Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte is perfect for a chilly day. This creamy and soul-warming hot tea drink has classic Earl Grey bergamot and lavender flavors with an added touch of vanilla.
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Delicous Tea Latte
Sometimes, even the most avid coffee drinkers need to switch things up a bit. The next time you don’t feel like having your regular espresso-based latte, why not try the London Fog Latte from Starbucks instead?
Whether the drink’s name references the legendarily rainy weather in the UK or just the Brits’ preference for tea over coffee, it doesn’t matter when it tastes this good.
Why pay for a London Fog Tea Latte at Starbucks when you can easily make one at home. And there’s no espresso machine needed!
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, woodsy, and citrus undertones to the London Fog Tea Latte that pairs remarkably well with the sweetness of the vanilla syrup.
Freshly steamed whole milk adds a luxurious creaminess that helps blunt the sharp acidity and prevents the London Fog 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
- Water
- 2% milk
- 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, strong yet smooth Russian Caravan, or even Lady Grey, which adds even more citrus than Earl Grey does to the drink.
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 totally unique tea lattes that Starbucks doesn’t even have on its menu:
- After Dinner Chocolate Mint Tea Latte: Use mint tea (not peppermint), two 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 & half. Garnish with a sprinkling of apple pie spice.
How to Make Starbucks London Fog
- Bring water to a boil.
- Place tea bags in a cup.
- Add the boiling water to the tea bags. Steep the tea for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove tea bags after five minutes.
- Pour vanilla syrup into the tea and stir.
- Pour the tea into a glass or mug.
- While the tea is steeping, heat the milk in the microwave, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Froth the milk with a milk frother or by shaking it in a jar with a lid, until it has doubled in size.
- Pour the frothed milk into the tea.
- Spoon some milk froth on top. Enjoy!
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!
Starbucks Iced London Fog
Cool off by turning this recipe into an Iced London Fog Tea Latte 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 one taste and you know it is worth it.
How to Make Iced London Fog Tea Latte
- Place four tea bags or four teaspoons of loose tea in a pitcher.
- Add 24 ounces of cold water and stick in the fridge overnight or about 8 to 12 hours.
- Mix 4 ounces brewed tea, 4 ounces cold milk, and 2 ounces of vanilla simple syrup to make a single serving of iced London Fog tea.
- 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.
Popular Starbucks Copycat Recipes
- Caramel Macchiato
- Chai Tea Latte
- Eggnog Latte
- Flat White
- Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
- Mint Mocha
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher
- White Mocha Latte
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Check out more of my easy drink recipes and the best Starbucks recipes here on CopyKat!
Starbucks London Fog
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.
I like to add a splash of Lavender Syrupp to mine.
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.
I see your point. While I have done this many times, I have typically grabbed a canning jar, which is designed for heat. I will make a note about adding hot pads.