This creamy Iced Yuzu Latte is sweet, tart, and super easy to make! With just 3 ingredients and a pull of the espresso machine, you can make a delicious yuzu coffee to serve with your favorite snacks or brighten up a rainy day.
This was inspired by my coffee soju cocktail, and goes great sweetened with my yuzu simple syrup.
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✔️ Why this recipe is great
Summer Citrus Latte: this Korean & Japanese citrus fruit just screams summer, and yuzu-flavored lattes stream onto most cafe menus in Korea every time the weather gets warm.
Easily Vegan: whether you swap out the condensed milk for tonic water or just use coconut condensed milk, making vegan yuzu coffee ain't nothing but a thang.
Packs a Punch: even just a sip of this brew hits heavy, so I recommend letting some of the ice melt or adding the tonic water option mentioned below.
⭐ What is yuzu?
Yuzu is a tart, fragrant citrus fruit native to East Asia, most aptly described as a cross between a lemon, a mandarin, and a grapefruit. It's about the size of a tangerine with a bumpy, yellow or green rind. Yuzu is prized above all for its aromatic zest and juice, which add a distinctive, tangy flavor to a variety of dishes and drinks.
It's not typically eaten raw due to its extreme sourness but is widely used in Japanese and Korean cuisine in sauces, dressings, marinades, and yuzu tea. Yuzu kosho, a spicy condiment made with yuzu zest and chili peppers, is one of the more popular Japanese exports made with yuzu.
🍋 Ingredients
Espresso Coffee: this recipe calls for a double espresso (2oz.), but you can also swap it for 4-6oz. of strongly-brewed coffee.
Yuzu Syrup: the floral Korean citrus fruit used to make this syrup is like a slightly bittersweet tangerine had a baby with a lemon. It's also quite popular in Japan, which is one of the largest exporters of yuzu products, including yuzu concentrate! This is the ingredient which gives tang, sweetness, and a floral citrus note to the coffee.
Condensed Milk: this is the sweetener for the coffee as well as the ingredient that makes everything so creamy. Swap it for tonic water or milk to mix up the recipe.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
📋 How to make yuzu coffee: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Brew your espresso then put it in a jar or shaker with the yuzu syrup or juice and condensed milk, and shake until well-combined.
Step 2. Pour over ice and enjoy! It's also fantastic hot, but SO refreshing in the summertime. To make a drink like the Yuzu Espresso Tonic, simply swap the condensed milk for 4-6oz. tonic water.
🧂 Substitutions and variations
Espresso: if you can't get your hands on a double espresso, 4oz. to 6oz. of strongly-brewed coffee would make a great substitute.
Yuzu Syrup: though I haven't personally used fresh yuzu with sugar, yuzu marmalade, or frozen yuzu puree with sugar, both of those are good options in place of yuzu syrup, if it's not an option.
Condensed Milk: the best swap for this is sweetened condensed ococnut milk, which makes for a surprisingly tropical twist.
- Yuzu Espresso Tonic - layer the yuzu syrup with the espresso on top, and 6oz. of tonic water on top, effectively swapping the condensed milk for the tonic.
- Spiced Yuzu Latte - a ginger yuzu latte calls for just 6oz. milk and¼ teaspoon fresh ginger puree added when you add the yuzu syrup, but it will have some ginger bits on the bottom.
- Honey Yuzu Coffee - using 6oz. milk and an equal amount of honey in place of the condensed milk would add a caramel sweetness to your yuzu coffee, while also making an even more naturally floral and thicker beverage.
⭐ Storage and batching
You can make yuzu coffee ahead of time and it will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days in my experience, but it could stay good frozen for 6+ months without losing any flavor (try ice cubes). Whatever you do, just be sure to warm it up then put it over ice.
👨🏻🍳 Expert notes & tips
Using Fresh Fruit: if using fresh yuzu fruit juice, I recommend using slightly less than the called-for yuzu concentrate, and mixing it slowly into the condensed milk before mixing it into any milk.
Using Yuzu Puree: though I haven't tried it myself, you should be able to use slightly more frozen yuzu puree (or slightly more fresh puree) than the concentrate called for in the recipe. Just be sure to mix it with the condensed milk before adding the coffee and then dropping in the ice.
Make Ahead: you can make this the night before and keep it in the fridge to have over ice the next morning for a more concentrated flavor.
🌟 Other delicious drinks
- Yogurt Soju Cocktail
- Dalgona Matcha Drink
- Iced Coffee w/Soju
- Subak Soju (Watermelon)
- Soju Mojito
- Iced Ube Latte
🙋🏻♂️ Frequently asked questions
For a lighter drink you can swap the yuzu syrup for yuzu marmalade and add 6-8oz. of steamed milk.
Yuzu syrup is a sweet and tangy condiment made from the juice of the yuzu fruit, sugar, and sometimes additional flavorings or ingredients like yuzu zest. It's commonly used to flavor cocktails, desserts, and sodas, providing a unique citrus note.
Yuzu's floral flavor pairs well with a variety of ingredients, including most herbs, such as ginger or mint. It also complements sweet pairings like chocolate, berries, and creamy desserts, adding a refreshing citrus note to rich and sweet flavors.
A common substitute for yuzu, when the fruit is unavailable, is a blend of other citrus juices such as lemon, lime, and grapefruit, which can mimic its complex flavor. Meyer lemon is often suggested as a closer alternative due to its similar balance of tartness and sweetness.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Yuzu Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 oz. espresso freshly-brewed (alt. 4oz. strong coffee)
- 2 tablespoons yuzu syrup alt. yuzu marmalade
- 2 tablespoons condensed milk alt. condensed coconut milk
- cup of ice
Instructions
- Brew your espresso then put it in a jar or shaker with the yuzu syrup or juice and condensed milk, and shake until well-combined.
- Pour over ice and enjoy! You can also make this the night before and keep it in the fridge to have over ice the next morning for a more concentrated flavor. It's also fantastic hot, but SO refreshing in the summertime. To make a drink like the Yuzu Espresso Tonic, simply swap the condensed milk for 4-6oz. tonic water.
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