Name: Strawberry Latte
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup strawberries (fresh, or defrosted frozen); 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons strawberry sauce; ice; 1/2 cup milk of choice; 1/2 cup cup strong coffee; sweetener (optional, I use 2 tsp maple syrup)

This strawberry latte is a smooth and refreshing coffee drink made with a 3-ingredient strawberry sauce, your choice of milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. It’s refined sugar-free and paleo and vegan with the right kind of milk.

Here’s a quick recipe to help you combat those hot days! Is it weird? Kind of.

Strawberries + coffee is a but unusual. To be honest, I thought this drink would be pretty unappetizing, but I was wrong.

It’s oddly refreshing and not as bizarre as you might think!

a tall glass of a layered strawberry latte garnished with a fresh strawberry

Strawberry sauce

For the bottom layer of the drink, you make a quick strawberry sauce. It’s sweet but not overly sweet; so just right for this drink.

You just blend together strawberries, maple syrup and vanilla in a blender and then simmer for a few minutes to thicken the mixture. It goes from ultra runny to a sauce in just 3 minutes.

If you like the runny mixture you have after blending, feel free to already pour it into the bottom of your glass. But I think the latte is much better with the strawberries thickened a bit. It intensifies the strawberry flavor and makes the drink a little thicker.

photo of three ingredients needed to make strawberry latte sauce, which include fresh strawberries, vanilla and maple syrup

Not thickening the strawberry puree will also make it trickier to create a neat layered look.

If you use frozen strawberries, be sure to defrost them before blending. If you don’t, it’ll be difficult (or impossible, if not using a high-speed blender) to blend.

If you’d like to make a bigger batch, it’ll keep for a few days in the fridge. It’s great to use in smoothies and cocktails. You could perhaps add some to this Strawberry Frosé or Honey-Sweetened Lemonade for added strawberry flavor.

top view photo showing 2 steps to make a strawberry latte sauce before and after cooking

The strawberry sauce will thicken quickly, but don’t let it thicken so much that it becomes jam. It’ll be hard to stir in the drink if it’s too thick.

And be sure to cool the sauce completely before using it in the drink. It yields a small amount, about 1/3 cup, so it’ll cool quickly, especially if you pour what you need into your glass and place it in the fridge.

You only use 3 tablespoons in the latte, so you’ll have about 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon leftover to spoon onto ice cream or whatever you’d like.

What else you need

You just need strong coffee and whatever milk you have on hand.

I go into more detail on both ingredients below.

ingredients needed to make a strawberry latte including choice of milk, strawberry sauce and strong coffee

How to layer

If serving to guests, it’s nice to serve this strawberry latte layered.

Using the back of a spoon helps disperse liquid over a wider surface allowing liquids to float on top of one another rather than sink into each other. It’s not mandatory, but it sure makes the drink look striking.

process photo showing step 3 in making a strawberry latte by layering the milk of choice on top of the strawberry sauce

Each liquid has its own weight, so to layer drinks, start with the heaviest liquid first. It’s usually the one with the highest sugar content. So we’ll pour the strawberry sauce over the ice first.

Then place the spoon upside down near the strawberry layer and gently pour the milk over the back of the spoon. Then do the same for the coffee; don’t rush it or it’ll muddy the drink. As you can see in the photo below.

photo showing the layering process to make a strawberry latte, showing a hand holding a pitcher of strong coffee and pouring over the other two layers of strawberry sauce and milk

How to make strong coffee

If you have time, you can plan ahead and make this French Press Cold Brew or this Mason Jar Cold Brew. Cold brewing requires at least 8 hours, so making it the night before is best.

a tall glass of a three-layered strawberry latte showing the strawberry sauce on the bottom, then milk of choice and the final layer of strong coffee

If you’re wondering what kind of coffee beans to use in the French press, be sure to check out this Espresso Beans vs. Coffee Beans post.

a hand holding a red and white straw blending a strawberry latte

What kind of milk is best?

You can use whatever you’d like – dairy or plant-based. I always use unsweetened cashew milk, and it pairs nicely with the strawberries.

If you’re paleo, make sure to use unsweetened plant-based milk without any additives or other funky stuff. The only ingredients should be nuts, water and possibly salt.

a hand lifting a tall glass of a multi-layered strawberry latte garnished with a fresh strawberry

Other summer drinks

This Watermelon Refresher is a great place to start! Super healthy, too. Same with this Strawberry Watermelon Drink, which has no added sugar!

This Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew is rich and creamy with hints of chocolate and malt flavor. It’s subtly sweet and can be made vegan or dairy-free.
This Mojito Espresso is a coffee cocktail with a fresh mint finish. It’s made with espresso, fresh mint, white rum and half-and-half with a vegan option.
This Strawberry Ginger Banana Smoothie not only tastes great, it helps relieve nausea and upset stomachs.
This Raspberry Margarita is another fruity cocktail perfect for outdoor grilling! It’s maple-sweetened, vegan and gluten-free.

That’s all for now. If you try this Strawberry Latte, I’d love to hear how you like it! Thanks so much.