This black sesame latte uses only two ingredients and can be made hot or cold. Despite the name, this Asian style latte does not have any coffee (but it could, if you want!). Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What is Black Sesame? What does Black Sesame Taste Like?
Black sesame is just like regular sesame except the seeds are naturally black in color. Black sesame seeds have a much stronger, nuttier flavor than regular white sesame seeds, which cannot be emulated by toasting regular sesame. In fact, I haven’t found any other food that tastes quite like black sesame. You just have to try it for yourself!
Black sesame is a popular flavor in Asian desserts. You can find it in ice creams, cookies, cakes, and more!
Where to Buy Black Sesame Paste?
For this recipe, I use store bought black sesame paste. I’ve seen other recipes that call for grinding your own black sesame seeds into a powder, but I find that the flavor and color is not as strong when using ground seeds. The commercially made black sesame paste seems to have a much more concentrated amount of sesame, resulting in a stronger flavor and super dark charcoal color that really stands out in baked goods. You can find black sesame paste in Asian markets, but if all else fails, there’s always Amazon. I find that in-store prices are generally cheaper than Amazon, so if you can, I recommend shopping in person.
Black Sesame Latte – With or Without Coffee
In Asia, a “latte” commonly refers to any drink made with milk and does not need to include actual coffee. So if you go to Korea, for example, and order a sweet potato latte, expect a drink made with just sweet potatoes and milk. Similarly, a black sesame latte may be just black sesame milk, containing no caffeine. However, in Asian fusion cafes here in America, you can find black sesame lattes that consist of black sesame milk plus espresso.
For this recipe, I give you instructions just on how to make the black sesame milk. You can drink it hot or over ice, with or without sweetener (I do without). I usually drink my black sesame lattes hot for a cozy, noncaffeinated drink in the winter months. If you’d like to add coffee, simply add a shot or two of espresso and use the black sesame milk the same way you would any milk or creamer. Iced black sesame milk with a shot of espresso poured over is both delicious AND fun to look at.
More Asian Home Cafe Drinks
Looking for more easy Asian drinks you can add to your home cafe menu? Try these:
- Best Iced Matcha Latte
- Ube Matcha Latte
- Easy Ube Latte
- Banana Matcha Latte
- Matcha Horchata
- Brown Sugar Hojicha Latte
Black Sesame Latte (Black Sesame Milk)
Equipment
- frother optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat milk can sub other milks
- 1 tsp black sesame paste
Instructions
- Put oat milk and black sesame paste in a small saucepan and heat on stovetop, stirring to mix the black sesame. When milk is steaming, but not yet boiling, turn off the heat.
- Pour warmed black sesame milk into a 12oz mug. Use a hand frother to foam your black sesame milk to the top rim of the mug. If you are not frothing your milk, you can increase your liquid to 1 1/2 cups and black sesame to 1 1/2 teaspoons in order to fill a 12 oz mug.
Notes
- I find that oat milk is naturally sweet enough that I do not need any additional sweeteners. However, if you substitute other milks, you may want to add a little sugar or honey to taste.
- If you’d like to drink this iced, simply blend your milk and black sesame paste until well mixed and pour into a glass with ice.
- This black sesame “latte” is made Asian-style, with just milk, but you can certainly add a shot of expresso if you’d like.