What Does a Lavender Latte Taste Like (And What It Doesn’t)?

What does a lavender latte taste like? 

The other day I was watching football and my girlfriend was slipping through a magazine when she stumbled upon the ‘lavender latte’ which made us wonder how to make one and what it tastes like. Stick around, in this article I’m going over the recipe of a lavender latte and what it really tastes like.

Let’s jump straight in.

What does a lavender latte taste like? 

Lavender latte tastes like espresso mixed with steamed milk and a hint of floral lavender syrup which makes it subtly sweeter. The milk adds to Lavender latte a more smooth texture. It’s wise not to add more than 2 lavender syrup pumps as it’ll get overly sweet.

Why do people like lavender lattes?

I can’t blame anyone who likes lavender latte. 

It’s no coincidence that latte is the most popular coffee in the United States. There are a few ingredients that go as well as espresso with milk. The subtle sweetness of milk mixed up with the slight bitterness of a top espresso is a winning combo – you can’t beat it. And on top of that lavender syrup with its floral refreshing and sweet taste elevates a latte. 

This drink is winning more and more coffee lovers and I suspect that it’s going to be even more popular in the coming years.

What is a latte? 

Did you know that 66% of Americans drink coffee daily? 

Did you also know that the most popular coffee in America and other western countries is latte? 

Why is that? 

My explanation is: milky coffee is tastier than espresso. 

But what is a latte? 

As mentioned above latte is milky coffee, espresso mixed up with steamed milk to create a pretty good drink. It’s been the most popular coffee type in the United States and I can’t blame all those who love it. Espresso with steamed milk and a layer of foam on the top is a combo that you can’t beat. 

Unlike cappuccino, a latte has steamed milk (cappuccino has frothed) and it has 3 layers: foam on top, steamed milk and espresso.

Top tip: the best latte is made with full fat milk (there’s science behind this claim). 

What you should know about lavender 

Lavender is a flower plant with a distinct scent and colour that belongs to the mint family. It’s known for its health benefits and it’s believed it originally grows in the Mediterranean area and India. 

Here are some the lavender health benefits: 

• It helps with insomnia
• It reduces anxiety and stress levels (it calms you down)
• It helps with acne or other skin inflammation
• It regulates blood pressure and heart rate
• It relieves Asthma symptoms
• It stops combat fungus growth
• Good for your hair 

What about the most popular forms of lavender? 

Let’s take a look: 

• Lavender syrup
• Lavender capsules
• Lavender plant 
• Lavender oil 
• Lavender tea 

What is Lavender syrup?

Much like other syrups, lavender syrup is a topping for your coffee. 1 or 2 pumps are enough to add a floral and refreshing layer of taste to your coffee whether it’s americano, latte or macchiato. Although it’s not one of the most popular syrups out there it has a very distinct and pleasing flavour that takes your latte to the next level.

The 10 most popular syrup flavours are: 

• Vanilla Syrup
• Caramel Syrup
• Hazelnut Syrup
• Chocolate Syrup
• Lavender Syrup
• Simple Syrup
• White Chocolate Syrup
• Rose Syrup
• Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup
• Sugar-Free Caramel Syrup

It’s not difficult to make your own Lavender syrup at home. 

How to make lavender syrup at home the easy way

Here’s an easy way of making lavender syrup at home:

The ingredients you’ll need are: 

• 1-2 cups (it depends on how sweet you want your syrup to be) of granular sugar 
• 1 cup of bottled/filtered water
• 3-4 tbsp of lavender (preferably fresh)

Let’s take a look at the steps you need to follow: 

• Place the water and sugar in a pot and turn the stove on for 1-3 minutes and stir them up
• Once the sugar is completely dissolved add the lavender and turn the heat up for 1-2 minutes
• Turn the heat down for and let it simmer for 20 minutes
• Take the pot off the stove and let it cool down
• Put the syrup in a glass bottle and place it in your fridge

Top tip: it’s wise to let the water and sugar heat up first and then add the lavender. This way the lavender extracts all its aromas and flavours and your syrup is going to be delicious adding an extra layer of flavour to your latte. 

How to make lavender latte step by step

Here’s the bit that you were anticipating. 

Let’s talk about how to make lavender latte step by step.

The ingredients you’ll need are: 

• 2 tbsp of ground coffee
• 8-15 oz of milk (depending on how milky you drink your coffee) 
• 2-3 pumps of lavender syrup

Start by brewing your espresso with your machine or mocha pot

Once you’re done with your espresso go ahead and use the steamer of your machine to steam the milk (it’s good to keep the milk in the fridge as it makes better foam)

When the milk hits 55-62 °C degrees, you’re done with the frothing

Turn the espresso cup 45° on the side and start adding the milk evenly in a circular move

Now, add the lavender syrup and use a stick to stir it up so the syrup is mixed evenly

Tips on how to master the art of lavender latte: 

• It’s wise to not let the espresso go cold, get on with steaming the milk right after you’re done with the espresso
• Use full fat milk as it contains more proteins and makes richer foam
• Use a jug and thermometer to measure the temperature to ensure you won’t burn the milk
• If you’re conscious about your diet, go for less syrup pumps

Cold lavender latte

How can you make a cold lavender latte? 

