Fall in Love with this Cozy Red Velvet Latte

Q: What Milk Should I use?

In Starbucks Asia, the drink is actually labeled as a Red Velvet Oat Latte, meaning that oat milk is the default base for the drink. I tried oat milk drinks a couple of times, including the actual drink when I had visited the Philippines (I had the frappuccino!). I’m sorry, but I just don’t like oat milk! I find the taste too… oaty. I prefer the taste of good old simple cow’s milk. You can pretty much use any milk you want so that you enjoy the drink and want to keep making it again and again!

✦ Join the Kitchen

I kid you not that this really is an easy special latte recipe, as you’ll soon see below! This incredible latte brings the goodness of your favourite cake into a warm cup! If you adore red velvet and want more Valentine’s Day recipe inspiration, then you gotta try out my Red Velvet Pancakes recipe!

Our latte totally ticks off all the boxes! It’s simple and delicious and you won’t need too many ingredients! As we approach the big day of love, you may want a theme of romantic recipes to think of how to pamper your special someone! I know it’s called Valentine’s DAY, but I think it’s always a good time to express your love with food and drink! If you want more details on how having a theme can spark your creativity, check out my top 5 tips to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!. This delicious and romantic latte recipe is the perfect occasion to put your heart in a cup as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! Get started on your cooking journey for free by signing up for my newsletter so you never miss a recipe and get these useful resources!

Check out the video to see how this romantic and cozy drink comes together in a flash! If you’re not already, I’d appreciate it if you subscribe to my YouTube channel! Please hit the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes go live to complement the written ones. Let’s get brewing!

Two red velvet lattes with whipped cream and dried cranberries on a wooden board.

DoeS Starbucks Make This Drink?▼

I live in Canada, so Starbucks in Canada (nor in the US) makes it. However, I got the inspiration for this drink from Starbucks Asia. I saw this item is available in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the Philippines, as part of the holiday menu. It was available as a hot latte, iced, or as a frappuccino. The concept was so good that I just had to take it back with me to my home so I don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to enjoy it!

Red velvet latte with cranberries in a glass on a wooden serving board with a metal bowl.

What You’ll Love About This Valentine’s Day Latte!

Simple: It’s such a beautiful drink that you wouldn’t think it’s really easy to make! All you need is to brew coffee and combine your red velvet sauce (which I’ll get to soon!), garnish, and there you go!
Fast: When I first made this I couldn’t believe how speedy it is! As mentioned in the previous point, it’s a pretty simple process to get the drink together, but simple isn’t always quick! However, in this case we have the best of both worlds!
Few ingredients: Only a handful of ingredients are needed to make it! You probably have most of them already, and they should all be easy to find!
Valentine’s Favourite: Valentine’s Day will be two weeks away at the time of writing this! I don’t know about you, but I love seeing all the red when Valentine’s Day rolls around. If your significant other is a latte lover, then save your money and a trip to the coffee shop and surprise them with this latte to start the special day!

Two mugs of red velvet latte with creamy foam tops garnished with red velvet crumbles on a wooden board.

Tips for a Delightful Romantic Latte

If you can find Red Velvet Oreos for this recipe, that will be the best pair for this latte.
The best alternative to a freshly made espresso is to prepare coffee using a French press. This results in a richer, stronger coffee since the coffee has the chance to steep and release more flavor, when compared to coffee made from a filtered method.
If you want the pretty whipped cream swirls, then you need to serve this immediately after topping or let the drink cool slightly. The heat would cause the whipped cream to start to melt.

What Milk Should I use?▼

In Starbucks Asia, the drink is actually labeled as a Red Velvet Oat Latte, meaning that oat milk is the default base for the drink. I tried oat milk drinks a couple of times, including the actual drink when I had visited the Philippines (I had the frappuccino!). I’m sorry, but I just don’t like oat milk! I find the taste too… oaty. I prefer the taste of good old simple cow’s milk. You can pretty much use any milk you want so that you enjoy the drink and want to keep making it again and again!

Red velvet latte with whipped cream and crumbled red velvet cake pieces in a glass cup, held by hand

Ingredients

Get the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD by scrolling to the bottom of this post or press the “Jump to Recipe” button for all ingredient quantities and to save the recipe instructions for later. You can also scale the recipe based on how many servings you want to make! By default, this will make enough for two 16 oz (grande size at Starbucks) glasses. If you have smaller or larger cups or want to make this for a crowd, then you can scale the recipe with the card, and all individual quantities will automatically adjust for you!

