Home » Butterfly Iced Latte Recipe: Blue Purple Coffee at Home

Butterfly Iced Latte Recipe: Blue Purple Coffee at Home

Jacob Yaze

June 5, 2026

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A butterfly iced latte is one of the prettiest iced coffee drinks you can make at home. It gets its blue-purple color from butterfly pea flower, a naturally colorful flower tea that changes shade when mixed with acidic ingredients like lemon. In this latte, it creates a soft blue or lavender layer that looks beautiful with milk and espresso.

The flavor is gentle, lightly earthy, and tea-like, so it works best with vanilla, honey, coconut, or white chocolate sweetness. The coffee gives the drink depth, while the butterfly pea flower gives the visual effect. I like this recipe most as an iced latte because the layers look cleaner and the drink feels refreshing.

For the best taste, use espresso or strong cold brew, chilled butterfly pea tea, milk, vanilla syrup, and plenty of ice.

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Best Coffee Beans for Butterfly Iced Latte Recipes

Image	Product	Features	Price
Best Color Friendly	Starbucks Blonde Espresso Whole Bean	Mellow sweet espresso Blonde roast profile Soft sweet taste Less bitter finish Great floral latte	Price on Amazon
Best Floral Match	illy Classico Whole Bean	Caramel-jasmine smoothness 100% Arabica blend Medium roast balance Soft floral aroma Elegant iced cup	Price on Amazon
Best Light Floral	Lavazza Espresso Italiano Whole Bean	Sweet aromatic Arabica 100% Arabica beans Floral-fruity notes Smooth espresso base Gentle iced finish	Price on Amazon
Best Bright Butterfly	Blue Bottle Bright Whole Bean Coffee	Lemon-zest light roast Bright light roast Citrus-forward cup Clean iced body Great floral contrast	Price on Amazon
Best Creamy Butterfly	Lavazza Super Crema Whole Bean	Smooth crema-friendly blend Medium espresso roast Creamy iced body Mild nutty sweetness Good milk layering	Price on Amazon
Best Specialty Butterfly	Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso	Syrupy espresso balance Light roast espresso Sweet cup structure Floral syrup friendly Clean iced finish	Price on Amazon
Best Chocolate Contrast	Stumptown Hair Bender Whole Bean	Citrus chocolate balance Medium roast beans Bright iced lift Dark chocolate finish Great purple latte	Price on Amazon
Best Honey Butterfly	Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema	Honeyed espresso profile Full-bodied espresso Honey aromatic note Rich chilled texture Balanced floral sweetness	Price on Amazon
Best Smooth Iced	Kicking Horse Three Sisters Whole Bean	Cocoa fruit balance Organic whole beans Medium roast profile Cocoa sweetness Smooth iced milk	Price on Amazon
Best Clean Butterfly	Blue Bottle Balanced Whole Bean Coffee	Caramel cocoa balance Medium-light roast Clean espresso cup Balanced cold milk Refreshing floral finish	Price on Amazon

Butterfly Iced Latte Recipe Card

Ingredients You Need

For one butterfly iced latte, you will need:

• 1 to 2 espresso shots or 3 oz cold brew concentrate
• ½ cup milk of choice
• ¼ cup strong butterfly pea flower tea, chilled
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup, honey syrup, or white chocolate syrup
• Ice cubes
• Optional ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Optional whipped cream or edible flowers

Butterfly pea flower tea is the key ingredient. It gives the drink its natural blue color. On its own, the flavor is mild and earthy, almost like a soft herbal tea. That is why it needs a little sweetness and creaminess to feel like a proper latte.

Vanilla syrup is the easiest sweetener because it blends smoothly and supports the floral color without overpowering the coffee. Honey syrup works well if you want a softer, natural sweetness. White chocolate syrup makes the drink creamier and more dessert-like.

How to Make Butterfly Pea Tea

To make the blue layer, steep dried butterfly pea flowers or a butterfly pea tea bag in hot water.

Use:

• 1 teaspoon dried butterfly pea flowers
• ¼ cup hot water
• Steep for 5 minutes
• Strain
• Chill before using

Make the tea stronger than normal because it will be diluted with milk, ice, and coffee. If the tea is too weak, the color may look pale after mixing.

