Coffee Drink
Ube Latte Recipe: Iced, Hot & Coffee-Free Options
An ube latte pairs milk with purple yam or an ube-flavored preparation. This iced espresso version adds a roasted contrast to the sweet, earthy flavor of ube syrup.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- About 75 mg (reference)Generic prepared-espresso compositionGeneric reference; actual beans and extraction vary.
- Calories
- Estimated 155 kcalNamed syrup and weighed whole milkIncludes all listed ingredients; no whipped cream, jam or other toppings.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 36 g espresso + 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk + 15 ml (1 US tbsp) Monin US Ube Syrup + 100 g (3.5 oz) ice
- Made with
- Espresso + whole milk + ube beverage syrup
- Sugar
- Estimated 19.1 g total. 11 g from the named syrup and 8.08 g from whole milk.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Monin US Ube Syrup label and USDA whole-milk/espresso records, checked 26 September 2026. Milk and syrup provide almost all the calories and sugar. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- Ask for the espresso version when you want a roasted contrast; coffee-free ube milk puts the flavoring first.
- Choose a halaya-based recipe for a fuller yam texture, or beverage syrup for a smooth, easily mixed drink.
- Stir the finished drink thoroughly so the syrup and espresso are evenly mixed.
On This Page10 Sections
Iced Ube Espresso Latte Recipe
Use a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass with space to stir.
Recipe
Iced Ube Espresso Latte
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 5 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee, ground for espresso
- 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold whole milk
- 15 ml (1 US tbsp) Monin US Ube Syrup
- 100 g (3.5 oz) ice
Equipment
- Espresso machine
- Tamper
- Scale
- Measuring spoon
- Heatproof espresso cup
- Spoon
- 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass
Method
- Brew 18 g ground coffee to 36 g espresso in a heatproof vessel. Let it cool briefly.
- Stir 15 ml (1 US tbsp) ube syrup into 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold whole milk in a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass.
- Add 100 g (3.5 oz) ice, then slowly pour in the prepared espresso.
- Stir thoroughly before drinking and serve without toppings.
Estimated nutrition: 155 kcal · 19.1 g total sugar. Per iced latte, using whole milk and Monin US Ube Syrup.
Recipe notes
Contains milk; check substituted product labels.
The espresso brewing guide explains the coffee preparation: 18 g is dry grounds in; 36 g is brewed espresso out. Milk is weighed in grams, while syrup is measured in milliliters.
Pouring slowly lets you see the coffee move through the purple milk, but stir before drinking for even sweetness. For the unflavored coffee-and-milk base, see iced latte.
Does an Ube Latte Contain Coffee?
Sometimes. Ask whether the recipe includes espresso, rather than relying on the word latte. This page's main recipe does.
Manufacturer recipes illustrate the distinction: Monin US's spiced iced version includes espresso and another syrup, while Monin Switzerland's ube latte uses an ube concentrate and milk without espresso.
Starbucks’s March 2026 Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato put the ube flavor in cream cold foam over iced espresso, milk and toasted-coconut syrup.
To make this recipe without coffee, omit the 36 g espresso and combine 160 g (⅔ US cup) milk, 15 ml (1 US tbsp) ube syrup and 100 g (3.5 oz) ice. This smaller, milk-forward serving has an estimated 155 kcal and 19.1 g sugar from the same references. Confirm the actual flavoring's ingredients before describing a café version as caffeine-free: added matcha, tea or coffee changes the answer.
What Does Ube Coffee Taste Like?
The syrup-based ube latte here is sweet and milky, with earthy, fig-like notes and a vanilla finish from Monin Ube Syrup. Espresso adds roast and bitterness against that sweetness. The texture stays flowing over ice; a latte made with cooked yam or halaya can have more body from the yam solids.
I choose the coffee-free version when I want the ube-and-milk flavor to lead because espresso covers some of its gentler notes.
Ube Syrup, Jam, Powder or Extract?
