This delicious homemade London Fog Latte is extremely easy to make and can be brewed and in your mug in under 5 minutes!
Is a London Fog Latte your go-to Starbucks drink? Well you’re in luck. This is one of the easiest coffee shop recipes to recreate at home. Just like chai lattes, London Fog Lattes can be made using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and in under 5 minutes.
What is a London Fog Latte? And *why* is it called a London Fog Latte?
If you haven’t ever had one before, a London Fog Latte is made with strongly brewed Earl Grey tea with frothed milk, a dash of vanilla, and sugar to taste. The steamed milk foam sits upon a bed of sweet Earl Grey tea like a white and fluffy cloud.
And fun fact, the London Fog latte was not invented in London, but in a small cafe in Vancouver in 1997 by a pregnant woman named Maria Loria. Suffering from morning sickness and unable to stomach the taste of coffee, Maria asked the Buckwheat Cafe to make her an Earl Grey tea with skim milk. She then added vanilla and sugar to her drink until she was satisfied. Happy with the result, she would go on to recommend this new drink to others, and it quickly caught on.
By the time this drink became popular, it had developed the name “London Fog latte.” How it got the name is shrouded in mystery, even to Maria herself. It is also known as an Earl Grey Latte, Earl Grey Lavender Latte, and even goes by the name of Vancouver Fog Latte in Scotland.
What does a London Fog taste like?
A London Fog Latte gets most of its flavor from the Earl Grey tea base (black tea with notes of bergamot). The bergamot gives this drink a slight citrusy flavor that pairs well with the bitter black tea. The tea is then combined with vanilla, milk, and sugar giving the London Fog latte its signature soothing sweet taste.
Ingredient Notes
- Earl Grey tea bags: Use your favorite Earl Grey tea here. Decaf works great for an evening latte.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk for this recipe – whole milk, 2%, even your favorite dairy-free substitute if you’d like to make a vegan Earl Grey tea latte.
How to Make a London Fog Latte
1. Bring water to boil: In a small pot or kettle, bring your water to boil.
2. Steep tea bags: Pour ½ cup of water into a mug, and steep your tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes.
3. Make your tea concentrate: Remove the tea bags from your mug, and stir in the sugar.
4. Froth your milk: While your tea bags are steeping, heat your milk in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave until the milk begins to steam (but be careful not to let your milk come to a boil). Then whisk vigorously until your milk foams or use a handheld milk frother to froth your milk. Alternatively, you can use an electric milk frother like the Aeroccino I used in the photo below.
5. Combine your ingredients: Pour most of the milk into your mug with the tea concentrate. Stir in the remaining ingredients and add any cream or vanilla to your latte. Then, add in the last of the milk and foam.
6. Serve, and enjoy!
Variations
- You can use this technique to make a latte with any type of tea. Experiment, go wild, and make the tea latte of your dreams!
- You can also serve this drink over ice and make an iced London Fog Latte.
More Coffeeshop Favorites
London Fog Latte
Ingredients
- ½ cup filtered water
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- 2 teaspoons (8g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk any percentage
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- In a small pot, kettle, or your microwave, bring water to a boil. Pour ½ cup of water into an 8-ounce mug and steep tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in the sugar.
- While your tea steeps, heat milk in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave until the milk begins to steam (do not bring to a boil). Whisk vigorously until foamy or use a handheld milk frother to froth milk.
- Pour most of the milk into the tea concentrate leaving room for the cream and vanilla (if using). Stir in the remaining ingredients and then add in the last of the milk and foam. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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