Earl grey milk tea with lavender (London Fog recipe)
Cozy, creamy, and fragrant with bergamot and vanilla, this vegan London Fog tastes like a coffeehouse treat, only lighter and kinder on sugar. We will brew strong Earl Grey, warm plant milk just until silky, and add a whisper of lavender for a gentle floral note. Ready in about 8 minutes. Grab your mug and make it now.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Vegan by default (sweetened with maple syrup or a sugar-free sweetener).
- Barista-style texture without special equipment, thanks to simple frothing tricks.
- Balanced flavor – the lavender stays delicate and never soapy.
Prep and yield
- Prep time: 8 minutes
- Servings: 1 generous mug
London fog tea ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or barista oat milk for extra foam
- 1 Earl Grey tea bag, or 1 to 2 teaspoons loose leaf
- 1 pinch culinary lavender, optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or sugar-free sweetener to taste (see notes below)
- Small pinch fine sea salt, optional (boosts flavors)
- Optional topping: steamed milk foam or a splash of plant cream
- Optional garnish: tiny sprinkle of lavender or a dusting of cinnamon
Helpful ingredient notes
- Start with 1 tea bag per 1 cup water. For a cafe-style punch, use 2 bags with the same amount of water.
- Rinse the pinch of lavender in a sieve under cold water to tame bitterness. Use no more than 1 or 2 buds, about 1⁄16 to 1⁄8 teaspoon.
- Barista almond milk or oat milk foams best. Regular almond milk still works, the foam will just be lighter.
- Sweetener options: maple adds caramelly depth. Allulose or monk fruit keep it low sugar. Stevia can taste a bit bitter with bergamot so I don’t recommend it in this recipe.
How to make London fog latte
Brew the tea
Bring 1 cup of water to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add the Earl Grey and the lavender if using, then cover and steep 4 to 5 minutes. For stronger flavor, steep up to 6 minutes, then stop to prevent tannic notes.
Warm the milk
In a small pot, gently heat the plant milk until hot but not boiling, ideally in the 140-149F range (60 to 65 C range). Take off the heat, then stir in vanilla, maple or sweetener, and a tiny pinch of salt.
Combine and strain
Pour the brewed tea through a fine mesh sieve into a warmed mug to catch any lavender or tea fines. Stir in the warm vanilla milk.
Froth and finish
If you have a frother, foam a little extra plant milk and spoon it on top. Garnish lightly with lavender or cinnamon. Sip and enjoy.
No frother, no problem
- French press: add hot milk, plunge 10 to 15 times for microfoam.
- Jar method: shake hot milk in a heat-safe jar for 20 seconds, microwave 10 to 15 seconds to set the foam.
- Whisk: tilt the pot and whisk briskly where milk meets air for 30 to 45 seconds.
Extra tips for perfect flavor
- Cover the tea while it steeps to keep the aromatics in the cup.
- If it tastes bitter, lower water temp next time, shorten the steep, or reduce lavender. A small pinch of salt can help boost the flavor, too.
- If it tastes weak, use 2 tea bags or steep for up to 6 minutes. You can also try adding a little less milk.
- Orange zest loves bergamot – a couple of quick swipes over the mug brightens everything.
Make it iced
- Brew double strength tea, 2 bags in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes.
- Sweeten while hot, cool completely.
- Fill a tall glass with ice, add ½ to ¾ cup cold plant milk, then pour in the tea.
- Optionally finish with cold foam.
Quick microwave method
- Heat water in a mug until steaming, steep tea and lavender for 4 to 5 minutes (covered).
- In a second mug, heat milk for 45 to 60 seconds, stir in vanilla and sweetener, froth using one of the hacks above, then combine.
Batch and prep ahead
- Tea concentrate: brew 4 bags in 2 cups hot water for 5 minutes. Strain, sweeten to taste, cool. Refrigerate up to 3 days. For each serving, use ½ cup concentrate plus ½ to ¾ cup hot or cold plant milk.
- Vanilla syrup: simmer ½ cup water with ½ cup sugar or allulose for 2 minutes, remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons per mug.
Variations
- Decaf: use decaf Earl Grey for an evening wind down.
