Butterfly Pea Flower Latte

Cozy up with this butterfly pea flower latte to relax before bed, or anytime you are in the mood for relaxation. This pretty blue caffeine-free beverage gets its creaminess from plant-based milk.

Jump to:

• A caffeine-free alternative
• What is butterfly pea flower ?
• What are the benefits?
• How to make it
• How does it taste?
• Tips
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

A caffeine-free alternative

What drink do you typically go for in the morning? Aside from lemon water or plain water, I usually like to treat myself to black coffee, especially on weekends. Similarly, I treat myself to some espresso in the afternoon.

Despite my best intentions, my coffee consumption has not abated. It seems that whenever we return from vacation, my coffee consumption goes up. After all, I owe it to myself to sample the local coffee, wherever we happen to be! As a result, I carry the habit of drinking more coffee when I return home from vacation.

To try something different, I decided to make this blue butterfly pea flower latte. This recipe is easy to make using just four ingredients. The fifth ingredient, rose petals, is optional. This soothing beverage is just as delicious without the rose petals if you don't have them. I added them for visual interest, color, and texture for styling the photo. Because, why not?

What is butterfly pea flower ?

The butterfly pea flower plant has been cultivated for a long time in the tropical equatorial region of Southeast Asia. Its flowers are a stunning blue color, and the petals have flecks of white and yellow.

The butterfly pea flower powder is derived from dried butterfly pea flowers. It is entirely plant-based, vegan, caffeine-free, and is free of artificial coloring.

What are the benefits?

Butterfly pea flowers are said to have been used as an analgesic and to aid insomnia, as well as for beauty purposes. The blue color of the flowers comes from anthocyanins, which are water-soluble compounds that occur naturally in some black, blue, purple, and red plants. The flowers also contain antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against the damaging effects of free radicals, protecting against aging prematurely.

In Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, butterfly pea flowers are used for natural food coloring in rice dishes and in teas. When the flowers are added to hot water, the water will turn an incredible shade of blue or violet. When mixed with lemon or lime, which have acidity, the liquid turns a beautiful shade of pink.

How to make it

It only takes about ten minutes to make this warm and cozy drink.

Here is what you will need to make it:

• small sieve
• small saucepan
• whisk
• milk frother
• cashew milk
• butterfly pea flower powder
• maple syrup
• vanilla extract
• rose petals (optional)

To make this caffeine-free latte, I heated plain unsweetened cashew milk on low to medium heat until warmed. Then I sifted the butterfly pea flower powder through a small mesh sieve and added vanilla extract plus maple syrup. 

Using a whisk, I vigorously mixed it quickly in a back and forth motion until everything was mixed in. Be careful not to boil the mixture. Only heat it until warm.

After I took it off the heat, I used a battery operated milk frother to get extra froth. I use this same method to make my pandan latte.

How does it taste?

This dairy-free creamy blue latte is soothing, and the taste reminds me of the flavor of green tea. It is lovely and mild, delicate in flavor.

Tips

Keep an eye on your saucepan because the mixture can suddenly foam up when overheated and overflow!

Be sure not to overfill your mug to avoid spills. It's surprising how powerful that little battery operated milk frother can be!

If you make this butterfly pea flower latte be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me on Instagram.

If you enjoy this latte, you will love my Pandan Cashew Milk Latte.

Be sure to follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to see you there!

This easy to make recipe is adapted from Crowded Kitchen.

📖 Recipe