Iced Butterfly Pea Latte is a sweet tea latte recipe made from color changing butterfly pea flower tea and cream. A delicious, refreshing naturally blue latte that can be served in range of hues from blue to purple and pink!
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Butterfly pea drink
Butterfly pea is a wildflower vine native to tropical Asia when expanded, the flowers resemble a butterfly.
Often butterfly pea flowers can be used to make a tea that changes color but does not have much flavor. So I usually make different butterfly pea drinks that mix butterfly pea tea with other ingredients.
Like this tea latte that combines the butterfly pea tea with spearmint and a splash of lime and cream. It’s a refreshing, creamy tea latte that tastes like a mojito mocktail.
Or turn it into a color changing butterfly pea tea cocktail simply by adding rum, vodka or gin.
Once you learn how to make this butterfly pea tea latte recipe you can make all different versions and colors!
Color changing latte
Butterfly pea tea changes color because of pigments known as anthocyanins in the butterfly pea flower. Anthocyanins change color based on the acidity of their environment.
Lemon and lime juice will make a bright pink butterfly pea tea. To make a blue latte simply omit the lime juice and use only iced butterfly pea tea and cream or milk.
You can also play around with different fruit purees and juices, teas, and sweeteners that may affect the color. Try it mixed with raspberry puree, or even blueberry lavender syrup and/or earl grey tea. Make a raspberry or blackberry flavored tea latte or even hibiscus tea or peach tea.
Ingredients
- Butterfly pea tea – made from butterfly pea flowers or butterfly pea tea bags. Plus mint leaves (or mint tea), sugar, ice and water to make a refreshing sweet mint tea that changes color.
- Lime juice
- Cream – At times acidic ingredients can cause dairy ingredients to curdle when combined. But dairy fat actually acts as a stabilizer because the fat keeps the milk solids emulsified and prevents this. So the more fat, the better! The most foolproof dairy to use is heavy cream which is 40% fat. Followed by half and half which is 10 percent fat. Or you can substitute full fat coconut milk or whole milk. Low fat milk or nonfat milk should not be used in the milk tea recipe because they will most likely curdle when added to the tea mixture.
Step by step instructions
- Brew sweet butterfly pea iced tea.
- When ready to serve pour tea over ice in a tall glass.
- Add a splash of lime juice and stir and watch the colors change.
- Top with a splash of cream.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to serve
You can serve butterfly pea tea iced lattes with the cream drizzling down over the ice. Or serve the latte butterfly milk tea style stirred together.
Lime wheel or wedges and mint leaves enhance the mojito flavors and add even more color change.
Yield
This tea latte recipe makes one butterfly pea flower latte. But it can easily be turned into a big batch pitcher recipe.
Simply combine brew the butterfly tea as directed with mint and sugar. Then stir in 1 cup cream and ½ cup lime juice to the pitcher. Fill with ice and enjoy!
The iced tea latte pitcher version can be refrigerated and enjoyed within 24 hours. If making in advance add ice and cream immediately before serving for best results.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Butterfly pea tea
- 2 tablespoons dried butterfly pea flowers or 4 butterfly pea tea bags
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves or 2 spearmint tea bags
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups ice
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Latte
- 8 ounces sweet butterfly pea tea chilled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cream
Instructions
- Bring water to boil. Meanwhile, place mint leaves and butterfly pea flowers in large bowl with sugar. When boiling remove water from heat and pour over the tea mixture in the bowl. Steep butterfly pea tea for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile place ice in a large pitcher and after the tea is done steeping, strain the sweet blue tea concentrate over the ice to cool quickly. Store refrigerated until ready to use.
- When ready to serve pour sweet blue butterfly pea tea over ice filling a large glass about ¾ full.
- Add lime juice and stir.
- Add cream and stir to combine or serve layered.
Nutrition
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