Peppermint Tea Latte

Recipe Ingredients

• Peppermint Tea Bags: Make sure the only ingredient is peppermint tea, not a blend of other mint varieties like spearmint. We just want peppermint alone here for that festive flavor. Teas described just as "mint" usually have other ingredients, as does a popular tea brand with a "candy cane" flavor that includes green tea leaves and other herbs and spices. I always check the nutrition panel ingredient list to verify as it can be hard to know from the packaging.
• Water: Two tea bags are steeped in half the amount of water the box calls for so the flavor is extra-concentrated to hold up as the base of a latte.
• Milk: Use your preferred! Varieties with higher fat content, especially dairy milk, will froth easier. I chose to challenge myself with the peppermint tea lattes pictured here in two ways and used barely-any-fat almond milk and heated/frothed it without the use of a frothing tool. I was pretty pleased! My testing methods and recommendation is below.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a modest amount of sweetness without introducing any competing flavors, like honey or maple syrup would. You can use a simple syrup if you have one/prefer.
• Vanilla Extract: Added to the milk, vanilla extract is another element that elevates this peppermint tea latte above being simply milky, sweetened tea. Consider replacing the sugar and vanilla extract with vanilla coffee syrup if you have one.

Easy Steps

1. Step 1: Boil water and steep peppermint tea bags.

2. Step 2: Heat and froth milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. There are several ways to do this (listed below).

3. Step 3: Divide the peppermint tea between two mugs, then add the milk and foam evenly between them. Add extra sweetener if desired.

Frothing Milk Without A Tool

It's no surprise that the easiest and most effective way to froth milk for a latte is by using a specialized tool, especially one that heats and froths the milk at the same time. But here's how you can prepare milk for a latte without a special tool:

1. Heat milk and sugar in a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir as the sugar heats and dissolves, making sure the milk doesn't start to boil.
2. Once you notice small bubbles forming around the edge of the pan, take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. In order from least to most effective: either whisk the milk vigorously by hand; carefully pour the steamed milk into a heat-safe jar, firmly affix the lid, and shake well; or pour into a high-powered blender and blitz until foamy.

Tips and Tricks

• Measure before heating. It's easier to measure out one cup of water and pour it into the kettle before boiling, in case you're not sure if your measuring cups are heat-safe.
• Substitute loose leaf tea. An equivalent amount of loose leaf tea can be used in place of tea bags. The peppermint tea bags I use are roughly 1.6 grams each, so 3.2 grams of tea bags total used for this recipe.
• Handle with care. Smaller glass mugs are cute but heat up with hot liquids. Make sure to use some that are double-walled for insulation or ones with handles.