Do not add lemon at this stage unless you want the tea to turn purple. Butterfly pea flower reacts with acidity, so lemon changes the color from blue to violet or pinkish purple.

How to Make the Iced Latte

Start by chilling the butterfly pea tea. This helps keep the drink cold and improves the layered look.

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the vanilla syrup first, then pour in the chilled butterfly pea tea. Add the milk slowly. You should see a soft blue or pale lavender milk layer form in the glass.

Next, pour the espresso or cold brew gently over the top. If you want a more layered drink, pour the coffee slowly over the back of a spoon or directly over a large ice cube. If you do not care about layers, just pour and stir.

The drink looks beautiful layered, but it tastes best after stirring. The coffee, milk, sweetener, and butterfly pea tea need to blend for the smoothest flavor.

Best Coffee to Use

The best coffee for a butterfly iced latte is smooth and not too smoky. Since butterfly pea flower has a delicate herbal flavor, very dark coffee can overpower it. Medium-roast espresso, cold-brew concentrate, or strong-brewed coffee works best.

Look for coffee with notes like:

• Chocolate
• Caramel
• Vanilla
• Honey
• Brown sugar
• Almond
• Toasted nuts

Avoid very acidic coffee if you are also adding lemon. Too much acidity can make the latte taste sharp. If you want the purple color effect, use only a tiny splash of lemon and balance it with enough sweetness.

Best Milk for Butterfly Iced Latte

Whole milk gives the creamiest texture and cleanest café-style latte feel.

Oat milk works beautifully because it is naturally creamy and slightly sweet.

Coconut milk gives the drink a tropical flavor and looks especially nice with the blue color.

Almond milk is lighter, but it can make the latte thinner.

For the brightest color, use a pale milk and avoid chocolate or strongly flavored colored milks.

Flavor Variations

For a vanilla butterfly iced latte, use vanilla syrup and whole milk or oat milk.

For a honey butterfly latte, use honey syrup instead of vanilla syrup.

For a coconut butterfly iced latte, use coconut milk and garnish with toasted coconut.

For a white chocolate butterfly latte, use white chocolate syrup for a sweeter dessert-style version.

For a purple butterfly latte, add a tiny splash of lemon to the butterfly pea tea before adding milk.

For a stronger coffee version, use two espresso shots or 3 to 4 oz cold brew concentrate.

For a blended version, blend the milk, butterfly pea tea, sweetener, coffee, and ice until smooth.

Best Ratio for Butterfly Iced Latte

My favorite starting ratio is:

• 1 part butterfly pea tea
• 2 parts milk
• 1 part espresso or strong coffee
• Sweetener to taste
• Plenty of ice

For one drink, that looks like:

• ¼ cup butterfly pea tea
• ½ cup milk
• 1 to 2 espresso shots or 3 oz cold brew
• 1 to 2 tablespoons syrup
• Ice

This creates a latte where the color is visible, the milk stays creamy, and the coffee still tastes present.

Final Taste

A good butterfly iced latte should taste creamy, lightly sweet, gently floral, and coffee-rich at the finish. The butterfly pea flavor should be subtle. The coffee should not taste burnt. The sweetener should round the drink without making it syrupy.

The main appeal is the color, but the drink should still taste balanced. When done well, it feels like a soft vanilla iced latte with a delicate herbal twist and a beautiful blue-purple café look.

FAQ

What is a butterfly iced latte?

A butterfly iced latte is an iced coffee drink made with butterfly pea flower tea, milk, sweetener, espresso or cold brew, and ice.

Does butterfly pea flower taste strong?

No. Butterfly pea flower has a mild, earthy, herbal, tea-like flavor. It is mostly used for its natural blue color.

Can I make it without espresso?

Yes. Use cold brew concentrate or strong, chilled brewed coffee instead.

Can I make it purple?

Yes. Add a tiny splash of lemon juice to the butterfly pea tea. The acidity changes the color from blue to purple.

Can I use oat milk?

Yes. Oat milk works very well because it is creamy and slightly sweet.

Why is my latte not blue?

The butterfly pea tea may be too weak, or too much milk may have diluted the color. Use a stronger tea and chill it before mixing.

What coffee beans work best?

Medium roast beans with chocolate, caramel, vanilla, honey, or nutty notes work best. Avoid very smoky, dark roasts.