Starbucks Ube Latte Copycat (Iced Coconut)

If you've been hunting for a Starbucks ube latte and can't find one on your local menu, this copycat is for you. Ube drinks have reportedly appeared as seasonal, limited-time items at Starbucks in some markets, usually built around coconut milk, espresso and a sweet purple yam flavor. Availability varies by country and season, so many people never get to try them.

The good news: the idea is simple to recreate at home. With real purple yam powder, a shot of espresso and creamy coconut milk, you can make an iced ube coconut latte that tastes cozy, nutty and gently sweet, any day of the year.

Below you'll find our main iced ube coconut latte, plus an ube vanilla velvet-style latte and an ube matcha version.

Note: Ube Daily is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Starbucks. "Starbucks" is used only to describe the style of drink that inspired these recipes. These are our own home versions, not official recipes.

Serves: 1 · Time: 5 minutes · Difficulty: Easy · Diet: Vegan, gluten-free

What Is the Starbucks Ube Latte?

"Starbucks ube latte" is the name people search for a family of seasonal café drinks that pair ube with coffee and milk. Depending on the region and the year, the drinks people describe include:

Iced ube coconut latte (Starbucks style): reportedly espresso, coconut milk and an ube-flavored element served over ice. This is the version most people ask about.
Ube vanilla velvet latte (Starbucks style): a smoother, creamier take that leans on vanilla notes. Names and builds have reportedly varied by market.
Ube matcha (Starbucks style): ube combined with green tea for a layered purple-and-green drink, reportedly offered in some regions.

Café versions typically use a prepared ube syrup or sauce, which can include sugar and added coloring. Our copycats use 100% purple yam powder, so the flavor comes from real ube and you control the sweetness. Expect a softer lilac color rather than a bright neon purple. That's what natural ube looks like.

New to the ingredient itself? Our beginner guide What Is Ube? covers where it comes from and how it tastes.

Why This Recipe Works

Real ube flavor: pure ube powder is just dried, finely milled purple yam, so you taste vanilla, white chocolate and toasted nut notes instead of artificial flavoring.
Coconut + ube is a classic pairing: coconut's richness rounds out ube's earthy sweetness, the same combination used in many Filipino desserts.
The paste step: blooming the powder in a little hot water first means no clumps, even in an iced drink.
Flexible caffeine: ube itself is caffeine-free, so the espresso is the only caffeine source. Skip it for an evening version.

Ingredients: Iced Ube Coconut Latte

2 tsp (5 g) Ube Daily ube powder
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) hot water, about 80°C / 175°F
1 to 2 shots espresso (30 to 60 ml), or ¼ cup (60 ml) strong coffee
¾ cup (180 ml) coconut milk beverage (the carton kind), chilled
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) vanilla syrup, maple syrup or simple syrup, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) canned coconut cream, optional, for extra richness
1 cup ice

How to Make an Iced Ube Coconut Latte

Make the ube paste. Add the ube powder to a small bowl or cup. Pour in 2 tbsp hot water and whisk (or use a small frother) until smooth and glossy, about 20 seconds. Add the extra tablespoon of water if it's too thick to whisk.
Sweeten the base. Stir your syrup into the warm paste. Sweetener dissolves best while the paste is still warm.
Brew the espresso. Pull 1 or 2 shots, or brew a small cup of strong coffee. Let it sit for a minute so it doesn't melt all the ice.
Build the drink. Spoon the sweetened ube paste into a tall glass, fill with ice, then pour in the coconut milk. Stir well so the lilac color is even.
Finish with espresso. Slowly pour the espresso over the top for that layered café look. Add the coconut cream on top if using, then stir before sipping.

Pro tip: For a creamier, more café-like texture, shake the ube paste, syrup, coconut milk and ice in a jar for 15 seconds before pouring into a glass and topping with espresso. The shaking adds tiny bubbles and a smooth, almost velvety body.

Tips for the Best Copycat

Use carton coconut milk for drinking. Canned coconut milk is much thicker and can taste heavy. Use canned only as a splash of cream.
Taste before adding espresso. Adjust sweetness at the ube-and-milk stage, since coffee makes the drink taste less sweet.
Go lighter on coffee to taste more ube. One shot lets the ube shine. Two shots makes a stronger, coffee-forward drink.
Want a sweeter, café-style kick? Whisk a double batch of sweetened ube paste and keep it in the fridge for quick lattes over the next two days.

Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Mistake	What happens	Fix
Adding powder straight to cold milk	Clumps and a gritty texture	Always whisk into a hot-water paste first
Using boiling water	Flavor can taste flat or cooked	Use water around 80°C / 175°F
Expecting neon purple	Disappointment with the color	Natural ube is lilac; that's real yam, not dye
Too much espresso	Coffee hides the ube	Start with one shot and adjust
Under-sweetening	Tastes earthy and muted	Ube's flavor opens up with a little sweetness

Variations: Ube Vanilla Latte, Velvet Style and Ube Matcha

Ube Vanilla Velvet-Style Latte (Hot or Iced)

This version is inspired by the smoother "vanilla velvet" style of drink. The secret is a little cream and real vanilla.

2 tsp (5 g) ube powder + 2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water, whisked to a paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla syrup, or 2 tsp sugar + ¼ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk or oat milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream or barista oat creamer
1 shot espresso, optional

Hot: whisk the paste with vanilla, then steam or froth the milk and cream together and pour over. Top with espresso if you like. Iced: stir paste, vanilla and milk over ice, then crown it with our ube cold foam made with the cream. That foam topping is what gives it the "velvet" feel.

Starbucks-Style Ube Vanilla Latte (Simple)

Skip the cream and use regular milk with vanilla syrup. It's lighter, quicker, and a great everyday ube vanilla latte. Our step-by-step hot and iced ube latte guide covers the basic method in detail.

Ube Matcha (Starbucks-Style Layered Drink)

Build the iced ube coconut latte without espresso. Separately whisk 1 tsp (2 g) matcha with 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water until frothy, then pour it slowly over the ube milk for a purple-and-green layered drink. For full ratios and tips, see our ube matcha latte recipe.

More Ways to Change It Up

Caffeine-free: leave out the espresso entirely for a creamy ube coconut latte you can enjoy in the evening.
Hot coconut ube latte: warm the coconut milk gently (don't boil), froth, and pour over the paste.
Cold brew version: swap espresso for ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold brew concentrate.
Toasted coconut rim: dip the glass rim in syrup, then in toasted coconut flakes.

Storage

This latte is best enjoyed right away, since ice dilutes it and espresso loses its aroma. You can whisk the sweetened ube paste ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed jar for up to 2 days. Stir it before using. Keep your ube powder sealed in a cool, dry place and use it within 12 months of opening for the best flavor and color.

FAQ

Does Starbucks have an ube latte?

Ube drinks have reportedly appeared at Starbucks as seasonal or limited-time offerings in certain countries, not as a permanent menu item everywhere. Check your local menu or app for current availability. If it's not offered near you, this copycat is a great way to get a similar drink at home.

What's in an iced ube coconut latte?

The café-style iced ube coconut latte is generally described as espresso, coconut milk and an ube flavoring over ice. Our home version uses 100% purple yam powder, coconut milk, espresso and your choice of sweetener.

What is the ube vanilla velvet latte at Starbucks?

It's a name people use for a creamier, vanilla-forward ube latte reportedly offered in some markets. We can't confirm the exact official recipe, but our velvet-style version above, with vanilla, a splash of cream and ube cold foam, recreates that smooth, dessert-like feel.

Can I make a coconut ube latte without coffee?

Yes. Ube is naturally caffeine-free, so just skip the espresso. You'll get a sweet, creamy coconut ube latte that's suitable any time of day. Learn more in Does Ube Have Caffeine?

Why is my homemade version lighter purple than the café drink?

Many café ube drinks use syrups that may contain added coloring. Our powder has nothing added, so the color comes only from the yam's natural anthocyanins. That gives a softer lilac shade.

Is this the same as your iced coconut ube latte recipe?

They're close cousins. Our iced coconut ube latte is a simple coffee-free version, while this Starbucks-style copycat adds espresso and café-inspired variations.

Ready to make your own Starbucks ube latte at home, without waiting for a seasonal menu? Grab a pouch of Ube Daily ube latte powder, made from 100% Philippine purple yam with nothing added, and start whisking. One 100 g pouch makes about 20 lattes.