Starbucks London Fog Latte Copycat Recipe

Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte is perfect for a chilly day. This creamy and soul-warming hot tea drink features classic Earl Grey bergamot and lavender flavors with an added touch of vanilla. Sometimes, even the most avid coffee drinkers need to switch things up, and this elegant tea-based latte provides the perfect alternative to espresso-based drinks. Whether the drink’s name references the legendarily rainy weather in the UK or just the British preference for tea over coffee, it doesn’t matter when it tastes this delicious.

A finished London Fog tea latte in a clear glass, topped with a generous layer of milk foam. The drink is elegantly styled on a dark coaster with an antique spoon and a napkin.

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Why this recipe works

The magic happens through the perfect balance of Earl Grey’s distinctive bergamot flavor with sweet vanilla and creamy steamed milk. Unlike coffee-based drinks, this tea latte offers a gentler caffeine experience while delivering complex flavors. The steaming process for the milk creates the signature frothy texture that makes this feel like an authentic coffeehouse experience, even though it requires no espresso machine.

What makes a Starbucks London Fog Latte so amazing?   

Any fan of Earl Grey already knows the answer, but if you haven’t tried this unique tea before, you are in for something extraordinary. Earl Grey tea owes its distinctive and complex taste to dried bergamot, a fruit native to Southern Italy. Bergamot brings dark, woody, and citrus undertones to the London Fog Tea Latte, which pair remarkably well with the sweetness of the vanilla syrup. Freshly steamed whole milk adds luxurious creaminess that helps blunt the sharp acidity and prevents the drink from becoming too decadent..

Starbucks London Fog Ingredients

If you are wondering what is in a Starbucks London Fog, here’s a list of what you need for this copycat recipe:

  • Earl Grey tea bags – Provide the distinctive bergamot flavor that defines this drink
  • Water – Hot water base for properly steeping the tea
  • 2% milk – Creates the creamy latte texture when steamed and frothed
  • Vanilla syrup – Adds sweetness and complements the bergamot perfectly
An overhead shot of the simple ingredients for a Starbucks London Fog. Pictured are two Earl Grey tea bags, and rustic ceramic pitchers containing water and milk, along with a small cup for vanilla syrup.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

While Starbucks customers love the combination of Earl Grey tea, vanilla simple syrup, and steamed milk in the tea latte, there is no reason why you can’t get a bit creative with the ingredients.

Since Earl Grey is not everyone’s, eh, cup of tea, substituting another variety is an excellent place to start. While almost any tea will do, those with a more pronounced flavor are better able to stand up to the vanilla simple syrup.

You may want to consider using smoky Lapsang Souchong, firm yet smooth Russian Caravan, or even Lady Grey, which adds even more citrus to the drink than Earl Grey does.

Those who prefer a milder, perfumery flavor may want to experiment with floral teas such as Jasmine, Linden Flower, or Lavender blends.

Are you craving something completely different? Try one of these unique tea lattes that Starbucks doesn’t even have on its menu:

  • After-Dinner Chocolate Mint Tea Latte: Use mint tea (not peppermint), 2 ounces of chocolate liqueur, and chocolate milk. Shave dark chocolate on top.
  • Apple Pie a la Mode Tea Latte: Try mixing Spiced Apple Tea with vanilla simple syrup and half-and-half. Garnish with a sprinkling of apple pie spice.

How to Make Starbucks London Fog

  1. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Place tea bags in a cup.
  3. Add the boiling water to the tea bags. Steep the tea for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove tea bags after five minutes.
  4. Pour vanilla syrup into the tea and stir.
  5. Pour the tea into a glass or mug.
  6. While the tea is steeping, heat the milk in the microwave for about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
  7. Froth the milk with a milk frother or by shaking it in a jar with a lid, until it has doubled in size.
  8. Pour the frothed milk into the tea.
  9. Spoon some milk froth on top. Enjoy!
A six-panel collage showing how to make a London Fog latte. The first panels show Earl Grey tea being steeped and poured. The next panels show milk being frothed and added to the tea. The final panel shows a spoonful of foam being added as a topping.

No milk frother? Pick one up for a few bucks online, or just heat the milk in the microwave for 50 seconds or until hot. It may not be exactly like the London Fog Latte Starbucks serves, but it will still taste amazing!

A homemade Starbucks London Fog served in a clear glass on a wooden coaster. The creamy tea is topped with a thick layer of white milk foam, with a frothing pitcher visible in the background.

Starbucks Iced London Fog

Cool off by turning this recipe into an Iced London Fog Tea Latte that Starbucks would be happy to serve. Sure, you could just make hot tea and let it chill in the fridge, but there is a better way. Try cold-brewing your tea.

Just like cold-brewed coffee, cold-brewed tea takes a long time to make, but once you taste it, you know it is worth it.

How to Make an Iced London Fog Tea Latte

  1. Place four tea bags or four teaspoons of loose tea in a pitcher.
  2. Add 24 ounces of cold water and stick it in the fridge overnight or about 8 to 12 hours.
  3. Mix 4 ounces of brewed tea, 4 ounces of cold milk, and 2 ounces of vanilla simple syrup to make a single serving of iced London Fog tea.
  4. Pour the mixture over ice cubes and serve.

Keep Extra Tea Leftovers in the Fridge

If you wind up brewing too much tea, keep it in the fridge, but use it the next day. It is never a good idea to reheat a hot drink.

Once you mix a hot London Fog Tea Latte, finish it or toss it out.

A detailed close-up of a London Fog latte, focusing on the thick, smooth, and airy texture of the white milk foam topping.

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Homemade Starbucks London Fog Earl Grey Tea Latte and a spoon.

Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte Easy Copycat Recipe

Recreate Starbucks' London Fog at home! Earl Grey tea with vanilla syrup and steamed milk. Perfect creamy tea latte for chilly days
5 from 10 votes
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Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Earl Grey Tea Latte, Starbucks London Fog, Starbucks Recipes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 194kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Earl Grey tea bags
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 1 ounce vanilla syrup

Instructions

  • Bring the water to a boil. When the water is boiling, pour it into a large mug.
  • Add the tea bags and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
  • Meanwhile, heat the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • When the milk is hot, froth it using a milk frother.
  • Pour the vanilla syrup into the tea, and stir.
  • Pour the frothed milk into the tea and spoon any remaining milk froth on top.

Video

Notes

You can use an alternate method of frothing the milk by placing it in a canning jar with a lid. Heat the milk, pour into the jar, place the lid on the jar. Use hot pads to hold the warm jar and shake until the milk becomes frothy. Be aware this is not ideal, and purchasing a milk frother is the best method to froth milk. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 348mg | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 1mg

About Stephanie Manley

Stephanie Manley is the creator of CopyKat.com. She has been recreating copycat recipes since 1995. Learn more about Stephanie Manley.

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Comments

  1. Campbell

    Shaking hot liquid in a jar is dangerous. As you shake, the air in the jar becomes hotter and expands, and even with a tight seal, the hot liquid may spurt out. No mention is made of using hot pads. It might help if the milk is less hot, but then you have a tepid drink.

5 from 10 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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