Iced Coconut Ube Latte

Creamy, tropical and naturally purple, this iced coconut ube latte tastes like a café special but takes just 3 minutes at home. Coconut milk brings out ube's soft vanilla notes, and a quick paste keeps every sip perfectly smooth.

If you've never tried ube before, think of it as a gentle, nutty-sweet flavor somewhere between vanilla, white chocolate and toasted coconut. It's mellow, cozy and completely caffeine-free, so you can enjoy this drink on a hot afternoon or as an evening treat without a second thought.

Best of all, there's no food coloring involved. The purple comes straight from the yam itself, which means the shade is a little softer and more natural than the neon drinks you see in some coffee shops. We think it's prettier that way.

Serves: 1 · Time: 3 minutes · Difficulty: Easy · Diet: Caffeine-free, dairy-free, vegan (with maple syrup)

Why this recipe works

• The paste comes first. Whisking ube powder with a little hot water dissolves it fully, so you get zero clumps or gritty bits when it meets cold milk.
• Coconut is ube's best friend. In Filipino desserts, ube and coconut show up together again and again for good reason. The coconut's richness rounds out ube's earthy edge and makes the drink taste like dessert.
• Two kinds of coconut. Carton coconut milk keeps the drink light and sippable, while a spoonful of canned coconut cream adds a velvety top layer.
• A pinch of salt. It sounds odd in a latte, but a tiny pinch makes the sweetness and the vanilla notes really pop.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons (5 g) Ube Daily pure ube powder
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) hot water, around 80°C / 175°F
• 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 ml) maple syrup or vanilla syrup
• Small pinch of fine salt
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) unsweetened coconut milk beverage (the carton kind)
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) canned coconut cream, chilled (optional, for extra creaminess)
• 1 cup ice cubes

Notes on key ingredients

• Ube powder: Use pure ube powder with nothing added. Because ours has no sugar, you're in full control of the sweetness. New to the ingredient? Our guide What Is Ube? A Beginner's Guide covers the basics.
• Coconut milk: The carton beverage is thinner and best for the body of the drink. Canned coconut milk works too, but cut it with an equal amount of water or it will feel heavy.
• Coconut cream: Chill the can overnight so the thick cream separates and whips easily. Scoop from the top.
• Sweetener: Maple syrup keeps it vegan. Vanilla syrup gives a classic café flavor. Honey, agave, simple syrup or a spoonful of sweetened condensed coconut milk all work well.

Easy substitutions

• No coconut milk? Oat milk is the next best choice. It froths well and brings out ube's vanilla side.
• Want dairy? Whole milk or a splash of half-and-half makes a rich, classic version.
• No hot water handy? Warm milk works for the paste, too. Just keep it below a simmer.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Make the ube paste. Add the ube powder to a small cup or jar. Pour in the hot water and whisk for 10–15 seconds with a small whisk, bamboo whisk or handheld frother. You're looking for a smooth, glossy, violet liquid with no dry specks around the edges.
2. Sweeten and season. Whisk in the syrup and the pinch of salt while the paste is still warm, so everything dissolves evenly. Taste a drop. It should taste gently sweet and nutty.
3. Fill the glass. Pack a tall glass with ice, then pour in the coconut milk until it's about two-thirds full. The milk should look bright white and cold.
4. Layer the ube. Pour the ube mixture slowly over the back of a spoon, or straight onto an ice cube, so it drifts down in soft purple ribbons. This is the moment to snap a photo.
5. Whip the topping. Whisk the chilled coconut cream for 20–30 seconds until it's thick and spoonable, like soft yogurt. Spoon it on top of the latte.
6. Stir and sip. Give it a good stir before drinking so the ube is evenly mixed. The color will settle into a pale lilac and the flavor will be smooth from first sip to last.

Pro tip: Ube's natural color is sensitive. A splash of very acidic juice can push it toward pink, while alkaline additions can nudge it toward blue or grey. Keep the base simple (water, milk, sweetener) and you'll get the prettiest lilac every time.