- Extra cozy: swap a splash of plant cream for part of the milk.
- Maple cinnamon: add a tiny pinch of cinnamon to the milk while warming.
Troubleshooting quick guide
- Bitter? Shorten steep, reduce lavender, add a pinch of salt.
- Flat? Add ½ teaspoon more vanilla or a drizzle of maple, finish with orange zest.
- Foam collapses? Keep milk below a boil, use barista plant milk, froth before combining and spoon foam on last.
Enjoy your vegan London Fog, a gentle pick me up that feels special any day of the week.
Earl grey milk tea with lavender (London Fog)
Cozy, creamy, and fragrant with bergamot and vanilla, this vegan London Fog tastes like a coffeehouse treat, only lighter and kinder on sugar. We will brew strong Earl Grey, warm plant milk just until silky, and add a whisper of lavender for a gentle floral note. Ready in about 8 minutes. Grab your mug and make it now.
Servings: 1
Calories: 88kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or barista oat milk for extra foam
- 1 Earl Grey tea bag or 1 to 2 teaspoons loose leaf
- 1 pinch culinary lavender optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar-free sweetener to taste (see notes below)
- Small pinch fine sea salt optional (boosts flavors)
- Optional topping: steamed milk foam or a splash of plant cream
- Optional garnish: tiny sprinkle of lavender or a dusting of cinnamon
Instructions
Brew the tea
- Bring 1 cup of water to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add the Earl Grey and the lavender if using, then cover and steep 4 to 5 minutes. For stronger flavor, steep up to 6 minutes, then stop to prevent tannic notes.
Warm the milk
- In a small pot, gently heat the plant milk until hot but not boiling, ideally in the 140-149F range (60 to 65 C range). Take off the heat, then stir in vanilla, maple or sweetener, and a tiny pinch of salt.
Combine and strain
- Pour the brewed tea through a fine mesh sieve into a warmed mug to catch any lavender or tea fines. Stir in the warm vanilla milk.
Froth and finish
- If you have a frother, foam a little extra plant milk and spoon it on top. Garnish lightly with lavender or cinnamon. Sip and enjoy.
Notes
No frother, no problem
- French press: add hot milk, plunge 10 to 15 times for microfoam.
- Jar method: shake hot milk in a heat-safe jar for 20 seconds, microwave 10 to 15 seconds to set the foam.
- Whisk: tilt the pot and whisk briskly where milk meets air for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Cover the tea while it steeps to keep the aromatics in the cup.
- If it tastes bitter, lower water temp next time, shorten the steep, or reduce lavender. A small pinch of salt can help boost the flavor, too.
- If it tastes weak, use 2 tea bags or steep for up to 6 minutes. You can also try adding a little less milk.
- Orange zest loves bergamot – a couple of quick swipes over the mug brightens everything.
- Brew double strength tea, 2 bags in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes.
- Sweeten while hot, cool completely.
- Fill a tall glass with ice, add ½ to ¾ cup cold plant milk, then pour in the tea.
- Optionally finish with cold foam.
- Heat water in a mug until steaming, steep tea and lavender for 4 to 5 minutes (covered).
- In a second mug, heat milk for 45 to 60 seconds, stir in vanilla and sweetener, froth using one of the hacks above, then combine.
- Tea concentrate: brew 4 bags in 2 cups hot water for 5 minutes. Strain, sweeten to taste, cool. Refrigerate up to 3 days. For each serving, use ½ cup concentrate plus ½ to ¾ cup hot or cold plant milk.
- Vanilla syrup: simmer ½ cup water with ½ cup sugar or allulose for 2 minutes, remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons per mug.
- Decaf: use decaf Earl Grey for an evening wind down.
- Extra cozy: swap a splash of plant cream for part of the milk.
- Maple cinnamon: add a tiny pinch of cinnamon to the milk while warming.
- Bitter? Shorten steep, reduce lavender, add a pinch of salt.
- Flat? Add ½ teaspoon more vanilla or a drizzle of maple, finish with orange zest.
- Foam collapses? Keep milk below a boil, use barista plant milk, froth before combining and spoon foam on last.
