How to Make a Cappuccino at Home without a Machine

As fall sets in after all my summer travels there’s nothing I enjoy more than a hot cappuccino at home.  

There’s some irresistible about a rich espresso topped with a dollop of creamy foam. I have a small kitchen without the space needed for an espresso machine on my counter, so I had to improvise on how to make a cappuccino at home.  

With very little equipment I’ve managed to make the perfect cappuccino at home without an espresso machine.

If you want to check out the latest trend in coffee, here’s the TikTok Whipped Coffee everyone is drinking and here’s the recipe for dalgona without instant coffee.

How to make cappuccino at home Equipment

First, you need a way to brew espresso to make a cappuccino without an espresso machine, and there are two options:

• Over the stove with a moka pot, like the Bialetti – Check Prices Here
• Hot water using the AeroPress – Check Prices Here  

We’ve used the Bialetti moka pot for years and it makes an excellent espresso, but it does require a stove to percolate the coffee.

The AeroPress I bought originally for work because all you need is hot water to brew the espresso and “press” it out. Both brew rich and delicious espressos perfect for your cappuccino at home.

The Best Espresso Beans for Making Cappuccino

Espresso beans are considerably stronger than regular coffee beans with rich deep flavor so it can hold up to the steamed milk of a cappuccino at home.  

My favorite espresso beans for making a cappuccino at home are:

• Illy – Check Prices
• Cafe Bustelo – Check Prices
• Cafe Santo Domingo – Check Prices

My absolute favorite espresso beans, which I first discovered in the Dominican Republic, is Cafe Santo Domingo.

This espresso is rich and smooth with little acidity or bitterness. I highly recommend you purchase espresso beans or pre-ground espresso when you make your cappuccino at home.  

Coffee Bean Grinder

The coffee grind is also important when making a cappuccino and needs to be an espresso ground. Usually, if you buy pre-ground espresso it will already be in an espresso grind.

The grind is just as important as the beans because it is a much finer grind than regular coffee.

I highly recommend investing in a Burr Grinder.  These grinders don’t chop up the coffee beans but actually grinds them.

• Hand Grinder – Check Prices
• Electric Grinder – Check Prices

The Burr Grinders also produce even grinds for better espresso brewing.

We used to use the hand grinder, but we have since upgraded to the electric one!  And it is life-changing.  We freshly grind our beans for cappuccinos on the daily now!

If you are on a budget, however, the hand grinder works just as well and lasts forever, it just takes longer to grind your beans.

How to Froth Milk at Home – The Best Methods

Frothing milk may sound daunting without a milk steamer, but it’s so so simple with this frothing wand – Check Prices Here.  

It uses two double A batteries so it’s super portable and can be stashed in a drawer.  Even more important, this milk foaming wand makes the thickest creamiest milk foam ever for cappuccinos at home.   

If you want to splurge there is also an automatic milk foamer that will make cold and hot milk foam – Check Prices Here.

Both the automatic milk frother and the handheld milk frother produce milk froth with a rich taste and lavish mouthfeel.  It’s because they create dense micro-foam and not big bubbles. 

You’ll see many articles boasting about creating milk foam merely by shaking milk in a mason jar for a minute.  That is by far the worst method for making milk froth.  It simply does not work, you end up with some bubbly milk and NOT the dense foam you would expect from an espresso bar.  

Cappuccino Mugs

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a perfect cappuccino from a pretty mug!  And these glass mugs – CHECK PRICES, are EVERYTHING!  They are the perfect vessel for your cappuccino and will make your home feel like an upscale coffee bar.

Not totally necessary but totally aesthetic.  

Now that I’ve covered all the equipment here is the recipe on how to make a cappuccino at home without an espresso machine.

Recipe:  Cappuccino at Home

Ingredients

• Espresso Ground Coffee (my favorites)
• Whole Milk
• Cocoa Powder to Garnish

Equipment

• Bialetti or AeroPress
• 2 Mugs
• Frothing Wand

Instructions

Brew your espresso:  Using either the Bialetti or the AeroPress brew your espresso grind beans according to manufacturer instructions.

Steam your milk:  Pour about ¼ cup of milk into a mug and microwave it on high for about 30 seconds, or until almost boiling.  

Froth your steamed milk:  Using the frothing wand, froth your microwaved “steamed” milk.  You will create thick creamy foam with the wand and the excess milk will sink to the bottom of the mug.

Pour your espresso:  Fill a mug halfway with your freshly brewed espresso from either your Bialetti or AeroPress.  

Add your steamed milk:  Using a spoon block the milk foam as you pour the excess steamed milk into your espresso.  Add milk to taste.

Top with foamed milk:  Either scoop the foamed steam milk or pour it over the top of your espresso.

Enjoy your cappuccino.

Want one of those flavored drinks you get at Starbucks?  Simply add in some flavored creamer or syrup – CHECK PRICES after you pour in the milk and stir then top with foam.