Tips for success

• Don't use boiling water. Water just off the boil is fine, but around 80°C / 175°F is ideal. Very hot liquid can dull both color and flavor.
• Use more powder for more color. Natural ube is softer than dyed café drinks. Add an extra 1/2 teaspoon if you want a deeper purple.
• Chill your glass. A cold glass slows ice melt, so your latte stays creamy instead of watery.
• Sweeten the paste, not the milk. Syrups blend much more easily into the warm paste than into cold milk.
• Taste and adjust. Everyone's ideal sweetness is different. Start with 1 teaspoon of syrup and add more after stirring.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Problem	Why it happens	How to fix it
Clumps floating in the glass	Powder added straight to cold milk	Always whisk a paste with hot water first. If clumps appear, strain through a fine sieve or blend for a few seconds.
Pale, washed-out color	Too little powder or too much milk	Add another 1/2 teaspoon of powder, or use slightly less milk.
Watery taste	Ice melted too fast	Use a chilled glass, larger ice cubes, or ube ice cubes (see Variations).
Coconut cream won't whip	Can wasn't cold enough	Chill the can overnight and use only the thick top layer.
Tastes flat	No salt, or not enough sweetener	Add a tiny pinch of salt and a little more syrup, then stir and taste again.

Variations

• Dirty ube latte: Pour a shot of espresso over the top for a three-layer drink with a gentle caffeine boost.
• Ube coconut frappé: Blend the ube paste, coconut milk, syrup and a big handful of ice until thick and slushy.
• Ube matcha cloud: Float a whisked matcha shot over the coconut cream for a purple-and-green layered drink. It's the best of both worlds in one glass.
• Ube ice cubes: Freeze leftover ube latte in an ice cube tray. Use them instead of regular ice so the drink gets stronger, not weaker, as it melts.
• Pandan-ube: Add a drop of pandan extract to the paste for a fragrant Southeast Asian twist.
• Toasted coconut rim: Dip the rim of your glass in syrup, then in toasted coconut flakes.
• Hot version: Skip the ice, gently warm the coconut milk, froth it and pour over the paste. See our full ube latte guide for hot and iced methods.

Make-ahead & storage

Want lattes on demand all week? Make a batch of ube concentrate.

• Concentrate: Whisk 10 teaspoons (25 g) ube powder with 1 cup (240 ml) hot water and your sweetener of choice. Cool, then pour into a clean, sealed jar.
• Storage: Keep the concentrate in the fridge for up to about 5 days. Shake well before each use, since some settling is normal.
• To serve: Use about 3–4 tablespoons of concentrate per glass of iced coconut milk.
• Assembled lattes are best enjoyed right away. If you need to hold one, keep it covered in the fridge and drink it within a few hours, before the ice fully melts.
• Coconut cream topping can be whipped up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Re-whisk briefly before using.

What to serve with it

• A stack of fluffy ube pancakes for a full purple brunch.
• A scoop of no-churn ube ice cream floated on top for an ube affogato-style treat.
• Buttery shortbread, coconut macaroons or banana bread.
• Fresh tropical fruit like mango, pineapple or lychee.

FAQ

Does an iced coconut ube latte have caffeine?

No. Pure ube powder is naturally caffeine-free, and so is coconut milk. The only way to add caffeine is to make it "dirty" with a shot of espresso or a matcha layer.

Can I use canned coconut milk instead of carton?

Yes, but canned coconut milk is much thicker. Mix it about half and half with cold water so the latte stays light and drinkable.

Why isn't my latte as purple as the ones in cafés?

Many café drinks use added coloring or flavored syrups. Pure ube gives a softer, natural lilac. For a deeper shade, use a little more powder and a little less milk.

How many lattes does one pouch make?

At 5 g (2 teaspoons) per drink, a 100 g pouch makes about 20 lattes. If you like a stronger color and flavor, you'll get a few fewer.

Can I make this without any sweetener?

Absolutely. Ube has a gentle natural sweetness, and coconut milk adds a little more. Try it unsweetened first, then add syrup to taste.

Ready for your new favorite afternoon drink? Grab a pouch of Pure Ube Latte Powder: 100% ube, no added sugar, dyes or fillers, and enough for about 20 lattes. Then keep the purple going with more ideas from our ube recipes.