Creamy Rooibos Latte with Honey (Caffeine-Free Tea Latte)
Easy rooibos latte recipe for your caffeine-free pick-me-up needs here! It’s made with just 3 ingredients and is ready in 10 minutes or less.
Trying to cut caffeine is hard. I am in the process and struggling. But a delicious, creamy rooibos latte is what is helping me through. Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free and since it pairs so well with milk, it helps satisfy that desire for a creamy latte. And while it won’t give you the energy boost that caffeinated tea or coffee can, it is definitely a mood-boosting treat. Let’s make it!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase any of the items linked in this post, I should earn a small commission. This creates no additional cost to you and helps support the work that goes into running The Fig Jar. Thank you! -Becky
What is a rooibos tea latte?
A rooibos latte, also called a “red latte” or “red espresso”, is a warm + comforting drink that combines rooibos tea (or red bush tea) with warmed milk, similar to how a traditional latte is made, but tea is used instead of an espresso base. To ensure the rich and nutty flavors of the herbal tea come through, the tea is steeped into a strong concentrate. I typically use 2-3 tea bags per 1 cup hot water when I make a tea latte (such as in London Fog Lattes and Pumpkin Chai Lattes) and that’s what we will do with this recipe as well!
Rooibos latte ingredients
- rooibos tea
- honey – agave nectar, maple syrup, simple syrup and regular sugar will also work.
- milk – I prefer whole milk or even half & half, but you can use whatever milk you prefer. Just know that plant-based milk such as oat milk and lower-fat-content milk won’t froth as much.
Does rooibos tea taste good with milk?
Rooibos tea has a deep + rich flavor that pairs perfectly with milk. Rooibos has an earthy flavor, as many teas do, but it also has a naturally sweet flavor that is quite nice. I still like adding a little honey but some people find the natural sweetness to be enough.
How to make a delicious caffeine-free latte
Start by steeping rooibos tea in boiling water for 7-10 minutes. A longer steep time will produce stronger tea. I also up the amount of tea bags to make sure the rooibos flavor doesn’t get overpowered by milk.
When the tea is done steeping, lift the tea bags and gently press against the side of the mug with the back of a spoon to release as much rooibos flavor as possible.
While the tea is steeping, warm + froth your milk. You can heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave, I just recommend frothing your milk for that coffee shop experience at home. Add the honey to the milk, then simply place the hand-held milk frother deep into the milk, press the button and froth milk to the desired consistency. It usually takes a minute or less for me.
Just be sure to wait to froth until you are ready to pour the tea so the milk doesn’t lose any of its frothiness.
Pour frothed milk over rooibos tea & enjoy!
Also, I am loving this new mug set I got on Amazon! I just love the style of the glass, it comes with a lid that can also double as a coaster! Oh and it comes with cute little stirring spoons too. 🙂
Can I make this an iced drink?
Absolutely, yes! To make this drink iced, steep the tea according to the instructions in this recipe. Once the tea is finished steeping, add sweeteners and cold milk to cool the tea down. Have a drink glass filled with ice, pour the tea mixture over the ice and enjoy.
You can also steep the tea ahead, sweeten and refrigerate until ready to enjoy. This will minimize the chances of the latte getting watered down too quickly.
Flavor enhancers
For extra layers of flavor, try adding cinnamon or vanilla to your tea latte. Or you can add both! A splash of vanilla extract in the tea, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon over the milk are a delightful addition here. You can also put a whole cinnamon stick in the tea while its steeping for more cinnamon flavor.
What are the benefits of rooibos latte
Rooibos tea is native to South Africa and is popular not only for its unique flavor, but for it’s many potential health benefits! Some of these include:
- Antioxidants – rooibos tea (like many teas!) is rich in antioxidants which help protect the body from free radicals. Protection from such threats reduces our risk of chronic diseases and poor health.
- Caffeine-free – while there is some debate about whether or not caffeine is good for you, some people need to avoid it for health reasons. Rooibos is a delicious alternative for anyone looking for a caffeine-free treat that won’t disrupt your sleep.
- Digestive health – because it is gentle on the digestive system, it has long been used to treat gastrointestinal discomforts like stomach cramps and indigestion.
- Skin health – specific antioxidants and minerals found in rooibos tea (zinc and alpha hydroxy acid) are believed to support skin health. For this reason it is sometimes used in skin care products!
- Bone health – rooibos tea contains calcium, manganese and flouride– all of which are essential for healthy bones.
- Anti-inflammatory properties – the anti-inflammatory compounds found in rooibos tea can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, possibly benefiting those with chronic inflammatory health conditions, like arthritis.
Tried this recipe?
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PrintCreamy Rooibos Latte with Honey (Caffeine-Free Tea Latte)
Easy rooibos latte recipe for your caffeine-free pick-me-up needs. This is a warm + comforting drink made with rooibos tea, milk and honey but it can also be made as an iced drink if necessary.
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 latte 1x
- Category: drinks
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2–3 rooibos tea bags
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/3 cup whole milk, warmed + frothed
Instructions
- Steep tea bags in boiled water for 7-10 minutes. Press the tea bags against the side of the mig with a spoon to release extra flavor.
- Add honey to warmed milk and stir until dissolved. Use a hand-held frother to create foamed milk if desired.
- Pour warmed milk over tea and enjoy!
Notes
Milk – You can substitute any plant-based milk or lower fat percentage if you would like. You just won’t get as thick of foam.
Frother – When using the milk frother, be sure to insert deep under the milk to prevent splattering. You can warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove, just heat it until warm, you don’t want it to be boiling.
Sweetener – Feel free to sub in other types of sweetener you enjoy. Agave nectar, maple syrup or regular sugar will all work.
