Skeleton's Dawn Latte | Skeleton Brew Coffee
Skeleton's Dawn Latte
A smooth cold brew latte made with Bone Chilled, milk, sweetened condensed milk, and a dusting of cinnamon.
The Skeleton's Dawn Latte is what happens when cold brew decides to put on slightly nicer clothes.
It starts with Bone Chilled brewed as a true cold brew concentrate, then softens into a creamy latte with milk and sweetened condensed milk.
The result is rich, smooth, lightly sweet, and easy to serve either over ice or without it.
It feels a little more indulgent than ordinary cold brew, but not so indulgent that you need to explain yourself to the mug.
What You'll Need
Ingredients
-
120 g Bone Chilled coffee, coarsely ground for cold brew
- About 20-24 level tablespoons ground coffee if you don't have a scale
- 960 ml / 32 oz cold filtered water
- 480 ml / 16 oz whole milk or milk alternative
- 120 ml / 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- Ice, optional
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Equipment
- Large jar, pitcher, or cold brew container
- Coffee grinder, if using whole beans
- Fine-mesh sieve, coffee filter, or cold brew filter
- Clean pitcher or jar for the finished concentrate
- Mixing cup or bowl
- Tall glasses or mugs
- Kitchen scale, recommended but optional
Cold brew concentrate is not meant to be served straight in large amounts. It is stronger than ready-to-drink cold brew, which is exactly why it works so well in a latte.
Coffee Ratio
For the concentrate, start with:
120 g coffee : 960 g/ml water
That's approximately a 1:8 coffee-to-water ratio.
This creates a proper cold brew concentrate with enough intensity to stand up to milk and sweetened condensed milk.
If you're measuring without a scale:
About 20-24 level tablespoons ground coffee : 32 oz water
For each finished latte, use approximately:
120 ml / 4 oz cold brew concentrate + 120 ml / 4 oz milk mixture
Directions
1. Begin the Night Brew
Add 120 g coarsely ground Bone Chilled to a large jar or cold brew container.
Pour in 960 ml / 32 oz cold filtered water and stir gently until all of the grounds are saturated.
2. Let It Steep
Cover the container and refrigerate it for 12-16 hours.
This slow steep turns the coffee into a concentrated cold brew base for the latte.
3. Strain the Concentrate
Strain the cold brew through a fine-mesh sieve, coffee filter, or dedicated cold brew filter into a clean pitcher or jar.
If needed, strain it a second time through paper for a cleaner cup with less sediment.
4. Make the Milk Mixture
In a separate pitcher or mixing cup, combine:
- 480 ml / 16 oz milk
- 120 ml / 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Stir until smooth and fully combined.
If you prefer, warm the milk slightly before mixing so the condensed milk dissolves more easily, then chill it again before serving.
5. Build the Dawn Latte
For each serving, fill a glass with ice if desired.
Pour in about 120 ml / 4 oz cold brew concentrate, then add about 120 ml / 4 oz of the milk mixture.
Stir gently, or leave it layered for a moment if you want the dramatic dark-to-light effect before mixing.
6. Finish the Dawn
Dust the top with a small pinch of cinnamon.
Serve immediately.
Store any remaining concentrate and milk mixture separately in the refrigerator.
Skeleton Brew Tip
Keep the concentrate and milk mixture separate until serving.
Storing them separately gives you more control.
You can make one latte stronger, one sweeter, one lighter, or one over ice without committing the entire batch to a single ratio.
It also helps the concentrate stay versatile, since you can use any leftover cold brew for other drinks later.
Make It Your Own
- Bare Bones Dawn: Skip the condensed milk and use plain milk for a less sweet latte.
- Vanilla Sunrise: Add a small splash of vanilla extract to the milk mixture.
- Iced Dawn: Serve it over plenty of ice for a bright, refreshing summer version.
- Warm Awakening: Warm the milk mixture and combine it with room-temperature or gently warmed concentrate.
- Dairy-Free Dawn: Use oat milk or almond milk and sweeten to taste with a dairy-free syrup instead of condensed milk.
- Extra Bold: Use a little more concentrate than milk for a stronger coffee-forward cup.
- Cinnamon Cloud: Add a little extra cinnamon or a dusting of nutmeg on top.
Why It Works
Cold brew concentrate gives this recipe its structure.
Because the coffee is brewed strong, it remains recognizable even after milk and sweetened condensed milk are added.
Sweetened condensed milk contributes both sweetness and body, which makes the finished latte feel richer and smoother than one made with regular milk alone.
Cinnamon adds just enough aroma to lift the drink without competing with the coffee.
The result is a cold brew latte that tastes complete rather than watered down.
Recommended Brew
Bone Chilled
Bone Chilled is the featured coffee for Skeleton's Dawn Latte.
This recipe is built specifically around a cold brew concentrate, making Bone Chilled the natural fit for the job.
The concentrate gives the latte enough coffee presence to stand up to milk, condensed milk, and ice without disappearing into the background.
Want something to eat with it? Explore our Bone Chilled Coffee & Food Pairings.
From the Coffee Corner
One of the best home-coffee habits you can build is making components ahead of time.
A jar of cold brew concentrate in the refrigerator turns several future drinks into quick assembly jobs instead of full brewing sessions.
That matters on rushed mornings, slow afternoons, and any day when your motivation arrives later than your caffeine needs.
Learning to think in components—brew now, assemble later—is one of the simplest ways to make your Coffee Corner more useful.
Continue exploring:
Recipe at a Glance
| Coffee | 120 g Bone Chilled / about 20-24 tablespoons |
|---|---|
| Water | 960 ml / 32 oz |
| Coffee Ratio | 1:8 concentrate |
| Grind | Coarse |
| Brew Temperature | Cold / refrigerated |
| Brew Time | 12-16 hours |
| Milk | 480 ml / 16 oz |
| Sweetened Condensed Milk | 120 ml / 1/2 cup |
| Serving Ratio | About 120 ml concentrate + 120 ml milk mixture per serving |
| Yield | About 4 servings |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Equipment | Jar or pitcher, filter, mixing cup, and glasses |
Skip the coffee shop. Make something better at home.