There’s nothing I love more than making my morning latte interesting! This Banana Latte has that satisfying banana flavor without using artificial syrups or flavors by using a fresh banana. I also love using dates for extra fiber in the morning and to keep me feeling full and on task if I don’t have time to put a breakfast together. It also gives a bit of caramel undertones to this latte. The latte ends up being slightly thick and frothy in a way that reminds me of the texture of dalgona coffee, which went viral a few years ago.
Why you’ll love this Recipe
I’m a huge fan of a good coffee dupe to cut down on expenses and can easily be done at home! This Banana Latte is inspired by the Matto Espresso Banana Latte that’s super affordable for $2.50! Here’s why I love it:
It’s delicious, affordable, and so accessible to make at home. It uses fresh bananas instead of extracts or syrups. Dates are used to sweeten the latte but also adds a lovely caramel flavor. 2 dates also have over 3 grams of fiber which is a great way to start the morning. I am usually full and satisfied just from the latte so it holds me over until lunch. The texture is naturally frothy and slightly thick from the banana. Add chocolate syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, nut butter etc if you want! It’s extremely customizable.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
This latte uses a fresh banana and dates for flavor and to sweeten it up without the use of refined sugar or sugar substitutes.
Bananas - Use ripe, fresh bananas. Alternatively, use a frozen banana so ice doesn’t water down the latte. You can purchase banana essence/extract and use the serving size it recommends on the label. Espresso - Pull a shot of strong espresso or concentrated coffee can also work. I use a strong shot from my Nespresso machine. Milk - Use any milk you like! Plant-based works just fine. Banana milk would also be the icing on the cake here. Dates - In addition to the sweetness of the banana, the dates give a lovely caramel flavor. Just note, the dates plus the banana pushes this drink to 50 grams of unrefined, natural sugar so reduce to one date if needed.
How to make a Banana Latte
While you can toss everything in the blender and be done, I like to treat my dates first since I’m typically in no rush in the mornings. To do that, pit the date if it’s unpitted. Then, soak the dates in warm water for half an hour so they soften. This way, they blend easy. Now you can dump everything into the blender! I like to add a few cubes of ice directly into the blender as well to cool the temperature down of the freshly pulled shot of espresso. Blend for 2-3 minutes, or until all the chunks of dates have broken down. If your blender isn’t fully pureeing them, you may need to use a fine mesh strainer to remove the gritty pieces. The resulting latte will be extremely smooth and frothy with a thick texture. The foam will rise to the top, making each sip absolutely delicious! I like to top mine with a slice of banana or caramelize a slice by dipping the banana slice in sugar and hitting it with a kitchen torch until the sugar browns and bubbles. Enjoy over ice if you didn’t blend it with ice or use a frozen banana.
Variations
There are so many ways to make variations of a banana latte. I’ll share as many as I can think of so you can customize it to your liking.
Banana Milk - Substitute the milk and banana with 8oz of banana milk instead. Chocolate Banana Latte - Add a tablespoon of chocolate syrup or chocolate protein powder for a banana mocha latte. Frozen Bananas - Skip the ice and add a frozen banana instead. Cinnamon or vanilla - A dash of cinnamon or vanilla syrup/extract would be a delicious layer of flavor. Nut butter - A tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter, etc is a great way to add protein. Sweetener - Substitute the dates with maple syrup to your liking. Banana essence - You can purchase banana essence/extract or banana syrup and use the serving size it recommends on the label.
Equipment
Blending dates can be tricky! Sometimes it can be super gritty or there will be tiny chunks leftover. Here are my suggestions:
More Coffee Recipes to try
Recipe
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