Milk: I’m using whole cow’s milk for this recipe. If you want to make it authentic like Starbucks Asia, then you can use oat milk. Feel free to use whatever milk you like, keeping in mind that taste and texture will differ. Whole cow’s milk makes the drink nice and creamy.
Sweetened condensed milk: You can use a store-bought canned one or use your homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk (this recipe is lactose-free for those who are lactose-intolerant!). Don’t substitute with evaporated milk because you won’t get a thick and sweet syrup.
Cocoa powder: Chocolate is an essential ingredient for a red velvet cake. A little bit really goes a long way in this drink, and it adds a little more body to your drink! When I first tested the recipe, I actually forgot the cocoa powder. I really noticed the difference adding it makes! Don’t worry about ruining the red colour of your drink, the amount we’ll use is so small that it shouldn’t take away from the gorgeous pink colour.
Red food colouring: Pretty essential for a red velvet drink! You’ll just need a few drops to get the desired colour! Of course, add as much or as little as you’d like!
Whipped cream: Gotta have whipped cream to make this a truly special latte! I love using the canned whipped cream for a sturdy and fluffy effect. If you want to replicate the thick texture of Starbucks’ whipped cream, you’ll want to make Homemade Whipped Cream in a whipped cream dispenser. I would like to invest in one some day, but for now I’m without it. If you would like this drink to be dairy-free, then go ahead and use a dairy-free whipped cream.
Coffee: Your favourite coffee will work well in this recipe. I’m using a Dulce de Leche ground coffee here. It smells incredible and the flavour nicely complements the cocoa and red velvet goodness we’re going for!
Water: Enough water to brew your coffee.
Red velvet Oreo: This is for the red velvet cookie topping that is part of the Starbucks’ Asia red velvet latte. Fun fact is that I actually brought these over from the Phillippines! I really liked these cookies because their cream filling is actually a cream cheese filling, and that really adds to the authenticity of a red velvet drink! I don’t think you can regularly buy red velvet Oreos unless it’s a special edition. That’s no problem! Feel free to use any red velvet cookie. If you have leftover red velvet cupcakes, pancakes, or a cake, then you can crumble it up and use those pieces for garnish!

How to Make Decadent Red Velvet Latte

On the stovetop or microwave, heat up the milk, mix often and make sure you don't bring the milk mixture to a boil. Just heat gently until it is steaming.

Milk being poured into a saucepan on the stovetop for heating during red velvet latte preparation.

In a separate bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, a splash of milk, red food colouring and cocoa powder. Whisk well until you have a smooth red mixture.

Red velvet latte mixture being whisked in white bowl with milk being poured in.

Red velvet latte mixture in white bowl with sauce drizzle being added from bottle

Red velvet latte mixture of condensed milk, cocoa powder, and red food coloring being whisked in a white bowl.

Red velvet latte mixture being whisked in a white bowl, showing creamy red and brown swirled ingredients.

Add to the milk and whisk well to combine.

Once the milk is steaming, use a frother to froth up the milk, alternatively, you can whisk aggressively to froth.

Steaming milk with red velvet mixture in a pot, ready to be frothed for a latte.

Red velvet mixture being poured into steaming milk in a black pot for a latte.

Red velvet latte mixture being whisked in a pot, showing frothy pink-red liquid with cocoa powder sprinkled on surface.

Frothy red velvet latte mixture in a pot with a ladle, showing foamed milk with cocoa powder and spices combined.

In the meanwhile prepare the espresso in your coffee/espresso machine. If you don't a machine, you can use a french press to prepare the coffee. For the French press, add 4 Tbsp of your favourite coffee and then add a splash of water, heated to around 200°F.

Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds and then add the rest of the water. Cover the french press with the included lid and let the coffee steep for 3-4 minutes. Then, push the plunger for the french press down halfway, before lift it back up, and then gently all the way back down.

Ground coffee in a glass bowl during brewing preparation for red velvet latte

Glass French press pitcher with dark brewed coffee, surrounded by kitchen utensils and red-handled cookware.

French press with brewed coffee steeping, dark liquid visible with grounds settled at bottom.

Crush the red velvet cookies until crumbly and set aside for now.

Two crushed red velvet cookies in a white bowl, ready to be mixed into the latte.

Crushing red velvet cookies into crumbs in a white bowl using the back of a spoon.

Once the milk is heated through and the coffee/espresso is ready, pour the milk in your serving cup, filling it about halfway and then pour in the coffee to fill up the cup. Top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed red velvet cookies.

Red velvet latte flight comparison showing three coffee drinks in clear glasses on a wooden board.

Red velvet latte being poured into a glass mug on a wooden board with two additional servings.

Two mugs of red velvet latte topped with whipped cream and crushed cookies on a wooden board.

Two red velvet lattes in glass mugs topped with whipped cream and crushed red velvet cookie crumbles.

Can I make This In the Microwave?▼

Sure, why not! It’s a nice shortcut since you don’t have to wait for your stove to get hot, and it will be more convenient if you’re making only a single portion. Simply heat the milk in a microwave-safe cup first, then mix in the red velvet syrup and proceed with the rest of the recipe!

Can I make It Decaf?▼

Definitely! You can simply substitute the coffee with decaf coffee and the taste of the drink won’t be affected. That means you can make this for the evening or for someone who is sensitive to caffeine!

Two red velvet lattes topped with whipped cream and red velvet crumbles in glass cups.

Can I make this Latte Iced?▼

Yes for sure! You’ll follow all the steps described here to make your red velvet syrup and to make the milk mixture over the stove. Then, you’ll add ice cubes into a shaker. Pour the brewed coffee or espresso into the shaker cup, then add the milk mixture. Shake it up and pour into your serving glass, then garnish as described in this recipe!

Other Incredible Hot Drink Recipes!

S’mores Hot Chocolate

If you liked this recipe please let me know in the comments. Tag your post on social media using #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra