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Starbucks Americano

This Starbucks Americano recipe strips away the café markup and gives you a restaurant-quality drink in under two minutes. You get that signature bold flavor and silky crema that makes mornings feel less like survival mode and more like an actual ritual.
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Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 5
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 shots of espresso about 2 ounces or 60 milliliters
  • 6 to 8 ounces 180 to 240 milliliters hot water
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt or pinch of table salt optional

Equipment

  • Espresso machine
  • Espresso cup or small pitcher
  • 8 to 12 ounce drinking cup
  • Kettle or hot water dispenser
  • Coffee scale (optional)

Method
 

  1. Pour a small amount of hot water into your drinking cup and swirl it around for about 10 seconds to preheat the cup.
  2. Tamp your espresso grounds firmly and evenly into the portafilter, applying about 30 pounds of pressure.
  3. Lock the portafilter into your machine and start pulling the shot, aiming for about 1 ounce of espresso that takes 25 to 30 seconds to extract.
  4. Without removing the cup, pull a second shot into the same espresso cup so you have about 2 ounces total.
  5. Pour out the hot water from your drinking cup that you used to preheat it and make sure the cup is dry inside.
  6. If using salt, sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon into your drinking cup.
  7. Pour your two shots of espresso into the cup with the salt (or without, if you're skipping it).
  8. Pour the hot water into the cup in a slow, steady stream, filling it to about 3/4 full.
  9. Give the drink a gentle stir to blend everything together while keeping the crema on top. Taste and adjust on your next cup if needed.

Notes

Always pull your espresso first and add hot water second, never the other way around, because the hot water hitting the espresso preserves the crema and creates that signature smooth texture. Use fresh espresso beans ground right before pulling your shots for best results. Drink within five minutes of making for optimal flavor.