Check the ingredient form before using a recipe. The syrup here pours and disperses easily. It is a sweetened beverage flavoring with natural ube flavor and added coloring ingredients; its label does not make it a serving of cooked yam.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Preparation | What to check | How it changes the recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Ube beverage syrup | Intended beverage use, dilution and nutrition label | The named product fits the measured 15 ml (1 US tbsp) portion here |
| Ube halaya or jam | Actual yam content, sugar, milk or coconut ingredients | Adds solids and thickness; requires its own recipe and mixing method |
| Ube powder | Pure yam powder versus a sweetened instant latte mix | Follow cooking or rehydration directions; some mixes already contain dairy and sugar |
| Ube extract or concentrated flavoring | Manufacturer's food-use dosage | Much more concentrated; do not substitute 15 ml (1 US tbsp) automatically |
In Filipino cooking, ube appears in cakes, ice cream and halaya, a sweet cooked-yam preparation. The Philippine Consulate’s ube guide describes halaya made with ingredients such as coconut milk, condensed milk and butter, and served as a topping for halo-halo.
Ube vs. Taro vs. Purple Sweet Potato
- Ube is a yam, Dioscorea alata, associated with Filipino cooking and desserts.
- Taro is Colocasia esculenta, a different plant. A taro latte is not simply another name for an ube latte.
- Purple sweet potato is a purple-fleshed cultivar of Ipomoea batatas, as described by UF/IFAS Extension.
Purple color alone cannot identify the ingredient. On a café menu or packaged mix, look for the actual plant or flavoring in the ingredient description.
How to Make a Hot Ube Latte
Keep 36 g espresso, 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk and 15 ml (1 US tbsp) syrup, leaving out the ice. Mix syrup into the espresso in a warmed 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) cup. Warm and lightly froth the milk using equipment suited to the portion, then add all the measured milk and stir.
The ingredient-based calories and sugar stay the same because water in the ice contributes neither. A plant drink can replace the milk, but use its own nutrition label. This dairy version contains milk; syrup substitutions and jam-based versions need a fresh allergen check.
Without an espresso machine, brew with the moka-pot guide, then measure 36 g (1.3 oz) prepared coffee and combine it with 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk and 15 ml (1 US tbsp) ube syrup. Add 100 g (3.5 oz) ice for the iced version. Brew the pot normally before measuring the serving; use that coffee’s caffeine information.
Adjust Ube Latte Flavor Without Chasing the Color
Change the syrup in measured steps. A paler latte does not necessarily need more sweetener, and coffee naturally changes purple milk toward a browner shade.
| What you notice | Practical adjustment |
|---|---|
| Too sweet | Try 10 ml (2 US tsp) of the named syrup next time; about 140 kcal and 15.4 g sugar with everything else unchanged |
| Flavor is unlike a yam-based café drink | Check whether the café uses halaya or real yam; more syrup will not reproduce its texture |
| Last sip is much sweeter | Mix syrup into the milk first and stir the finished drink |
| Grit or lumps | Confirm that you used beverage syrup; powder and jam require different preparation |
| Coffee disappears | Check the espresso itself before adding another extraction or reducing milk |
The syrup calculation provides a useful tradeoff: each extra 5 ml (1 US tsp) of this product adds about 18 kcal and 3.7 g sugar. Choose the syrup amount by taste rather than adding more just for a stronger color.
Ube Latte Calories, Sugar and Caffeine
The iced serving made with 36 g espresso, 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk, 15 ml (1 US tbsp) Monin US Ube Syrup and 100 g (3.5 oz) ice has an estimated 155 kcal, 19.1 g total sugar and 75 mg reference caffeine. The coffee contributes the caffeine reference; the syrup and milk contribute almost all the calories and sugar.
Serving calculation and source assumptions
The current Monin US Ube Syrup label gives 110 kcal and 22 g total sugar per 30 ml. Our 15 ml contributes 55 kcal and 11 g sugar. USDA whole milk, NDB 01077, gives 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g: 160 g contributes 97.6 kcal and 8.08 g sugar.
USDA prepared espresso, NDB 14210, gives 9 kcal and 212 mg caffeine per 100 g. The 36 g coffee portion contributes 3.24 kcal and 76.32 mg caffeine. Ice contributes no calories or sugar. The sum is 155.84 kcal, 19.08 g sugar and 76.32 mg reference caffeine before rounding.
At 10 ml syrup, the total is 137.51 kcal and 15.41 g sugar, rounded to 140 kcal and 15.4 g. Omitting espresso leaves 152.6 kcal and 19.08 g sugar. Nutrition labels are rounded; use your physical package if its formulation differs. Generic espresso composition does not measure the caffeine extracted from your beans.