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Creme Brulee Latte

Name: Creme Brulee Latte
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tsp custard powder or dry vanilla pudding mix; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 70ml milk (¼ cup + 1 tbsp); ¼ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste; 50ml double cream or heavy cream, cold (3 tbsps + 1 tsp); 1 tsp icing sugar or powdered sugar; 2 shots espresso or 50ml strongly brewed coffee, hot (3 tbsps + 1 tsp); 1 tsp light brown sugar; 1 tsp sweetened condensed milk; 1/4 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste; pinch of salt (optional); caramel sauce or toffee sauce, optional for lining the glass; ice; 70ml milk of choice (¼ cup + 1 tbsp), depending on the size of your glass; granulated sugar, for topping

this iced creme brulee latte is made with coffee, brown sugar, condensed milk and a vanilla custard cream topping with a crackly brûléed sugar finish.

15 min prep
5 min cook
20 min total
1 serves

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hand holding a creme brulee iced latte in a glass

creme brulee latte in a glass resting on a striped fabric coaster

This creme brulee latte is creamy, sweet and coffee-forward, with a cold custard cream topping and a crackly caramelised sugar finish. It has the vanilla and toasted sugar feeling of crème brûlée, but in iced coffee form.

The coffee base is made with coffee, brown sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt. Then it gets poured over ice and milk before being topped with a soft custard cream. The best part is the sugar on top, which gets torched until it turns golden and crisp.

It’s a little dramatic for an iced latte, but in the best way.

why you’ll love this creme brulee latte

This is the kind of drink to make when you want your coffee to feel like dessert. The coffee base is sweet and caramel-like from the brown sugar and condensed milk, while the custard cream makes it taste softer and more like creme brulee.
It’s also not difficult. You make a quick custard, whip it with cream, then layer everything into glasses with ice and milk. The brûléed top makes it feel special, but you can skip the torch if you want a simpler version.
it looks like something straight out of a café, especially when you decorate your glass with caramel sauce. the layers make this drink look especially beautiful: the milk, the coffee and then the soft custard cream and crackly burnt sugar top.

what does a creme brulee latte taste like?

A creme brulee latte tastes like a vanilla caramel latte with a creamy custard topping. The brown sugar and condensed milk make the coffee base sweet and rich, while the custard cream gives it that dessert-like creme brulee flavour.

the sugar on top gets torched until golden and crisp, and The coffee underneath keeps it from tasting too sweet or heavy.

It is not exactly the same as eating crème brûlée, because there is no baked custard, but the vanilla, caramelised sugar and cold cream make the drink feel very similar.

ingredients

This iced creme brulee latte has three main parts: a sweetened coffee base, a cold custard cream and the caramelised sugar topping.

Caramel sauce

I like lining the glass with a little caramel sauce before adding the ice and milk. It gives the drink a pretty swirl and adds more of that caramelised sugar flavour.

This is optional, though. The coffee mixture is already sweetened with brown sugar and condensed milk, so you can skip the caramel sauce if you want the drink a little less sweet.

Sweetened coffee

The coffee base is made with hot coffee, light brown sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt. I like adding the sugar and condensed milk directly to the hot coffee so everything dissolves properly instead of settling at the bottom of the glass.

Use espresso if you want the strongest coffee flavour. Strong brewed coffee or instant espresso will also work, just make sure it is strong enough to come through once the milk and custard cream are added.

Milk and ice

Use any milk you like. Whole milk makes the drink creamier, but oat milk works really well too. Add plenty of ice so the drink stays cold once the coffee is poured over.

Custard cream

The topping is made by cooking a small amount of custard powder with milk, sugar and vanilla until thickened, then cooling it and whipping it with heavy cream and powdered sugar.

The cream should be thick and spoonable, but still soft enough to sit nicely on top of the drink.

Brulee topping

A thin layer of granulated sugar gets sprinkled over the custard cream and torched until golden and crisp. Use a thin layer so the sugar caramelises quickly without melting too much of the cream underneath.

CUstard powder substitute

If you’re in the US and can’t find custard powder, use dry vanilla pudding mix instead.

Use the same amount:
1 tsp custard powder or 1 tsp dry vanilla pudding mix

Cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix is the closest swap, but instant vanilla pudding mix also works here because the amount is small and we’re mainly using it to give the cream a custardy vanilla flavour.

Do not use prepared pudding cups. You only need the dry powder.

If you only have cornstarch, you can use it in a pinch, but the flavour will be plainer. Add a little extra vanilla if using cornstarch.

Tools

You’ll need a small saucepan to make the custard, a whisk to keep it smooth and a mixing bowl for whipping the custard cream.

