Lavender Latte
A latte sweetened with a light lavender syrup: floral, honeyed, and easy to overdo.
A lavender latte is a latte sweetened with syrup infused with culinary lavender. Used lightly, lavender adds a floral, honeyed, slightly herbal note that sits well with milky espresso.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 126 mg in one serving (12 oz (355 ml), double shot), a concentration of 35.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Espresso, lavender syrup and steamed milk |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 18 g coffee to 36 g espresso, then 15 g lavender syrup and 220 g milk |
| Base & finished drink | 18g → 271g |
| Grind size | Fine espresso grind; dried culinary lavender buds |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | Lavender in hot syrup 5-10 min; espresso 25-30 sec |
| Serving | 12 oz (355 ml), double shot |
What you need
- Lavender syrup (makes about 180 g): 100 g sugar, 100 g water, 1 g dried culinary lavender buds (about 1 teaspoon)
- 36 g espresso (a double, from 18 g of coffee)
- 15 g lavender syrup
- 220 g milk (oat milk suits it)
Required gear
- Small saucepan
- Fine sieve
- Espresso machine
- Milk steamer
- Scale
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Heat 100 g sugar with 100 g water, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat before it boils hard.
- 2:00Stir in 1 g lavender buds, cover, and steep for 5 minutes. Taste; steep up to 10 minutes only if it is faint.
- 7:00Strain out the buds and cool the syrup. It keeps two weeks refrigerated.
- 8:00Put 15 g syrup in the cup and pull a 36 g double espresso onto it.
- 8:30Steam 220 g milk to 60-65°C and pour.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
The caffeine count
About 126 mg from the double shot.
Based on about 63 mg per single espresso.
No calming claim here
Lavender is often sold as relaxing, mostly on the basis of its scent. A latte also carries a double shot of caffeine, so we make no claim about it calming you.
What to watch out for
- Use only culinary lavender sold for food. Never add lavender essential oil to a drink.
- Contains caffeine and dairy unless made with decaf and a plant milk. If you are pregnant or take medication, keep herbal additions to culinary amounts like this one.
A lavender latte is a latte sweetened with syrup infused with culinary lavender. Used lightly, lavender adds a floral, honeyed, slightly herbal note that sits well with milky espresso. Used heavily, it tastes of soap, so the whole recipe is about restraint.
Origin & Story
Where it comes from
Lavender has been used in European and especially French cooking for a long time, in herb blends, honey and baking. Lavender lattes appeared on independent café menus in the 2010s and went mainstream in the United States in spring 2024, when Starbucks launched an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte and an Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha on 7 March. According to coverage of the launch, its drinks team found that a powdered lavender worked best in drinks, and the idea came from a visit to lavender farms in Sequim, Washington. Lavender has since become a regular spring flavour on café menus.
Culinary lavender
The lavender in food is almost always English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia. Its scent comes mainly from two compounds, linalool and linalyl acetate, which smell floral and sweet. Other lavenders, especially lavandin hybrids grown for perfume and oil, carry more camphor and taste harsher and more medicinal. Buy lavender sold for cooking, which is grown and handled as a food, and never use essential oil in a drink.
Why it turns soapy
Linalool is also used in soaps and cosmetics, which is why too much lavender tastes like them. The aroma compounds come out of the buds quickly, so a short steep in hot syrup gives the floral note, and a long one adds the bitter, soapy edge. Ten minutes is plenty; taste at five.
Why it works with coffee
Espresso and milk give lavender something to sit on. The roast and bitterness of the coffee balance the perfume, and the milk carries it. Honey is a natural partner, because lavender honey already pairs the two flavours. Oat milk, which Starbucks used, has a mild sweetness that suits it too.
Making it at home
Make a small batch of syrup: sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves, then the lavender added off the heat, steeped briefly and strained. It keeps two weeks in the fridge. A latte needs only about 15 g. The syrup is pale; the purple in some café drinks comes from added colour or butterfly-pea flower, not from lavender, which does not colour the milk.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 58/100 |
| Acidity | 24/100 |
| Bitterness | 32/100 |
| Body | 66/100 |
| Aroma | 86/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Lavender Latte?
One serving, 12 oz (355 ml), double shot, contains approximately 126 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Lavender Latte?
Brew the base at 93°C (199°F). Where the milk is heated, 60–65°C is the target; past about 70°C it tastes scalded and loses its sweetness.
How long should Lavender Latte be extracted?
Timing: Lavender in hot syrup 5-10 min; espresso 25-30 sec. Method: Espresso, lavender syrup and steamed milk. Ratio: 18 g coffee to 36 g espresso, 15 g lavender syrup, 220 g milk. Grind or leaf format: Fine espresso grind; dried culinary lavender buds.
Why does my Lavender Latte taste bitter?
In a milk drink, bitterness comes from the base (espresso pulled too long or tea steeped too long) or from scorched milk. Brew the base to the stated proportion, and if the milk is heated, stop at 60–65°C.
Why does my lavender latte taste like soap?
Too much lavender, or lavender steeped too long. Its main aroma compound, linalool, is also used in soap. Steep the buds in hot syrup for 5-10 minutes only, and use about 15 g of syrup per drink.
Which lavender can I use in drinks?
Culinary lavender, usually English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), sold for food. Ornamental and oil lavenders can taste harsh and camphor-like, and essential oil should never go in a drink.
Why is a lavender latte purple in cafés?
Added colour, or butterfly-pea flower. Lavender itself barely colours syrup or milk, so a homemade lavender latte looks like an ordinary latte.
Does lavender go with matcha?
Yes; Starbucks launched an Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha in 2024. Use the same syrup in a matcha latte, or whip it into cold foam.
Who should avoid Lavender Latte?
Use only culinary lavender sold for food. Never add lavender essential oil to a drink. Contains caffeine and dairy unless made with decaf and a plant milk. If you are pregnant or take medication, keep herbal additions to culinary amounts like this one. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Breville Bambino Plus Compact Espresso
In this recipe: Espresso machine
Affiliate link: CupCura may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. We have not tested this product ourselves. Disclosure
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