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If you’re into morning lattes or matchas, this is your next obsession. An Ube Latte is a stunning vibrant purple drink made with Filipino purple yam (ube), milk, and a touch of sweetener. This creamy, cozy beverage has a naturally nutty, vanilla-like flavor with subtle earthy notes that make it both comforting and indulgent. Popular in cafés and social media feeds alike, ube lattes can be enjoyed hot or iced and are loved for their beautiful color and unique flavor.
Making an ube latte at home is quick, affordable, and incredibly easy. Simply blend ube powder, milk (dairy or plant-based), and a little sweetener for a rich, café-style drink. Enjoy it as a naturally caffeine-free latte, or customize it by adding espresso, Vietnamese coffee, or strong brewed coffee for an extra boost. This homemade ube latte is a trendy, Instagram-worthy drink that tastes just as good as it looks.
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What is ube?
In case you’re new to ube (pronounced “oo-bay”), it’s a beautiful purple root vegetable from the Philippines with a mildly sweet, nutty, vanilla-like flavor.
Used in Filipino desserts like ube halaya (jam), pastries, cookies, and ice cream it’s also super popular at coffee places like Da Vien Coffee because of its beautiful color and its Instagram worthiness.
Though they’re often confused, ube and purple sweet potatoes are not the same. Ube is a true yam, while purple sweet potatoes come from a completely different plant. Ube is known for its deep, vibrant purple color and its distinctly rich, complex sweetness with subtle vanilla and nutty notes, whereas purple sweet potatoes tend to have a milder, less pronounced flavor.
It’s a nutritious veggie, rich in antioxidants (anthocyanins) and fiber, and is beneficial for gut health. It’s often difficult to find fresh ube here, but Asian markets and Amazon usually have ube powder, ube extract, and ube halaya jam. Calming, delicious, and 100% real, no dyes, no fillers, no artificial purple.
But what does it taste like?
Ube is mildly sweet, with nutty vanilla flavors and hints of coconut and pistachio, or even milky white chocolate. It pairs well with creamy milks like oatmilk, coconut, and pistachio.
More Asian inspired desserts & treats
And if Asian desserts are of interest, be sure to check out these delicious treats: Ube mochi doughnuts, Egg tarts, Sticky coconut cake, and Sweet potato rice balls.
How to make
To make this caffeine-free latte, first, you’ll simply mix the ube powder, sugar, and water. I love the milk frother for this. It makes quick work of mixing everything together. You can also use a bamboo whisk if you prefer.
I chose granulated sugar for the sweetener for this drink so the purple ube color didn’t get muted. But, feel free to adjust the sweetener to your preference. Also, adding more or less to taste.
Add in the milk. I recommend oatmilk or coconut milk for this drink, but you can also use any dairy milk or your choice, or any other plant-based milk.
Pour it over ice for an iced latte, or heat the milk for a hot latte. Top it with cold foam or some frothed milk and a sprinkle of ube powder for a pretty presentation.
Once you try the drink at home, you can adjust the flavors based on your preferences. Make it creamier by adding more milk. Adding less milk will make it less creamy. Try different milks to see what you prefer. Add in more or less sweetener.
Want to add coffee?
Of course, you can add some coffee. Use brewed espresso, Vietnamese coffee, or any other strong brew that you like. Which, I guess, would make it a dirty ube latte.
Storage and make ahead
The recipe makes 1 drink, but if you’d like to double or triple the recipe and have some ready made in the fridge, it will store nicely in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, use the handheld frother to mix it back up.
More coffee & tea drinks
I love making lattes at home and saving money. And you’ll love the flavors of all of these. Try my Hojicha latte, Iced lavender latte, Mint mojito latte, Matcha mojito, and Cinnamon dolce latte syrup.
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Recipe
Ube Latte
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon ube powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2/3 cup milk use your favorite kind oatmilk, whole milk, almond
- Ice for iced latte
Instructions
For iced ube latte
- Mix the ube powder, sugar, and water in the tall serving glass or mix it in a small pitcher or chawan (tea bowl). I prefer using a handheld frother to mix, it creates a smooth mixture. You can also use a bamboo whisk to make the ube mixture, just like how you would prepare matcha, or shake the ube powder, sugar, and water in a glass mason jar vigorously for about 30 seconds until all clumps are dissolved. The mixture should be smooth and a little foamy. Pour mixed ube into the glass.
- Pour the milk into the ube (you can try to create patterns on top like in the coffee shop when you pour the milk in), and stir to combine. Use the frother to foam up the milk a little if you’d like.
- Top with ice to fill the glass. Top with cold foam and a little sprinkle of ube powder for garnish if desired.
For hot ube latte
- Heat water to 190° F or 90° C. Mix the ube powder, sugar, and hot water in a small pitcher or chawan (tea bowl) using a frother or a bamboo whisk. The mixture should be smooth and a little foamy. Pour mixed ube into the mug.
- Heat the milk in a small microwave safe container or a saucepan on the stove, stir to combine, or use the frother to foam up the milk a little.
- Pour the milk into the ube (you can try to create patterns on top like in the coffee shop when you pour the milk in), and stir to combine.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
These have a beautiful vanilla flavor, lightly sweet, and creamy. It’s the perfect caffeine free drink. Or, add in some coffee for a pretty pick me up. I just know you’ll love these as much as we do. Debi, author, Life Currents