London Fog Drink

How to make a London Fog drink at home! This Earl Gray Tea Latte smells of lavender.

There’s no better antidote to a cold day than wrapping your hands around a steaming latte. Here’s one to add to your homemade tea latte repertoire: the London Fog! This Earl Gray Tea Latte is smooth and creamy, with the sweet essence of honey, vanilla and lavender flowers. It’s an absolute treat! Don’t want to venture into your local coffee shop? This recipe is part of our Barista series where we show you how to make all your favorite tea and coffee beverages… homemade!

What’s in a London Fog Drink?

London Fog is a tea latte made with Earl Gray tea, milk and vanilla syrup (or honey). Most modern versions of the drink also contain lavender, which Starbucks added when it added the drink to its menu.

Who invented the London fog? The drink originated in Vancouver’s Buckwheat Café in 1997 when a pregnant woman named Mary Loria ordered a latte with Earl Gray tea. Other cafes are trying to claim the drink as their own, but Mary claims she’s the original, although it’s unclear who came up with the drink’s name (read more here). What you need for this trip on the London Fog:

• Earl Gray tea
• lavender
• Honey
• vanilla extract
• whole milk

The best milk for a London Fog

The best milk for a London Fog? whole milk. Milk fat makes the froth the most foamy and gives the latte a rich, creamy flavor. Whole milk is our top choice for London Fog, but there are a few alternatives, including a non-dairy option:

• Whole milk (first choice). This gives the best foam and has the richest flavor.
• 2% milk. 2% also works, but it’s not as creamy.
• oat milk. Oat milk is the best choice for a non-dairy London Fog because it froths the best of all vegan milks.

Tea: Earl Gray!

The only thing standard in a London Fog drink? Earl Gray tea, a popular British tea blend flavored with bergamot. It tastes flowery with a clear lemony finish. It’s perfect for getting married with the delicate aromas of lavender and honey! You can use a tea bag or loose tea for this recipe. You either need:

• 1 tea bag
• 2 teaspoons of loose tea

Where can I find dried lavender buds?

Most London Fog recipes include dried lavender, but it wasn’t in the original form of this drink. It’s an addition from Starbucks, but it’s the most popular way to make a London Fog because the flavors really work. Floral lavender pairs perfectly with citrusy Earl Gray tea and cozy vanilla.

Where can I find dried lavender? Check the condiment section of your local grocery store. Most spice departments have pots of culinary lavender. (Use leftovers for lavender tea, lavender lemonade, or a lavender gin cocktail!)

Steaming vs. frothing milk

The most important part of a London Fog drink? Decide how to steam or froth the milk! There are two options depending on your equipment:

• Steam milk with an espresso machine. If you have one, it’s the absolute better tool for work. This requires some practice, but the quality is significantly better than foaming. Go to How to steam milk.
• Froth the milk with a hand frother or a whisk. This is the easiest way! We’ve researched a number of ways to froth milk that also work well for a homemade London Fog. Go to How to froth milk.

How to Make London Fog Drink (Basic Steps!)

Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients and equipment, it’s easy to make a homemade London Fog drink. Here’s what to do:

• prepare the tea Just boil the water and steep the tea bag with the lavender.
• Use fresh milk! For the best foam, use fresh milk. If the milk you use has been in the fridge for a while, it may not froth.
• Froth or steam the milk and vanilla. See tips in How to steam milk and How to froth milk.
• Pour the tea and milk into the cup. When you pour in the milk, the deliciously creamy, frothy froth follows! Garnish with a few lavender flowers if you like.

That’s it! Let us know what you think of this Homemade London Fog in the comments below!

More tea lattes

Do you like making lattes with tea? Here are our best homemade tea lattes: