There’s nothing quite as satisfying as the first sip of a warm drink on a crisp fall day. Even better? Add in your favorite mug, a crackling fire, and some cozy blankets and you’re ready to sink into a cozy fall vibe. But if you don’t Instagram it, did it really happen?
To help you get the perfect shot, we have a guide on how to spice up your holiday beverages with coffee designs that are easy to create and will have your followers drooling.
Read through to find out how to produce an etched coffee design using items you likely already have in the house. Then take a peek at some other fun ways to dress up your coffee, hot chocolate, chai, or pumpkin spiced drink of choice.
How to Etch Your Holiday Drink
Latte etching is when coffee connoisseurs create designs using foam and syrups. While etching is traditionally done on a latte, the concept can be recreated on any holiday drink. We created a tutorial to help even the most basic coffee-lover or hot-chocolate sipper take their drink to the next level.
Materials:
- Drink of choice (coffee, hot chocolate, chai tea, etc.)
- Whipped cream or foam
- Syrup (chocolate or caramel)
- Toothpick
- Squeeze bottle
- Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (optional)
Step 1: Spoon Foam or Whipped Cream Onto Your Drink
If using whipped cream, first spray it into an empty cup or bowl. Then stir the whipped cream so it’s smooth. From there, gently spoon it onto your drink so it evenly covers the top.
When using foam, ensure you make the foam as thick as possible. This way the syrup will lay on top rather than sink to the bottom of the drink.
Step 2: Prepare Your Syrup
You can add these designs to your drink using any type of syrup. The most common choices are chocolate or caramel. The container your syrup comes in probably won’t be ideal for pouring with accuracy. Instead, transfer the syrup to a squeeze bottle.
If you don’t have a squeeze bottle available, you can add it to a plastic bag and cut off one corner to create a hole. Make sure the hole is small so you can create more intricate designs.
Be sure to refrigerate your syrup the night before so it has a thicker consistency. This will help you create solid lines that don’t run when they are on the foam.
Step 3: Create a Pattern With Syrup
Even the most complex coffee design patterns start with basic shapes like circles or lines. Choose a pattern you want to create. Start by outlining the basic shapes and then use a toothpick to create a detailed design.
Design 1: Vine Design
Pumpkin Spike Latte by Sophie Corrigan
Start by covering half the cup with a piece of paper. Sprinkle cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on the foam. Remove the paper and draw a squiggly line with the syrup. Use the toothpick to draw a line through the center of the squiggle to form a vine-like design.
How-To Video: Vine Coffee Design
Design 2: Flower Power
Moths in the Night by Mel Armstrong
Start by creating a small circle of syrup in the middle of the foam or cream. Then use the syrup to draw two circles around it. Take a toothpick and drag it from the center of the cup to the side. Repeat this movement until there are eight even lines, removing the toothpick and wiping it off between each movement.
Then, in between the current lines, drag the toothpick from the edge of the cup towards the middle. You’ll add eight new lines going inwards. This will create a beautiful flower pattern.
How-To Video: Flower Power Coffee Etching
Design 3: Wacky Lines
Vintage acorns and oak leaves pattern on dark background by Gabi Toma
Use the syrup to draw three parallel lines in the foam. Use the toothpick to create alternating lines, perpendicular to the syrup lines you originally created. Remember to remove and clean the toothpick after each movement.
How-To Video: Wacky Lines Coffee Design
Ways to Make Your Pumpkin Spice Coffee Unique
If chocolate syrup art isn’t your forte, try some other festive toppings. From sprinkles to heart-shaped marshmallows, here are some easy ways to wow any guests or family members.
Photo credit from top to bottom: Loving It Vegan | Jessica Hits the Road | Chocolates & Chai | Satori Design for Living | A Bajillian Recipes | The Online Farmer’s Market
If these sweet holiday drinks don’t get you in a festive spirit, nothing will. Enjoy them all fall and keep sipping them as you make your way through winter (we won’t judge!). Impress guests at your Halloween zoom party or holiday gift exchange by whipping up one of these stunning designs.
Gifting season will be here before we know it. Need something special for the coffee-lover on your list? Check out Redbubble coffee gifts. They have everything from latté-inspired stickers to coffee shirts every aspiring barista should own.