How to Make a London Fog

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The creamy “London Fog” latte consists of the classically British Earl Grey, which is a mixture of black tea and bergamot oil, adding citrusy notes to the flavor profile, combined with steamed milk and vanilla. Here I will show you how to make a London Fog at home!

London fog tea latte in a clear glass mug with tea biscuits on the side.

This simple recipe is your ticket to enjoying a DIY café-quality mug of London Fog at home – or a fancy British teacup if you prefer. It results in a pale caramel-colored drink beneath a creamy, white cloud of milk froth.

The London Fog Latte will make you feel like you’re roaming the streets of London – hopefully with more sunlight than fog. If you're looking for more hot drinks to enjoy this fall and winter, try my matcha latte powder, gingerbread latte or toasted marshmallow latte.

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🍵 What is a London Fog?
🛒 London Fog Latte Ingredients
➕ Add Ins
🫖 Instructions
✔️ Top Tips
❓ FAQs for How to Make a London Fog
❤️ More Hot Homemade Drinks to Consider
📋Recipe

🍵 What is a London Fog?

London Fog may sound like a weather report for the capital of the United Kingdom. Spoiler alert - it isn't. So what is a London Fog? It's actually a latte with a base of earl grey steeped in boiling water, layered with frothy hot milk and a touch of vanilla.

Despite the name, it is said to have been created in Vancouver, Canada.

With hints of vanilla, London Fog has a refreshing combination of floral black tea and a subtle zest – this flavor hits all your taste buds.

The caffeine content in a London Fog makes it a fantastic morning energizer or afternoon pick-me-up.

🛒 London Fog Latte Ingredients

To make yourself a comforting London Fog tea, all you need is an earl grey tea-bag, hot milk of choice, vanilla, and any sweetener you’d like.

Earl Grey tea bag - a type of flavored tea that is traditionally made from black tea leaves and flavored with the oil of bergamot (a citrus fruit)
hot water - avoid using boiling water
sweetener - sugar, honey, agave nectar or your favorite sweetener
vanilla extract - for a hint of sweet, vanilla flavor
hot milk - or almond milk if you would like a dairy free alternative
cinnamon powder - to garnish

*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.

➕ Add Ins

If you’re really feeling luxurious, sprinkle some dried lavender on top. Alternatively, you can infuse lavender with the earl grey in the water, to really complete the floral flavor of the London Fog drink.
If you're in the mood for something stronger, try adding a touch of amaretto.
For extra vanilla flavor, try topping the prepared London Fog with some vanilla powder. I have a tutorial for how to make vanilla powder.

🫖 Instructions

A clear glass mug with hot water and Earl Grey tea bag.

Step #1. Infuse. Add the hot water to a mug. Infuse the tea bag in the hot water for about 5 minutes.

Step #2. Remove Tea Bag. Remove the tea bag from the mug.

A clear glass mug with Earl Grey tea and vanilla extract.

Step #3. Sweeten. Add the vanilla and sugar, to taste. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Step #4. Froth the Milk. Whisk the hot milk until it forms froth at the top.

you can use a milk frother or whisk by hand to froth the hot milk
or you can steam cold milk with an espresso machine steam wand

A clear glass mug of Earl Grey tea with steamed milk.

Step #5. Add Milk to Tea. Pour the frothed milk into the hot tea. Spoon any leftover froth on top.

A clear glass mug of London Fog with frothed milk and cinnamon powder.

Step #6. Sprinkle With Cinnamon. Sprinkle the tea latte with a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Step #7. Enjoy. Serve and enjoy! It can also be served with biscuits, biscotti or graham cracker lemon squares, to name a few.

London fog tea latte in mug with tea biscuits and cinnamon sticks on the side.

✔️ Top Tips

Go with a large bowl to froth the milk. When you are frothing the milk, make sure the bowl or pitcher can hold extra volume because the milk will expand to approximately double in size. It will need the extra room!
Use hot water, not boiling. It is better to use hot water rather than boiling water so that you don't scald the tea leaves. For best results, you can boil the water in the kettle and then leave it for a few minutes before steeping the tea. It will still be nice and hot with great flavor.
Use fresh water. Using fresh, cold water in the kettle will result in a better tasting cup of tea. If you keep re-boiling the water in the kettle, it can become flat because it loses oxygen.

❓ FAQs for How to Make a London Fog

Does Earl Grey tea have caffeine in it?

Yes, a standard cup of Earl Grey tea does have about 40 milligrams of caffeine because it contains black tea.

What does London Fog tea taste like?

It tastes slightly sweet and creamy with the black tea and bergamot oil adding bitter, citrusy notes to the flavor profile and it has a hint of vanilla.

How to make a London Fog without a frother?

You can froth the hot milk with a whisk by hand. You can also froth cold milk with the steam wand on an espresso machine.

How long to steep the Earl Grey tea?

It should only take about 5 minutes to extract the full flavor from the tea bag.

London fog tea latte sprinkled with cinnamon powder.

❤️ More Hot Homemade Drinks to Consider

If you tried this recipe tutorial for 🍵 How to Make a London Fog or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!

📋Recipe