Ube latte
A deep, almost unreal purple, crowned with a pale foam. The drink that carried ube beyond the Philippines.
Soft, vanilla, caffeine-free: here’s the recipe to nail it at home, hot or iced, in two minutes.
The drink that made ube famous
First there’s the colour.
A natural purple, deep and luminous, unlike anything we usually drink. It’s that image, shared thousands of times, that propelled ube beyond the Philippine archipelago.
Then comes the taste: a discreet, vanilla, faintly nutty sweetness that coats the palate and comforts without ever dominating. Where coffee cuts through, ube envelops.
Ube is naturally caffeine-free. The ube latte can be enjoyed from morning to night, even after dinner, without a second thought.
But why does this pairing work so well? It all comes down to three ingredients.
Why this latte works so well
Ube isn’t just a colour. It’s an ingredient made for milk.
Its natural sweetness melts into the fat of the milk instead of fighting it. The hot water, for its part, wakes the powder and releases its fragrance even before the milk goes in. Three elements, a single balance.
It’s this alliance that makes the ube latte so round in the mouth, where other powders stay floury. The silky texture comes from there.
Enough theory: let’s head to the kitchen.
The ube latte, step by step.
Two minutes, three essential ingredients, and already the vanilla aroma rising from the cup.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Kinampay ube powder (about 5 g)
- 1 tsp hot water
- 200 ml milk of your choice (oat, coconut, almond, dairy…)
- 1 tsp maple syrup or sugar (optional)
- A few ice cubes (for the iced version)
Equipment
- A cup or a tall glass
- A small whisk or a milk frother
- A saucepan or a heating frother (hot version)
Preparation
- Put the ube powder into your cup.
- Add the hot water and whisk until you get a smooth, glossy paste with no lumps.
- Heat the milk for the hot version, or keep it very cold for the iced version, and froth it.
- Slowly pour the milk over the ube base. For the iced version, pour over the ice cubes to create the purple gradient.
- Sweeten to taste, give it one last stir, and enjoy right away.
The whole Drinks family
Lattes, iced versions, indulgent pairings: explore all our ube drinks.
Ice Ube Latte
The iced version, spectacular gradient.
See the recipe →
Coconut Ube Latte
The tropical pairing of ube and coconut.
See the recipe →
Matcha Ube Latte
The purple-and-green two-tone, with matcha.
See the recipe →
Purple Coffee
The caffè latte that turns purple.
See the recipe →
Ube Smoothie
Creamy, fruity, with banana.
See the recipe →
Ube Milkshake
The frozen treat you drink through a straw.
See the recipe →
Ube Coffee
Your morning coffee, purple edition.
See the recipe →
Ube Frappé
Iced, frothy, ultra refreshing.
See the recipe →
Bubble Tea Ube
An ube milk with tapioca pearls.
See the recipe →
Ube Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate goes purple.
See the recipe →
Ube Chai Latte
The softness of ube and the warmth of spices.
See the recipe →The chef’s touch
A good ube latte comes down to a few simple details.
Always dissolve first. The powder mixes with the hot water before the milk: that’s the secret to a silky, lump-free texture. Froth it. A frother or a vigorous whisk gives that creamy cloud on the surface. Never boil the milk: too hot, it masks the delicate fragrance of ube.
As for milk, oat and coconut give the creamiest result; almond, lighter, lets the colour show through. No hot water on hand? Dissolve straight into a splash of warm milk. And for a more intense purple, simply add a little more powder, spoon after spoon.
Taste before sweetening. Ube is already naturally sweet: often, half a spoon of syrup is enough to bring it to life.
These habits are enough to master it. All that’s left is avoiding the few missteps that spoil everything.
Mistakes to avoid
Four classic pitfalls, and how to get around them.
Making it ahead, and storing it
The ube latte is best freshly made, when the foam is still lively. But it takes very well to planning ahead.
Dissolve the powder in the hot water to get an ube base, and keep it chilled for up to 24 h in a small jar. At serving time, all that’s left is to add the milk. An already-assembled iced version keeps for a few hours: a stir of the spoon, and off you go.
In the Philippines, ube is enjoyed from morning to dessert. Your latte simply carries on that habit, one cup at a time.
And what if this first latte were only the beginning?
Explore the world of ube
The ube latte is just a doorway. Behind it, a whole world of purple flavours to cook.
Drinks
Lattes, smoothies, ube frappés.
Explore →Capsules
Lattes, cappuccino, affogato… ready in 30 s.
Explore →Desserts
Cheesecakes, cookies, cakes, pancakes.
Explore →Ice creams
Ice creams, nice cream, frozen mochi.
Explore →Breakfasts
Bowls, porridges, overnight oats.
Explore →Filipino recipes
Halaya, ensaymada, leche flan.
Explore →Ube Time Signatures
Our exclusive creations, found nowhere else.
Explore →Ready to make it?
Make it with our Kinampay powder, or let the capsule do it for you in 30 seconds.
Your questions about the ube latte.
How do you make an ube latte?
Dissolve a teaspoon of ube powder in a little hot water until you get a smooth paste, then add 200 ml of hot or cold milk. Stir, sweeten if needed, and enjoy.
How much powder for an ube latte?
About one teaspoon (5 g) per cup. Add a little more for a more intense purple and flavour.
How do you make an iced ube latte?
Use very cold milk and add ice cubes. Pour the milk gently over the ube base to get the lovely purple gradient.
Which milk should you choose for an ube latte?
Oat and coconut give the creamiest cup; almond, lighter, lets the colour show through better. It's up to you and your taste.
Can you make an ube latte ahead?
Yes: make the base (powder dissolved in hot water) and keep it chilled for up to 24 h. Add the milk at serving time.
Does the ube latte contain caffeine?
No. Ube is naturally caffeine-free: the latte can be enjoyed at any hour, even in the evening. For a boost, try the purple coffee version.