milk correctly.
    • This recipe can be divided into 4 smaller cups.
    • The rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of chicory coffee for 1 cup of coffee.
    • An espresso machine is a great way to make a cup of café au lait.
    • You can use any medium or dark roast coffee instead of New Orleans chicory coffee. 
    • Coffee and chicory blends also come decaffeinated. 
    • Use the strong feature on your Keruig for the right brewed coffee strength. You can use a traditional coffee maker too.

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait in a mug on a saucer.

    FAQs

    Here are readers' top questions about making cafe au lait at home.

    What is the name of the famous café in New Orleans?

    Café Du Monde is the iconic cafe in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's on Decatur Street in the French Quarter, just across from the St. Louis Cathedral. They're known for serving beignets and café au lait year-round, 364 days a year, any time of the day! The only day they're closed is Christmas Day, but other than that, you can get served 24/7.

    What is the difference between a cafe latte and a café au lait?

    A latte is an Italian coffee made with espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk. Cafe au lait originated in France and means coffee with milk. It's made by combining equal parts coffee and steamed milk.

    Is café au lait just coffee and milk?

    Yes, that's exactly what it means. It's made with a strong cup of drip coffee and steamed milk.

    More New Orleans Recipes

    I recommend these recipes if you want to bring a taste of the Big Easy to your dinner table!

    • Red Beans and Rice
    • Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
    • Dirty Rice
    • Blackened Chicken Alfredo
    • New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and Grits
    • Roast Beef Po-Boys
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    Before You Begin

    Here are my steps for getting organized before I start anything.

    Step 1: Buy some Chicory coffee; the Cafe Du Monde brand is more readily available in local markets.

    Step 2: Follow this recipe and get ready for the best cup of cafe au lait you've ever enjoyed.

    Whether you enjoy it as a morning pick-me-up or a cozy dessert drink, this cafe au lait will surely delight your taste buds and awaken your senses.

    Click here to subscribe to MY Weekly Recipes for easy and free recipes right into your inbox! 

    To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above. 

    Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below. 

    📖 Recipe

    New Orleans Cafe Au Lait in a mug on a saucer.

    New Orleans Café Au Lait

    Kenneth Temple
    Café au lait in New Orleans is a thick cup of half coffee and half hot milk. It's the perfect addition to breakfast, brunch or dinner. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Drinks
    Cuisine Cajun, Creole
    Servings 2 persons
    Calories 317 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons ground coffee & chicory
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups half and half

    Instructions
     

    • Place coffee grounds in a coffee filter inside a drip pot; heat water in a medium pot over high heat; as soon as the water boils, remove it and pour it over the coffee grounds.
    • While that's brewing. Heat half and half in a small pot over medium heat until it boils slightly. This is how you make scalded milk.
    • Evenly pour coffee into 2 coffee mugs, then stir in even amounts of hot milk. Serve hot, and enjoy with beignets or a piece of toast.

    Notes

    Storage
    Cafe au lait is best when drunk immediately. However, you can keep a large batch warm in a pot or coffee urn.
     
    Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
    Here are a few notes I had after making batches of cafe au lait over the years.
    • If you like sugar in your coffee, add it. It usually is not because it's served with a sweet breakfast.
    • You can use any milk of choice regardless if it's whole milk, 2%, or non-dairy. The key is heating the milk correctly.
    • This recipe can be divided into 4 smaller cups.
    • The rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of chicory coffee for 1 cup of coffee.
    • An espresso machine is a great way to make a cup of café au lait.
    • You can use any medium or dark roast coffee instead of New Orleans chicory coffee. 
    • Coffee and chicory blends also come decaffeinated. 
    • Use the strong feature on your Keruig for the right brewed coffee strength. You can use a traditional coffee maker too.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 8gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 159mgPotassium: 319mgSugar: 10gVitamin A: 857IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 266mgIron: 0.1mg
    Keyword café au lait, new Orleans café au lait, café au lait new Orleans, café au lait recipe
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