A hand mixer or stand mixer makes the cream easiest to whip, but you can use a whisk if you don’t mind doing it by hand.

You’ll also need a glass, a small jug or cup for mixing the coffee, and a kitchen torch if you want the crackly creme brulee-style sugar top.

If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can still make the drink. I’ve included an easy workaround below.

How to make a creme brulee latte

Start with the custard cream. Whisk the custard powder, sugar, milk and vanilla in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over low-medium heat, whisking often, until the mixture thickens into a soft custard.

Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover the surface directly so it doesn’t form a skin. Let it cool completely.

Once the custard is cold, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until it starts to thicken. Add the cooled custard and keep whipping until the mixture is smooth, thick and spoonable.

For the coffee base, add the brown sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and salt to a cup or small jug. Brew the hot coffee directly over it, or pour the hot coffee in, then stir until everything has dissolved.

Fill a glass with ice and add your milk of choice. Pour the sweetened coffee mixture over the milk, then spoon or pipe the custard cream on top.

Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the custard cream and torch until golden and crisp. Serve straight away.

step by step instructions

For full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe card below.

1. Make the custard cream

Start by making the custard. Whisk the custard powder or dry vanilla pudding mix with the sugar, milk and vanilla in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook until thickened, then transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely.

Once the custard is cold, whip it with the heavy cream and powdered sugar until smooth, thick and spoonable.

2. Sweeten the coffee

Add the brown sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and salt to a cup or small jug. Pour the hot coffee over the top and stir until everything has dissolved.

This works best while the coffee is hot, so the sugar melts properly and you don’t end up with any grains sitting at the bottom of the glass.

3. Line the glass and add ice

Drizzle a little caramel sauce around the inside of the glass, then fill the glass with ice.

caramel sauce drizzled inside a glass for creme brulee latte

4. Add the milk and coffee

Pour in your milk of choice, then add the sweetened coffee mixture over the top.

milk poured into a glass with ice and caramel sauce

sweetened coffee poured over milk for an iced creme brulee latte

5. Add the custard cream

Spoon or pipe the custard cream over the top of the drink. It should be thick enough to sit on top, but still soft and creamy.

6. Add sugar and brulee the top

Sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the custard cream. Use a kitchen torch to caramelise the sugar until golden and crisp, then serve straight away.

custard cream spooned on top of an iced creme brulee latte

sugar sprinkled over custard cream for creme brulee latte

How to make it without a kitchen torch

You can still make this drink without a kitchen torch. The easiest option is to skip the brûléed top and finish the drink with the custard cream as it is.

If you still want a crackly sugar topping, make quick caramel shards instead. Add a little granulated sugar to a small pan and cook until melted and golden. Pour it onto parchment paper, let it set, then break it into small pieces and place them on top of the custard cream.

This gives you the caramelised sugar crunch without torching directly on the drink.

tips for the best creme brulee latte

Make sure the custard is completely cool before whipping it with the cream. If it is warm, the cream will not whip properly.

Mix the sugar and condensed milk into hot coffee, not cold coffee. This helps everything dissolve smoothly.

Use strong coffee. The drink is creamy and sweet, so the coffee needs to hold its own.

For a sweeter brown sugar swirl, dissolve 1 tsp light brown sugar with 1 tsp boiling water before adding the ice. This is optional, but it gives the drink a little extra caramel flavour at the bottom.

Use a thin layer of sugar for the topping. It caramelises faster and keeps the cream from melting too much.

Torch carefully. Aim the flame at the sugar, not the glass. If your glass is delicate or not heatproof, use caramel shards instead.

Serve the drink right away. The sugar topping is best when it is freshly torched and still crisp.

Make-ahead tips

You can make the custard cream ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a quick whisk before using if it has firmed up.

You can also mix the coffee base ahead and chill it. If you do this, make sure the sugar and condensed milk are fully dissolved while the coffee is hot first.

Assemble the drink with ice, milk, custard cream and sugar topping just before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this without custard powder?

Yes. Use dry vanilla pudding mix instead. Use the same amount as the custard powder and do not prepare it as pudding first.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can use oat milk for the latte base, but it would be harder to make the coffee completely dairy-free because it uses condensed milk and the custard cream also uses heavy cream. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free condensed milk and a plant-based whipping cream. The texture may be slightly different.

Can I make this hot?

This recipe is written as an iced creme brulee latte. I haven’t included a hot version because the cold custard cream and torched sugar topping work best over an iced drink.

You could use the same sweetened coffee base with steamed milk, but the custard cream will soften quickly on top of a hot drink.

More drinks to try

If you like café-style drinks, try my tiramisu latte, blueberry matcha latte or mango lassi next.

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