Are you growing lavender in your garden this year? If so, you'll love this vanilla lavender latte recipe. A refreshing treat for all seasons. Get the recipe below! ⬇️⬇️
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Lavender in the Kitchen
Although lavender coffee is new, cooking and baking with herbs is not.
For the past few years, the girls and I have been foraging as part of our homeschool day.
We've learned to use herbs in our homemade goat milk soaps and soap scrub recipes.
We've been using rosehips to make simple syrup.
But I recently discovered several vintage lavender recipes in an old, old cookbook. And I'm excited to try them.
Note: There are many varieties of lavender, and not all of them are right for cooking and baking. So do your own research before buying lavender seeds for your kitchen garden!
Some of these old-fashioned lavender recipes include
- lemon lavender custard
- lavender salad dressing
- lavender shortbread cookies
- rosemary lavender simple syrup
- lavender ice cream
- lemon lavender drop cookies
I will add the links here as I make these recipes. So save this post to your favorite Pinterest board!
Growing Lavender in a Herb Garden
Now, our off grid homestead is in gardening Zone 0b (yes, we are extremely far north - 62 degrees north, to be exact. And I haven't tried growing lavender in our raised garden bed.
However, it does grow well in pots. Maybe because of the 20+ hours of daylight we get through the summer.
Now, the West Coast Seed Company says lavender will grow as a perennial in gardening zones 5 - 8. And colder zones can try it as an annual.
And the Farmer's Almanac says lavender will grow well in various zones and climates. As long as you plant it in a spot that has well-drained soil and at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.
So maybe we'll try growing lavender this year in one of the little rocky nooks on the lake side of the property.
This recipe is made with dried lavender buds.
What is a lavender latte made of?
A Vanilla Lavender Latte is a delicious and invigorating mix of espresso and steamed milk infused with vanilla and lavender's sweet, calming flavors.
This drink is a bit unusual. It's simultaneously energizing and soothing.
The combination of bold espresso with creamy vanilla and floral lavender is perfect for those looking for something more unique than a classic cappuccino or latte. However, if you're unsure about the whole "lavender and coffee" idea, you might prefer this tea-based homemade vanilla chai latte instead.
If you're really adventurous and have a Nespresso machine, give one of these Nespresso recipes a try. I like the looks of the Turmeric Latte!
Tip: do you love cold lattes in the summer? My daughter does.
And recently she saw a post on how to make flower ice cubes, and now she wants to start using them in her summer drinks too!
In fact, she was thrilled to find this Starbucks Iced Green Tea Latte Recipe. After we made it, she started experimenting. And she says that this lavender latte recipe tastes great chilled as well.
Do vanilla and lavender taste good together?
I think so, but it depends on what you like.
If you enjoy herbal teas, you might like it. And if you enjoy wildflowers in your salads or flower-topped cupcakes, you should give this homemade vanilla lavender latte recipe a try.
Consider taking an herb class online if you're interested in using herbs in cooking, baking, cosmetics, or herbal remedies.
What does a vanilla lavender latte taste like?
This vanilla lavender latte recipe reminds me of Chai tea.
First, I made both the hot version of this latte. And then I tried the cold version.
While I liked them both, I found the hot lavender latte comforting. But the chilled lavender latte recipe was good too. And it's very creamy and tastes like springtime.
How to Make a Vanilla Lavender Latte
Here's what you need to know to make this lavender coffee recipe at home.
It takes about 10 minutes to prep, then 20 minutes to simmer. Let it cool down for another 10 minutes before using the mixture.
If you pour it over ice, this recipe yields 2 cups of lavender latte creamer mixture. Or just one cup if you want a hot lavender coffee.
Lavender Latte Ingredients
Simple ingredients! I made this with unsweetened almond milk. However, you could also make it with cow milk.
I haven't yet tried it with coconut milk or cashew milk.
- 2 cups milk
- One tablespoon of dried lavender flower buds
- Three tablespoons honey
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 6 oz espresso
Instructions
- Add the milk to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the lavender buds and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat, add the honey and vanilla, and let cool.
- After the creamer has cooled for 10 minutes, pour through a mesh strainer to get rid of the lavender.
- Add your espresso to a tall glass over ice or a mug.
- Add ½ cup of the lavender vanilla creamer and enjoy!
- Add the creamer to a microwave-safe container for a hot latte, heat on high for 30-45 seconds, and then shake the creamer in a closed container. Pour over espresso for that “frothy” cafe latte!
Vanilla Lavender Latte Recipe
This delicious and creamy homemade vanilla lavender latte recipe uses dried lavender buds for a unique drink. Serve hot or cold!
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flower buds
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 oz espresso
Instructions
- In a 2 quart saucepan, heat the milk to medium temperature until it just begins to simmer.
- To infuse with flavor, add dried lavender buds, letting them steep for 20 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- For sweetness, add honey and vanilla extract as desired.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before straining out the buds from the liquid creamer through a mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
- Serve over espresso poured into a tall glass of ice cubes or a hot mug.
- Mix together about ½ cup of this homemade creamy mixture with the coffee.
- Finally, top with frothed milk or whipped cream and garnish with lavender sprigs (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
I think this homemade lavender latte recipe would also work using lavender simple syrup if you don't have dried lavender buds on hand.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 341Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 39mgSodium 259mgCarbohydrates 45gFiber 0gSugar 43gProtein 17g
Donna
My lavender all died off because it has been so hot around here, but luckily I found a little bag of dried lavender in the spice drawer! This was such a soothing drink, and it smelled amazing!
Sherry Ronning
I learned a lot about lavender in your post. Your vanilla lavender latte recipe tastes amazing and is super easy to make!
Sarita Harbour
You know, I haven't tried making it with fresh lavender, but I think it is worth giving it a try. If you do, please let me know how it tastes! You will likely need to use a larger amount of fresh lavender than what I have noted for the dried though. 🙂
Shilpa
This looks unique and delicious. I’m going to give it a try soon. One question- is there a way we can incorporate fresh lavenders?
Anne
This is amazing! I love smell of lavender but I never though to drink it before. So tasty!
Sue
This looks so yummy! I love the idea of making your own flavored creamer with the almond milk and lavender buds. I'm also very interested in growing lavender, but its hard to find culinary grade lavender. But I'll keep looking!