It’s a great option for a boiling hot day to enjoy milky coffee flavoured with lavender. 

Fortunately, it’s NOT rocket science to make a cold lavender latte…

All you need to do is follow the steps above to make lavender latte and then fill a glass with ice cubes (or even crushed ice), pour the hot lavender latte over the glass with the ice and you’re good to go. 

What’s the best milk type for a latte

Is it cow full fat or skimmed milk? 

Let’s find out: 

Full fat milk is higher in protein than skimmed milk. And to make top froth you need milk rich in proteins, meaning that full fat milk should be your go-to when it comes to making latte the right way. 

What if you’re lactose tolerant? 

If you’re lactose tolerant, diet  conscious or for whatever reason you don’t like full fat milk, I suggest you go for oat milk which also contains a relatively high amount of protein which is enough to make rich froth for your latte. 

Best ways to froth milk

The best and most popular way to froth milk is to use the steamer of your espresso machine. However, its main downside is that you have to clean it properly each time you froth because it keeps milk on the inside and the next time you’ll use it’s going to give a burnt taste to your milk – cleaning it each time is vital. 

What if you don’t have an espresso brewer at home? Can you still froth milk?

Yes, you can still froth milk, without an espresso machine. 

1 simple way is to use a whisker: put cold milk in a ball and whisk the milk for 3-4 minutes until it’s frothed and ready for mixing it with your espresso shot. 

Another way is to use a French press, all you need to do is pour the milk into the cylinder and move the plunger up and down until the milk is frothed. 

A third way is to use a handheld froth maker which is dead easy to find and affordable (around 10 bucks). Here’s how to go about it: place the milk in the container and turn the froth maker before submerging it into the milk, froth it for about 2-3 minutes and you’re done. 

Where to buy lavender syrup

The good news is that you can find lavender syrup pretty easily. 

You’ll probably find in the supermarket near your house in the coffee section or you can simply search online and get one delivered to your place. There are also great deals online. 

Monin is, in my humble but accurate opinion, the best syrup brand offering different flavours like Vanilla and Hazelnut. Similarly, their lavender syrup tastes fantastic and comes in 750 mL bottles

If you want to make your own syrup it’s relatively easy. Scroll up and find the section where I go over how to make lavender syrup at home. 

What are the calories per lavender pump syrup?

Are you worried about the extra calories your lavender latte has?

OK, let’s talk about calories. 

An 8-oz (240 mL) latte has about 75 calories and each pump of lavender syrup has roughly 90 calories. As might have guessed the lavender syrup makes a huge impact on the amount of calories of a lavender latte. 

If we do the maths, a lavender latte with 2 syrup pumps has (75+2*90) 255 calories.

If you’re on a strict diet why not use only 1 pump or you can even make your own lavender syrup and use less granular sugar to make each pump lower in calories. 

Alternatively, you can make your own syrup and substitute granular sugar with honey which is a way healthier option.

Let’s wrap it up

Do you know what a lavender latte tastes like? It’s an excellent brew you can treat yourself and your family; you can make an iced lavender latte on a scorching day to cool down. Stay tuned more articles are coming this month about brewing and coffee gear.

FAQs

Let’s go through a bunch of FAQs to help you expand your knowledge on latte with lavender syrup.

What does iced lavender latte taste like?

Iced lavender latte tastes refreshing and slightly sweet as it contains milk and lavender syrup (which is high in sugar). It’s a great option for a summer morning or evening after work to treat yourself to a unique cold drink. 

Are lavender lattes good for you?

Lavender lattes are good for you as you get the benefits of each one of the ingredients. Coffee has antioxidant properties helping you cleanse your body and remove toxins, milk is an excellent source of calcium making your bones stronger, while lavender is one of those plants that help you relax and invigorate your body. 

Does lavender latte make you sleepy?

Lavender latte doesn’t make you sleepy as it only contains very little lavender. A lavender latte is made with espresso which cause insomnia and nervousness to some, so I wouldn’t say that a lavender latte makes you sleepy, unless you made your own syrup and put way more lavender than what’s recommended. 

What are the effects of lavender latte?

There are not massive negative effects, unless you’re intolerant to caffeine that causes you insomnia. Another effect might be lactose as many are lactose intolerant. If you suffer from both or any of those, it’s wise to drink lavender latte in moderation. 

Where to find lavender

You can find lavender in shops that sell herbs or even flower shops. You can also look on open markets where lavender producers sell their own produce and you can get it at a good price. The good news is you can use it in various ways including making tea or keeping bugs away from your wardrobe. 

Other flavours that go well with latte

If you’re not big on lavender don’t fret, there are many different flavours that go well with a latte. For example, 1 of the most popular syrups is vanilla syrup to make French Vanilla which is basically a latte with vanilla syrup, a popular drink that you can find at Starbucks and other coffee shop chains.