Ube Latte (Iced Purple Yam Coffee!)
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This creamy and colorful ube latte is sweet and refreshing! Ube extract is mixed with ice and almond milk, then topped with strong espresso. Skip the coffee shop and enjoy this simple iced latte at home!
As much as I love my morning drip coffee, sometimes I like to change things up. Cold brew, hot lattes, shots of fresh espresso, or pink lattes, are all great picks. But, given the growing popularity of ube, I decided I need to add an ube latte to my repertoire!
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Since Starbucks hasn’t yet unveiled such an ube latte, I knew I had to make mine at home. Thanks to ube extract and jam being increasingly easy to find (see my notes below on where to buy it!), it is easier than ever to whip up your own iced ube drinks.
With a gorgeous lavender hue and sweet vanilla notes from the ube, these purple lattes are naturally rich in antioxidants while also being gluten-free, vegan, low in sugar, and dairy-free. The perfect morning pick-me-up or afternoon treat if you ask me!
🙋♀️ What Is Ube?
Fresh ube is a purple yam that’s been a staple in the Philippines for a long time! It’s a popular vegetable in Filipino markets that resemble purple sweet potatoes. Ube tastes similar to similar to vanilla or coconut – it has a sweet, nutty flavor with a bright purple flesh.
Ube has taken the food world by storm, and for good reason! It has a gorgeous purple hue and sweet taste that’s delicious in more than just coffee. This purple tuber can be found in everything from pancakes and brownies to desserts like ube ice cream.
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✔️ What Is Ube Extract?
Ube extract is a thick dark purple liquid that tastes like concentrated ube. Almost like a thick ube syrup, this product mimics the taste and color of sweet ube while not being too sweet.
You can buy ube concentrate in most Asian or specialty food stores or online at Amazon. The two brands of ube that I recommend are McCormick and Butterfly.
👩🍳 Why You’ll Love This Ube Latte Recipe
- A dreamy swap for your morning beverage
- Rich, sweet vanilla taste
- Cooling and refreshing
- Only 5 minutes of total time to make it!
- A great way to switch up your daily coffee fix
- Gorgeous purple color
- Easy to make (no need for a latte mix or kit!)
- Special diet-friendly (gluten-free, vegan, and low-sugar)
🥘 Ingredients
You only need five simple ingredients for this purple yam latte:
- Ube Extract: Capture the flavor of this purple yam without requiring the fuss of roasting or pureeing the ube.
- Ice: To keep your creamy iced ube latte refreshingly cold! I like to go heavy on the ice since the espresso melts some of it.
- Almond Milk: I prefer this unsweetened milk, vanilla or sweetened almond milk also work great. If using sweetened milk, you may want to omit the sugar from the recipe.
- Sugar: This is optional, but adds a nice lightly sweet touch. Be sure to mix it with the hot espresso so it dissolves before it gets cold again.
- Espresso: Two shots of espresso add just the perfect amount of nutty flavor and pick-me-up to this ube drink!
🍲 Ingredient Substitutions
- Ube: Ube tea drops or ube jam (also known as ube halaya), though sometimes harder to find than ube extract, can substitute for the extract. Just warm 2 to 3 tablespoons of the jam and mix with the milk until dissolved before continuing with the recipe as directed.
- Espresso: If you don’t have an espresso machine, don’t worry! There are other easy ways to mimic a shot of espresso. Instant coffee and hot water work in a pinch, as does coffee from a Moka. If you have a French press you can also make a more concentrated version of coffee for your latte.
- Milk: Other plant-based milk like oat, cashew, pea, or unsweetened coconut milk will keep this recipe vegan and dairy-free. If dairy milk is more your speed, that works too! Whole milk will give you more of a rich feel, but low fat or nonfat will work too. Feel free to swap in your favorite cold milk, sweetened or unsweetened.
- Sweeteners: Maple syrup, vanilla syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar, simple syrup, and honey are great options. If you like your lattes extra sweet, a dash of pure vanilla extract also flavors the latte perfectly!
🔪 How To Make An Ube Latte
Making this homemade ube coffee recipe is as easy as 1-2-3! Here’s how:
Step 1 – Add Ube Extract & Ice: Drop the purple yam extract into the bottom of a tall glass. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
Step 2 – Add Milk: Pour cold almond milk into the glass and stir until the ube mixture is well combined.
Step 3 – Top With Espresso: Combine the sugar with the hot espresso then pour into the ube milk mixture. Enjoy immediately!
💭 Expert Tips
- If you’re using a liquid sweetener, there’s no need to mix it with hot espresso first; it’s already dissolved and ready to go into your iced drink.
- For the best results, use high-quality dark roast coffee beans or an espresso coffee blend.
- For a hot ube latte, heat the milk in the microwave, then use a milk frother to froth it.
- Make your own simple syrup to easily sweeten this latte and all your other coffee drinks! Simply boil equal parts sugar and water, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
- Make ube syrup for coffee by mixing 1 part ube extract with 2 parts simple syrup. Stir the ube simple syrup in with the ice cubes and follow the rest of the recipe as directed, omitting the additional sugar from the recipe.
⏰ How To Make Ube Lattes Ahead Of Time
Though you will want to brew the espresso or coffee as you need it for this recipe, you can make the ube milk ahead of time. Just add the ube extract (or ube simple syrup) and milk to a mason jar or glass and store covered for up to 2 days.
Before serving, add ice to the jar or glass, pour in the hot espresso or coffee and enjoy!
✌️How To Double This Recipe
This iced ube latte recipe is super easy to double: just double all the ingredients and follow the recipe directions as listed, dividing the ingredients between two glasses.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This ube iced latte is best served fresh! Since it is ultra refreshing and cooling, it makes the perfect option for a warm spring or summer day.
Enjoy a purple iced latte with your favorite breakfast – it’s perfect with overnight oats, dairy-free blueberry muffins, or homemade granola – or toast spread with your favorite nut butter or jam. It’s also a delicious mid-afternoon boost!
📖 Recipe Variations
- Toppings: Top with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of ube powder for a bright and cheery finish!
- Sweetened condensed milk: This purple latte is also excellent when made with sweetened condensed milk! For a simple ube condensed milk recipe: just stir together 1 teaspoon ube extract with 1-2 teaspoons of sweetened condensed milk and follow the recipe as directed, omitting the extra sugar from the recipe. To keep your latte dairy-free, use sweetened condensed coconut milk!
- Ube Matcha Latte: this purple yam tastes great with matcha powder! Whisk a teaspoon of matcha powder into the milk and ube extract until dissolved then top with hot espresso!
- Ube Coffee Latte: if you prefer a cup of coffee to espresso, make a coffee latte instead! Stir 1/2 cup of hot coffee with the ube extract, then top with frothed hot milk!
- Cold Brew: use cold brew instead of espresso! Mix the purple yam extract or ube simple syrup (see notes above) with the cold brew, then top it with your milk of choice! This version is also delicious sweetened with vanilla extract.
- Ube Horchata: in a tall glass, combine ube simple syrup, rice milk, and cinnamon. Top with lots of ice!
- Ube Bubble Tea: add ube extract to homemade bubble tea. Delicious!
❓Recipe FAQs
Are ube lattes healthy?
The answer is, it depends! Ube lattes can be really healthy if they’re made with minimal added sugar, as the ube and coffee provide powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Just watch out for any ube latte recipes that have a lot of syrups or added sugars – that would be more of a dessert than a healthy drink. Our purple yam latte recipe is very nutritious and happens to be vegan, low in calories, low in sugar, and gluten-free!
What does ube coffee taste like?
Ube has notes of sweet vanilla and coconut. Paired with a strong coffee like espresso, it is nutty, rich, sweet, and earthy.
Is ube a fruit?
No, ube is actually a vegetable. Technically considered a tuber, this purple yam is starchy and rich in carbohydrates.
Is ube and purple sweet potato the same?
No, ube is a purple variety of yam, not a purple sweet potato. This purple yam is grown on vines above ground, while sweet potatoes grow underneath the soil. They are similar in flavor, however the purple sweet potato has a drier texture.
What’s the difference between a hot latte and an iced latte?
A latte is made with hot espresso and steamed milk. An iced latte is made with chilled espresso, milk, and plenty of ice! Both can be flavored and sweetened however you please.
What is ube flavoring made of?
Though it depends on the brand of ube flavoring you choose, the ube extracts are usually made with sweeteners, sweet potato (ube) flavor, vanilla extract, water, coloring, and sometimes preservatives.
What flavors go well with ube?
The purple yam goes well with sweet, nutty, and rich foods. For example, whipped cream or ice cream, coffee or espresso, cakes and baked goods, and chocolate.
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Ube Latte
This creamy and colorful ube latte is sweet and refreshing! Ube extract is mixed with ice and almond milk, then topped with strong espresso. Skip the coffee shop and enjoy this simple iced latte at home!
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 38kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tsp ube extract
- 1 cup ice
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk chilled
- 1 tsp sugar optional
- 2 shots espresso or ½ cup of instant coffee
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the ube extract to the serving glass.
- Fill with ice cubes.
- Pour in the chilled almond milk and stir until well combined.
- Top with espresso or instant coffee. If adding sugar combine it with the hot espresso before adding it to the milk.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Any milk can be used instead of almond milk.
- Top with whipped cream as an added option.
- Recipe can be doubled and is best served immediately.
- Ube latte can also be made without coffee by simply removing the coffee and adding an extra ½ cup milk.
- Be sure to mix the sugar with the hot espresso so it dissolves. But if you’re using a liquid sweetener, there’s no need to mix it with hot espresso first, because it’s already dissolved and ready to go into your iced drink.
- I prefer ube extract, but ube tea drops or ube jam work great too.
- Use high-quality dark roast coffee beans for best results.
- For a hot ube latte, heat the milk in the microwave, then use a milk frother to froth it.
- Make your own simple syrup to sweeten all your coffee drinks! Simply boil equal parts sugar and water, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g
I absolutely love the unique flavor of ube latte. It’s such a refreshing and delicious way to start my day! The combination of the smooth latte and the distinct taste of purple yam in Ube Latte Iced Purple Yam Coffee is truly one-of-a-kind. Refreshing!!!
Thank you so much Alison!! So happy to hear you liked this recipe!
I made one of these lattes this morning and OMG what a fun color and flavor! Definitely my new go to pick me up!
Thank you so much Tayler! 🙂
Such a gorgeous drink and the flavors sound amazing too! Love that color from the ube extract.
Thanks Tara! You will love this recipe!
The colour of this is amazing. Such a a great way to enjoy coffee.
I know right?? It’s a great morning pick me up!
The colour is so beautiful and it tasted so smooth. Loved it.
Yay! So happy to hear that!
I must say this purple tone is so gorgeous, it is to die for! I have to give this latte a try now!
Thanks Neha! Enjoy!
Refreshing, not to mention GORGEOUS! I loved this drink!
Yay! So happy to hear that Casey!
Oh, dear, this color is mesmerizing. I will definitely be trying this soon. I love how creative your recipes are!
Thanks so much Kechi! Enjoy!
I’ve not heard of ube before, but now I want to find it so I can make my own gorgeous purple latte! My daughter would love this too. Lovely photos.
Thanks Jill! I’m sure you will both love this recipe!