London Fog Latte {Earl Grey Milk Tea}

A London Fog Latte is the perfect drink when you need a deliciously warm and cozy pick me up. A tea latte with Earl Grey, a hint of lavender, and steamed milk, it’s a refreshing change from coffee. A big mug of Earl Grey milk tea is wonderful in the morning or as a calming drink before bed.

You know that cozy feeling that washes over you when you’re sipping on your favorite hot drink? Amplify that by 500% and that’s what it is like to drink a London Fog Latte.

This homemade version of a popular Starbucks drink is shockingly easy to make and whipping it up at home will save you $5+. Delicious and affordable? I think I have your attention!

I’m more of a blended iced coffee drinker, but I have to say this Earl Grey milk tea is a lovely change of pace from coffee. Served with a tea time snack like Orange and Chocolate Madeleines or Lemon Bliss Balls, and you’ve pretty much just had the best day ever.

What Is A London Fog Drink?

Urban legend has it that the London Fog latte was created in Victoria Canada in a small coffee shop. Starbucks has made it popular. And expensive AF.

It’s a mix of Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, lavender, and vanilla. Most coffee shops will add vanilla syrup or sugar, but I prefer mine unsweetened.

Thanks to the lavender, a mug of Earl Grey milk tea can be that calming before bed drink. Unless you’re like me and can’t drink anything before bed because you’ll have to pee 14,791 times during the night.

What Does a London Fog Tea Latte Taste Like?

Earl Grey has a strong distinct taste that many people find too strong. It’s a polarizing tea. The lavender in a London fog latte and the steamed milk helps to mellow out the strength of the tea. 

The addition of vanilla (either through vanilla extract or vanilla syrup) takes the flavor and turns it into something that tastes almost “dessert-like”. It tastes like a cozy hug in a mug. A mug hug.

If you’re looking for a version for the summer, check out Katie’s Iced London Fog Latte.

London Fog Latte Ingredients/Resources

Tea – traditionally you’ll use Earl Grey tea and add some culinary lavender. If you want to cut out the extra step with the lavender, there are some Early Grey tea blends that also include lavender. 

• Twining Lavender Earl Grey
• Stash Breakfast in Paris
• Tazo Earl Grey Black Tea
• Teavana Earl Grey Creme

Milk – use your favorite whether it is dairy or non-dairy milk. Just a note, if you use non-dairy milk, it will not froth as well as conventional milk. Related: Homemade Coconut Coffee Creamer

Sweetener – some people use vanilla syrup or plain sugar. For this recipe, I used homemade vanilla sugar, but I actually prefer it unsweetened. If you’d like to use honey, add it while the tea is steeping, or simply use Honey Simple Syrup. 

Vanilla – you could use the vanilla syrup mentioned above, a vanilla bean steeped in the milk, or even vanilla extract (related: Vanilla Extract Recipe)

Lavender – if you don’t use a lavender-based Earl Grey tea, 1/4 tsp of culinary lavender can be steeped with the tea. Unless you grow a strain of culinary lavender, bringing some in from your garden will likely make your tea taste like soap. Mmmm. You can also use Lavender Simple Syrup.

Milk Frothing – you can use a handheld milk frother, a powerful blender (that’s what I used), a french press, or milk in a mason jar with a lid that you shake until it froths.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Feel free to use decaf Earl Grey if you need something without the kick.
• Not an Earl Grey fan? You can use your favorite blend of tea. The taste won’t be exactly the same, but hey, we’re just making tea lattes here. Not oxygen. Experiment until you find what works for you!
• Want an iced Earl Grey latte? Follow the directions below, skipping the milk frothing, and store the whole thing in the fridge until cooled. Serve over ice.
• If you’d like to use loose tea, sub in 1 tsp of tea for every tea bag.

More Delicious Drink Recipes

• Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
• Mojito Mocktail
• Instant Pot Hot Chocolate
• Healthy Sweet Tea
• Turmeric Latte Recipe
• Instant Pot Iced Tea

5 from 1 rating

London Fog Latte {Earl Grey Milk Tea}

By: Sarah Cook - Sustainable Cooks

Servings: 1

Prep: 1 minute min

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 11 minutes mins

A London Fog Latte is a deliciously warm and cozy drink. A tea latte with Earl Grey, a hint of lavender and steamed milk, is a fun change from coffee. 

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 Earl Grey tea bag (or 1 tsp loose Earl Grey tea)
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 1/4 tsp lavender (culinary grade)
• ▢ 1/2 cup milk
• ▢ 1 tsp sugar (optional, more or less to taste)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Instructions 

• In a small saucepan, heat water to just under boiling. Pour into a large mug and add the tea bag and lavender. Steep for 5-7 minutes (depending on how strong you like your tea).
• In the same saucepan, warm milk over medium heat without letting it boil. If using sugar, add it to the milk to dissolve.
• Using a slotted spoon, strain the lavender and tea bag, and add the milk and vanilla. Stir to combine.

To Make Frothed milk

• After the milk has heated in step 2 above, you can choose to froth it before adding it to the tea. Use a milk frother or blend it for 2 minutes on high in a blender. Carefully pour the liquid milk into the tea and spoon the foamy milk on top of the mug.

Notes

Use two tea bags for a strong tea flavor.

 

Want an iced Earl Grey latte? Follow the directions above, skipping the milk frothing, and store the whole thing in the fridge until cooled. Serve over ice.

 

If you'd like to use loose tea, sub in 1 tsp of tea for every tea bag.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 161mgSugar: 11gVitamin A: 198IUCalcium: 138mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Fusion

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