Iced Ube Latte Recipe: Purple Yam Drink

If you are a fun and fancy coffee drink lover, rejoice, because making a vegan iced ube latte at home is much easier than you think. These pretty purple lattes can come with a hefty price tag at the coffee shop, but making one yourself is simple, quick and much more budget-friendly. With a couple of specialty items, like ube extract, powder or paste and sweetened condensed coconut milk, paired with the goodness of iced coffee, you will be drinking the cool latte of your dreams—and enjoying the health benefits that come with coffee beans.

What is an ube latte?

Ube is having its moment right now. This bright purple yam from the Philippines and Southeast Asia is very popular these days. Some even say ube symbolizes the very essence and resilience of Filipino culture and cuisine. For centuries, ube has been revered and celebrated there for its brilliant hue and distinct sweetness and flavor. Nowadays, it has caught the attention of foodies worldwide as an ingredient that elevates the aesthetic and flavor of many recipes.

Ube has a mild yet distinct flavor that can be described as earthy and nutty, similar to vanilla. This flavor lends quite well to sweet recipes. From ube ice cream and ube halaya (jam) to cookies and sweetbreads, ube is a beloved addition to many sweet treats. It pairs particularly well with coconut, making it ideal for a vegan ube latte. Some people compare the taste of this purple yam to pistachio and vanilla. Slightly sweet, yet mild and versatile, ube is a great ingredient to make any recipe more interesting.

This iced ube latte is different from a traditional latte. Usually, a latte is a combination of espresso shots and steamed milk that has a frothy head. In this vegan ube latte recipe, we used brewed coffee, which technically makes it more of an Americano type coffee drink. Then we add sweetened condensed coconut milk to the unsweetened coconut milk and ube, so this iced latte tastes a lot like Vietnamese coffee.

Why use ube in a latte?

Like other lattes that use colorful ingredients, like a golden milk turmeric latte or a pink matcha latte, using ube in a latte is a great way to bump up both your coffee's aesthetic and flavor. The natural sweetness blends in perfectly with coffee and pairs perfectly with the coconut.

Ube's vibrant purple hue makes this iced coffee more festive and beautiful, and since our eyes give us the first taste of this fancy drink, it tastes extra delicious. The gorgeous color purple makes this drink feel celebratory, and the sweetness makes it a special treat.

Using an ube paste or ube powder made from dehydrated or freeze-dried purple yam also adds to the cellular health benefits of coffee. Purple yam contains anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties and can help protect your body from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Ube powder also contains fiber, which supports digestive health and supports feelings of fullness.

How To Make an Ube Latte at Home

This recipe makes one latte.

Ingredients

½ cup brewed dark roast coffee, chilled
2 cups ice
½ cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tbsp sweetened condensed coconut milk
⅛ teaspoon ube extract (or 1 tsp ube powder or 2 tsp ube paste)

Preparation steps

• Pour brewed and cooled coffee into a 16 oz. glass or jar.
• Add ice.
• To a separate cup, add coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk and whisk until well-combined with no lumps. This mixture needs to be smooth and creamy before frothing.
• Add ube to the coconut milk and mix with a handheld milk frother until a layer of foam develops on top.
• Add frothed ube and coconut milk mixture to your iced coffee.
• Stir to combine.

Nutritional values per serving

Calories: 140
Carbs: 12 g
Fat: 10 g
Protein: 1 g
Sodium: 22 mg
Sugar: 10 g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes.

Tips for success

Because this latte is vegan, I used unsweetened coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk as the creamy base to blend with the ube. If you aren't vegan, you can certainly substitute dairy milk and condensed milk. However, be aware that coconut milk is the perfect flavor pairing. It is a match made in heaven with ube.

To make this latte sweeter, increase the sweetened condensed milk to 2 tablespoons. If you do not like sweet coffee or want the coffee taste to shine through stronger, I recommend omitting the condensed milk altogether. The ube will lend a bit of natural sweetness that will not overpower your latte.

Another idea for a stronger brew would be to use espresso or Vietnamese coffee instead of brewed coffee. Some people use a special filter called a phin filter for Vietnamese coffee or a French press for a dark espresso roast. Cold brew is also a good way to get a stronger coffee taste.

Other plant milks such as almond and soy will work as well, but you won't get that distinct and decadent creaminess that coconut has.

When should I drink an ube latte?

Ube does not have caffeine, so a latte with ube isn't any different from a traditional latte. But coffee contains caffeine (even decaffeinated has small amounts). A scientific review found caffeine has a number of health benefits, but experts generally recommend drinking caffeinated beverages earlier in the day to avoid disrupting your nighttime routine.

Does an ube latte get you enough coffee extract?

This ube latte uses brewed coffee, not coffee extract. To get the benefits of green coffee beans, a daily nutritional supplement would be a better choice. Green coffee extract contains polyphenols that promote healthy blood sugar metabolism and help maintain already-healthy glucose and insulin levels after meals, which may help support your cardiovascular and metabolic health. Plus, our non-GMO supplement containing green coffee extract is standardized to 50% chlorogenic acids, so you get more of the beneficial phenolic content that supports your metabolic health.

References

• Safe S, et al. "Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption for Cancer and Other Diseases and Mechanisms of Action." Int J Mol Sci. January 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36769029/
• Song X, et al. "Caffeine: A Multifunctional Efficacious Molecule with Diverse Health Implications and Emerging Delivery Systems." Int J Mol Sci. November 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11593559/
• "Fit-Choice, Powdered Purple Yam." October 2021. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2032226/nutrients