Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte
Updated Apr 26, 2025
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A tasty Earl Grey tea latte, just like the one at Starbucks, is easy to make at home with just 4 ingredients. Get tips and step-by-step directions.
Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte
The London Fog Tea Latte at Starbucks is made with Earl Grey tea (a black tea with bergamot, a citrus fruit from Italy), hot water, 2% milk, and vanilla syrup (combining vanilla extract and sugar). Half the drink is tea and half is milk. The Earl Grey tea bag that Starbucks uses has lavender in it.
London Fog drinks, which originated in Vancouver, Canada, are only made with Earl Grey tea. The citrus notes from bergamot that gives Earl Grey its signature flavor is what makes it stand out from other black teas. If you use any other black tea like an English breakfast tea, it’s no longer a London Fog.
Even though the drink is called a latte, there’s no coffee in it, but it is caffeinated from the Earl Grey.
Note from Jee
The London Fog drink that Starbucks makes is actually a Victorian Fog since it includes lavender. A regular London Fog is made without lavender.
I’ve noticed other companies will label tea bags as London Fog even though it’s a Victorian Fog since a lot more people are familiar with it. Either way, just look at the ingredients to see if it includes lavender if you want it to taste like the Starbucks version.
Recipe Summary
- Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte is a hot drink made by steeping Earl Grey tea bags in hot water, then adding vanilla syrup and steamed milk.
- The recipe recreates the drink using a similar Earl Grey tea with lavender that Starbucks uses.
- This Starbucks copycat drink makes a 16 ounce (grande size) London Fog Tea Latte.
RELATED: London Fog Frappuccino
Ingredient Notes
- Earl Grey tea: Earl Grey tea is a blend of black tea and bergamot, an Italian citrus fruit. Starbucks uses Teavana Earl Grey which has lavender in it but this tea is no longer sold so if you do find it, it’s marked up crazy high. I recommend this one, which also has Earl Grey with lavender.
- Vanilla syrup: Instead of adding vanilla extract and sugar as separate ingredients, vanilla syrup is an easier way to flavor and sweeten the latte. Use homemade or get vanilla syrup directly from Starbucks.
- Milk: At Starbucks, all their tea lattes are made with 2% milk, but you can use any milk you like.
- Hot water: For better tasting tea, I always use filtered water.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil water on the stovetop or use an electric kettle with a temperature setting.
Put Earl Grey tea sachets and hot water into a teapot. Cover and steep.
Step 2: Froth milk using an electric milk frother or by simmering milk on the stovetop, pouring it into a French press, then pumping the plunger a few times.
Step 3: Put vanilla syrup and hot tea into a cup.
Step 4: Add frothed milk.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Recipe Notes
Add lavender to any Earl Grey tea.
Instead of Teavana Earl Grey tea, use any Earl Grey tea and steep it with a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of dried lavender. Only add the lavender if you want it to be like the Starbucks drink, otherwise you can leave it out since a regular London Fog drink isn’t made with any lavender.
Get vanilla syrup from Starbucks.
Vanilla syrup can be purchased at Starbucks locations if you ask the barista at the register. The only catch is that they’ll only sell it to you if they extra in stock. It’ll costs about $25.
Don’t oversteep the tea.
Steeping tea for too long will make the tea bitter. Don’t steep the tea for more than 5 minutes.
Expert Tips
- If you’re warming the milk on the stovetop, make sure not to boil it since it can easily burn. Always use low heat until it reaches a simmer and then turn off the heat.
- To microwave the milk, heat it for 30 seconds at a time in a microwave-safe cup.
- Make it decadent with whipped cream. Whisk ¼ cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup using a handheld milk frother to make whipped cream in seconds.
RELATED: How to Make Tea Lattes
Related
- Starbucks Iced London Fog Latte Copycat
- Starbucks Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte Copycat
- Starbucks Iced Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte Copycat
- Earl Grey Hot Chocolate
- Chamomile Tea Latte
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Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte Copycat
Ingredients
- 2 tea sachets Earl Grey tea, (or 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea)
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- ⅔ cup 2% milk
Instructions
- Put Earl Grey tea sachets and hot water into a teapot. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.Boil water on the stovetop or use an electric kettle with a temperature setting. Set the water temperature to 208°F when using the electric kettle.Once steeped, discard the sachets and set aside the tea.2 tea sachets Earl Grey tea, 1 cup hot water
- Froth milk.Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother or by simmering milk on the stovetop, then pouring it into a French press, then pumping the plunger until milk doubles in volume.⅔ cup 2% milk
- Put vanilla syrup and hot tea into a cup. Add frothed milk.2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
Notes
- Earl Grey tea is a blend of black tea and bergamot, an Italian citrus fruit. Starbucks uses Teavana Earl Grey which includes lavender buds.
- If you don’t have Teavana Earl Grey use any Earl Grey and steep with a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of food-grade dried lavender.
- Vanilla syrup can be purchased at Starbucks locations if you ask the barista at the register. The only catch is that they’ll only sell it to you if they extra in stock. It’ll costs about $25.
- Steeping tea for too long will make the tea bitter. Don’t steep the tea for more than 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
