I’ve recently relocated from sunny, warm Honolulu, to vibrant but chilly San Francisco. And now that the temperatures have dropped into proper Winter temperatures, I’ve been seeking new ways to keep warm. My new obsession is tea lattes, which is basically like vegan bulletproof coffee, but made with tea. So it’s lighter on the caffeine and has a more delicate flavor, but has just as much warming capabilities and deliciousness of bulletproof.
I’ve been making some version of this on and off for years, but a few weeks ago my friend Blair came to stay with me for a night, and she made these in the morning, and I’ve made them EVERY morning since because I’m officially hooked. So we really have her to thank for getting this back on my radar. I was drinking tea each morning anyway, despite my troubled relationship with caffeine, because it just makes me so damn happy. I wake up looking forward to this every morning.
There are a lot of ways you could make this, but the ingredients I use are the stuff I normally have around the house: So Delicious unsweetened vanilla coconut milk (boxed), full-fat coconut milk (canned), a touch of honey or maple syrup, and my favorite organic green jasmine tea from Frontier. But this also works great with black tea, or even an herbal if you don’t drink caffeine. Chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, or tulsi would be excellent herbal substitutions! If you are pregnant be sure to check with your health care provider about which teas are safe for pregnancy. It’s also excellent with mate, the South American drink of choice! And of course, it would be an excellent way to enjoy matcha.
A year ago, this same friend sold us a Nespresso milk frother. This little guy works like a mini blender to blend up about 6 ounces of liquid into a creamy, frothy cuppa. This frother has a heating option too, so it’s great for leftover brews, and making a ton of other warm or cold beverages (like blending up superfood hot chocolate and green drinks). This tool is my favorite way of making the latte, but you could also do in a blender, on the stovetop, or heck, even the microwave. I’ve included directions for all methods below.
The result is a barely sweet, delightfully creamy tea drink that helps you get some healthy fats into your day, along with a good dose of caffeine to get your day started right.
Homemade Tea Latte
6-8 ounces of your favorite brewed tea (black, green, herbal)
1 teaspoon honey, maple syrup, or agave
1 Tablespoon coconut creme (see directions below)
1-2 Tablespoons (boxed) coconut milk or other plant-milk, like homemade almond milk
- For a frother or blender, add all ingredients together until coconut creme has melted and blended fully
- For a saucepan or microwave, warm until coconut creme has melted and then whisk vigorously until incorporated well.
- Taste, and adjust sweetness if needed.
- Sip, be cozy and caffeinated.
How to Make Coconut Creme, from my cookbook Gettin’ Saucy: 38 Recipes to Make your Meals Sassier and Saucier.
You can make coconut creme from regular coconut milk in a can. I prefer the Thai Kitchen brand. It has a very high fat content for very rich sauces, but other brands will work just fine. Let a can of coconut milk rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (more is OK!). Do not shake; open carefully and scoop off the heavy cream on top. Use the leftover watery coconut liquid for smoothies, cooking liquid for grains, or for sauces.
Leave a Reply