Learn how to create and customize your own hot tea latte beverage made in just five minutes! Enjoy a glass for a moment of bliss or share a cup with others.
Holidays are all about spending quality time with friends and family! One of the best ways to enjoy time together is to grab a hot cup of tea, some treats, and just relax. I’ve got a pleasant five-minute tea latte drink that is just the right solution to help you find a little zen.
This is especially a fun recipe idea when you have guests over so they can create and customize their own hot beverage. I’m going to show you how you can make various recipes and incorporate some tasty toppings to pair along with your tea. Get the kettle fired up and let’s get brewing!
When was the last time you had a tea party? Besides grabbing my favorite stuffed animals and dolls and gathering them around the table as an imaginative kid, it’s been way too long. Let’s get back to the good ole’ days and create a fun grown-up version!
How To Make Tea Lattes
Tea is an excellent alternative to coffee because there are so many flavors to choose from. They are concentrated steeped teas combined with warmed frothy milk for a silky and satisfying beverage. Here are some essential tips to make an amazing tea latte:
Tea Selection
Any tea can be used like loose-leaf, portioned bags, or powders like matcha. For a bolder flavor, strongly flavored teas like chai, mate, rooibos or other black teas are recommended. Chamomile or other herbal teas would be very relaxing, and it’s nice to have a decaf option.
You want to use about two or three times the amount of tea for an 8-ounce glass. I use a ratio of 2 tea bags, ¼ cup water to steep, and ¾ cup milk. If using loose leaf tea, place them in an infuser to reduce the mess.
Steeping
Different types of tea may require various steep times. Herbal teas may need about 5-6 minutes to brew, whereas white, green and black teas can range from 1-5 minutes. Check the directions on the tea variety you purchase for specific times.
Milk
What makes tea lattes even more irresistible is the addition of creamy milk and airy foam. You can use any milk you like; it’s nice to have a dairy-free option available like almond, cashew, soy or coconut milk for guests. I highly recommend a handheld milk frother so you can create the most luscious foam in seconds, right in your glass!
You can take your tea bar to the next level with delicious additions and toppings. Chopped nuts, caramel sauce, honey, liquid stevia, shaved chocolate, cinnamon, cocoa powder, or crystallized ginger are some fun options.
Whether you’re looking for a moment of tranquility, need a little break from the chilly weather, or want to cozy up with your loved ones, make sure to whip up a comforting hot cup of tea!
What teas will you choose to build the perfect latte? Make sure to enjoy Tim Tam biscuits with your tasty beverage!
What Water Temperature Should You Use To Steep Teas?
To optimize the flavor or your tea, it’s helpful to understand what steep temperature to use for different teas. Delicate leaves like white and green tea should be steeped in below boiling water at 170 to 185°F, to prevent burn resulting in bitter notes. Oolong teas need a medium boil at 180 to 190°F. More robust herbal teas like black and herbal can use fully boiled water at 208 to 212°F. A digital thermometer helps to gauge the temperature of the water, or you can keep an eye on how rapidly the bubbles break the surface when it’s being heated to make a prediction. (Source: www.twoleavestea.com)
Blissful Five Minute Tea Latte
Ingredients
- 8 bags tea
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups milk
- sweetener, optional
Instructions
- Boil 1 cup of water.
- Steep 8 tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes, or according to tea instructions. This will yield a concentrated tea for the lattes.
- Warm milk in a medium-sized sauce pan, you want the milk near boiling but not rapidly boiling. If you have a milk frother, you can use it to create foam for the lattes.
- In 4 large mugs, add ¼ cup tea concentrate, ¾ cups milk and foam if available.
- Add sweetener and toppings if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Tea Options: Chai, rooibos, black tea, chamomile, green, loose-leaf or 4 teaspoons matcha powder or your favorite tea variety.
- Milk Substitutes: soy, almond, cashew, coconut or rice milk.
- Sweetener Options: honey, maple syrup, agave, stevia.
- Topping Suggestions: Cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, chocolate shavings, crystallized ginger, caramel, melted chocolate.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Helen says
I just made it a couple of minutes ago; really nice recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Didi says
Gonna make myself a home brunch tomorrow and bought chai tea bags to prepare a chai latte. Your recipe just seems perfect, so I will go with yours !! 🙂
Anne Marie says
Awesome. I recently discovered all caffeinated things including chocolate are migraine triggers for me. It has been very frustrating to find something to just spoil myself with. I created a turmeric latte (1 cup milk, 1/2 tap turmeric, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, pinch of black pepper, and sweetener to taste). With this as a guide I am going to try making a rooibos spice latte for variety. Yum!
Jessica Gavin says
The turmeric latte sounds divine!
Sarah says
Could you make this for just one drink? How would you go about that?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sarah- I would steep 1-2 bags of tea (depending on how strong you like the tea) in 1/4 cup of hot water for 5 minutes, press the bag to extract the tea. Then add it to 3/4 cup of heated milk. Add sweetener to your liking.