Are you ready for a rich and buttery tea latte that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth? With a hint of smoke for a unique flavour, this black tea latte is well-caffeinated and simply irresistible. Starbucks had a Smoked Butterscotch Latte on their menu in the past, but this is not a copycat recipe exactly. Inspired by the coffee-based latte, I created a tea version. The original latte uses a smoked butterscotch sauce. My Smoked Butterscotch Tea Latte is similar, however, the smoked flavour is from the tea instead. A smoked black tea mingles with candy sweet butterscotch and is topped with frothed or steamed milk for a sophisticated tea latte to enjoy during the fall and winter.
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Ingredient Notes
The 2 main ingredients in this recipe make up the smoked butterscotch sauce: Lapsang Souchong black tea and butterscotch sauce.
Lapsang Souchong
This is a Chinese black tea that has been dried over a pine needle fire. This gives it the distinctive campfire aroma and flavour.
The flavour can be similar to liquid smoke, which is used to make a smoked butterscotch sauce for espresso based lattes.
Not all smoked black teas are equal. So, check out the recommendations below for this latte recipe.
Smoked Black Tea Recommendations
Lapsang Souchong - Loose Leaf Tea Market
Called the scotch whiskey of tea, this certified organic Chinese black tea is like a campfire in a cup.
Lapsang Souchong - California Tea House
From the Wuyi region of the Fujian province of China, is the single malt scotch and fine cigar lovers tea.
Lapsang Souchong - Grosche
An earthy organic black tea with hardy pine aromas and flavours reminiscent of a smoky oak fire.
Butterscotch Sauce
Similar to caramel sauce, making butterscotch sauce isn’t too difficult. The main difference is that butterscotch sauce is made with brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar.
Follow this easy recipe if you want to make butterscotch sauce from scratch.
However, you can also just use store-bought butterscotch sauce in this latte. Look for it in the baking aisle or even the ice cream toppings section of the grocery store.
Hot Water
Lapsang Souchong black tea is best when steeped just below boiling. So, heat the water to 95 degrees Celsius or 203 degrees Fahrenheit.
Milk
You can’t make a latte without the milk! Add milk of your choice to a frother to create fluffy milk clouds to top the mug of tea.
More Lapsang Souchong Recipes:
- Smoky Maple Tea Latte
- Lapsang Souchong Old Fashioned
- Tea Infused Coconut Bacon
- Cauliflower Steaks with Tea Umami Sauce
Smoked Butterscotch Tea Latte Recipe
This recipe serves 1. Scroll down to get a printable recipe card.
Here is what you will need:
1 tablespoon Lapsang Souchong black tea
½ cup hot water, 95 degrees Celsius or 203 degrees Fahrenheit
2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce
¼ cup milk of choice
More butterscotch sauce and crushed tea leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Steep Lapsang Souchong black tea in hot water for 5 minutes. Strain or remove the tea leaves when complete.
Add butterscotch sauce to a mug. Drizzle on the inside walls of the mug as well.
Pour the smoked black tea in the mug with the butterscotch sauce. Stir until smooth.
Heat and froth milk of your choice until it has doubled in volume. Top the smoked butterscotch tea with the frothed milk.
Drizzle more butterscotch sauce on top of the latte.
Lightly crush a pinch of Lapsang Souchong tea leaves in a mortar and pestle until fine. Sprinkle on the latte as well. Enjoy!
Smoked Butterscotch Tea Latte
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Lapsang Souchong black tea
- ½ cup hot water 95 degrees Celsius or 203 degrees Fahrenheit
- 2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- more butterscotch sauce and crushed tea leaves for garnish
Instructions
- 1. Add Lapsang Souchong black tea to a teapot. Steep in hot water for 5 minutes then strain/remove tea leaves.
- 2. In a mug, add butterscotch sauce, drizzling some on the inside walls too. Pour the steeped tea in the mug. Stir until smooth.
- 3. Heat and froth milk of your choice until it has doubled in volume. Add the frothed milk to the mug with the smoked butterscotch tea.
- 4. Drizzle more butterscotch sauce on top of the latte. Lightly crush a pinch of the Lapsang Souchong black tea leaves in a mortar and pestle then sprinkle on top as well before serving or enjoying.
Want to make this smoked butterscotch latte recipe later? Pin it here → https://bit.ly/3CVIIwl
Have you tried butterscotch in tea yet? If so, I’d love to read about your experiences in the comments below!