Roses? In coffee? That sounds crazy, but a rose latte can turn your expectations for coffee and flowers on their head.
This delicious rose latte recipe is easy to put together at home, and the ingredients aren’t as fancy as you might think.
What is a rose latte?
A rose latte has the standard espresso and milk that an ordinary latte would have. However, while other lattes add sugar or sweetener, a rose latte requires rose syrup.
Rose lattes are sometimes confused with caffeine-free pink lattes made with beetroot powder. While a rose latte can have a subtle pink color, it is typically not a caffeine-free drink.
Whether you prefer a hot or cold latte, a rose latte is a delicious drink with simple ingredients. You can use whole milk like with a traditional latte or customize your beverage with oat milk or other plant-based substitutes.
What does a rose latte taste like?
A rose latte has a sweet but delicate taste similar to honey. The floral notes are perceptible, standing out over the black coffee. The frothed milk forms a necessary bridge between the earthy coffee and the ethereal rose, tying it all together in a delicious creamy way.
What is a rose latte made of?
A rose latte is made of milk, espresso, and rose syrup. The syrup can be prepared using fresh rose petals or dried rose buds.
While you might not think of a rose as a food item, rose petals are edible. The main exception would be if the rose had been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, so make sure you use food-grade rose petals. Don’t go to a florist and buy flowers intended for display.
You can add other coffee add-ins to create variations on the basic rose latte when making a rose latte. Keep reading to find creative interpretations of the basic rose latte recipe!
Where do I get edible rose petals?
If you have roses in your garden and haven’t sprayed them with anything hazardous, you might as well harvest your rose petals for use in a rose latte. Just clip off the bitter white portion at the base of the petal, and you should be good to go. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have fresh roses on hand.
I found dried rose petals in the bulk food department at a high-end grocery store near me. They were priced at an alarming $47.99 per pound. However, the amount necessary to make this recipe’s rose syrup — half a cup — only costs about a dollar. They don’t weigh very much!
You can also order dried rose petals or rose powder online. Make sure any rose products you buy are suitable for food, as some versions are labeled for skincare or hair care. Food-grade rose products are often used in baked goods, so that’s something to consider experimenting with if you have leftovers after making your rose latte.
If you don’t want to deal with making homemade rose syrup, you can buy bottled rose syrup. This product is gluten-free and does not need to be refrigerated. The ready-made syrup’s food coloring may add a more vivid pink shade to your latte than homemade rose syrup.
Is it healthy to eat roses?
Roses are rich in vitamins. Like matcha, roses also contain powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and other health benefits. In traditional medicine, rose water is used to soothe a sore throat and aid digestion.
Rose water, made by steeping rose petals in water, has been a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. If you travel to Turkey, you can find Lokum sweets (also known as Turkish Delight) coated in crushed dried rose petals.
Before vanilla extract was widely available, rose water was also commonly used in baked goods in the United States and Europe.
Nowadays, fresh rose petals are popular for decorating cakes and desserts in high-end patisseries, and you can find artisan chocolate with crushed rose petals.
That said, roses are part of the plant family Rosaceae, which includes almonds, apples, strawberries, and many other fruits. If you are allergic to other foods in this family, you may want to be cautious when consuming edible rose products until you know you tolerate them well.
How to make a rose latte at home
The key ingredient in a rose latte is rose simple syrup. If you’ve never made a simple syrup, it’s easier than you think. You heat granulated sugar and water together in a small saucepan. To turn simple syrup into homemade rose syrup, add dried rose petals, let them steep, and then strain them out.
This recipe will create more than one serving of rose syrup, so your second rose latte will be easier to make than your first. The leftover syrup will keep for a couple of weeks when refrigerated in an airtight container.
Simple Rose Latte Recipe
Rose latte is a luxurious floral coffee that you can indulge in from the comfort of your home. With dried rose petals sprinkled over the top, it will impress anyone!
Ingredients
For the rose syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup dried edible rose petals or rose buds
For the latte
- 1 espresso shot
- 1 cup milk (or milk substitute)
- 1 tbsp rose syrup
Instructions
To make the syrup
- Pour the granulated sugar and water into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Use a whisk or spoon to stir the mixture.
- When you can no longer see the sugar as separate from the water, add the dried rose petals.
- Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes. You might be surprised by how fragrant it gets at this step!
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let it steep for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer to remove the petals.
- Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To make the latte
- Prepare your espresso shot using an espresso machine or Moka Pot.
- While the espresso is brewing, heat the milk in a regular cup in the microwave.
- After the milk is heated, add rose syrup to the milk.
- Use a milk frother to combine the milk and rose syrup until a creamy foam forms on top.
- Pour the milk mixture into the espresso.
- Sprinkle some crushed rose petals to decorate.
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Rose latte variations
The best part of learning to make your coffee beverages is that you can get creative with them, especially if you want to enjoy a healthy latte that meets specific dietary needs. You may want to try these creative variations on the rose latte recipe.
Iced rose latte
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes to make an iced rose latte. Pour the espresso over the ice cubes and add milk and rose syrup. You can use the milk frother to combine the milk and syrup first if you want, but there’s no need to use warm milk with iced coffee. After all, an iced latte should stay cold — very important when looking for a refreshing treat during the summer months!
Rose syrup typically has a strong pink color, so you could make interesting visual effects using a clear tall glass if desired. Similar to the instructions for a dirty matcha latte or dirty coffee, you can put a layer of cold milk on the bottom of the glass and add ice cubes to keep it cold. Then, add the rose syrup, pouring over the back of a spoon for a slow flow that will result in some separation between pink syrup and white milk. Finally, add your espresso on top for a layered look.
Raspberry rose latte
The easiest way to make a raspberry rose latte is to add 1 tablespoon of raspberry syrup and the rose syrup. Top with fresh raspberries. Creamy whole milk would be a good choice for this sweet beverage.
For a more intense raspberry rose latte flavor, you could put fresh or frozen raspberries in the blender. Then, put the blended berries in your glass, stir in the espresso, and add all the ingredients.
Cardamom rose latte
Cardamom is a vivid spice that complements the sweet rose flavor well. The two are often used together in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Cardamom is also typically one of the ingredients in a chai spice blend. If you like a dirty chai latte, you’ll probably like a cardamom rose latte.
To make a cardamom rose latte, add 1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamom to the mixture of syrup and milk when you froth the milk. Cardamom, especially when freshly ground, has an intense presence, so don’t overdo it — the delicate rose flavor is easy to overpower.
Dairy-free rose latte
If you are vegan or avoiding dairy for other reasons, you can make a dairy-free rose latte using your favorite milk substitute instead of milk. Common options include oat, almond, coconut, and soy milk. Oat milk is the best for making super creamy foam, while coconut milk and rose flavors are often found together in Indian food.
If you prefer nut milk, almond milk is probably the favorite nut milk to go with rose syrup, as almond and rose plants come from the same family. The tastes should blend smoothly.
Pistachio milk is a more obscure nut milk, but it could go well with a rose latte. After all, chopped pistachios are often used with rose flavor in desserts.
Caffeine-free rose latte
There are a couple of different ways to make a caffeine-free rose latte. One is to use decaffeinated coffee when you make your shot of espresso. If you prefer that your coffee tastes like coffee, this is the way to go.
Another option is to use beetroot powder to make what’s usually called a pink latte. You can add spices like cardamom to the beet powder to taste. Then, instead of the usual maple syrup or honey, you’d add rose syrup to sweeten it.
Sugar-free rose latte
To make a refined sugar-free rose latte, you’d make the syrup with an alternative sweetener like erythritol or stevia. These can be healthier than sugar depending on your specific dietary needs, although sometimes alternative sweeteners have controversial qualities.
Other floral flavors
You’ll have to know your edible plants well before experimenting with lattes based on other flowers — not all flowers are as safe to eat as roses! However, if you discover after trying out this delicious rose latte recipe that you like floral flavor, there are other options. Once you do your research, you can come up with unique creations that are not likely to be found in a coffee shop.
For example, carnation petals are edible and are used in the French liqueur Chartreuse. They are sweet but also peppery, with a taste similar to nutmeg and clove. You can make simple syrup, using dried carnation flowers instead of rose petals.
Rose is often thought of as a natural mood enhancer, and how could it not be — it smells so good! Making a hot or iced rose latte using this homemade recipe is a great way to start your morning on the right foot.
