Article: Tahini Latte Recipe: The Savory Coffee Trend of Summer 2026
Tahini Latte Recipe: The Savory Coffee Trend of Summer 2026
A coffee trend is taking over espresso bars this summer that nobody predicted: tahini, honey, and sea salt, whisked into your latte. It started at Maman NYC, spread across TikTok in hours, and Yelp reported searches for "tahini latte" up 900% almost overnight.
If you've never tried a tahini latte, it sounds strange. One sip changes that. The sesame paste adds a nutty, slightly savory depth that coffee alone can't create — and that's exactly why it works.
This guide covers the classic iced version, a hot variation, flavor combinations worth trying, and exactly how to make it at home in under 10 minutes.
What Is a Tahini Latte?
A tahini latte is an espresso drink made with tahini (ground sesame seed paste), honey, a pinch of sea salt, and steamed or cold milk. The result is a rich, nutty, slightly savory coffee drink that belongs to a new category called "swavory" — drinks that blend sweet and savory in ways that are unexpectedly craveable.
The drink was created by Caitlin Burke, beverage director at Maman NYC. After food creator Halley Kate featured it on TikTok to her 1.5 million followers, the drink went viral. According to PureWow, Yelp saw a 900% spike in searches for "tahini latte" almost overnight. Taste media named it one of the defining coffee drinks of summer 2026.
The flavor logic is simple: tahini brings a toasty, slightly bitter nuttiness that pairs naturally with espresso's roasted notes. Honey rounds it out. Sea salt makes both flavors pop. Together they create something complex and lingering — the kind of drink you keep thinking about after the glass is empty.
Why Savory Lattes Are the Coffee Trend of 2026
The tahini latte isn't a one-off. It's part of a broader shift happening right now: savory flavors moving from restaurant kitchens into coffee cups. Industry trend reports call it "swavory" — drinks that combine sweet and savory in unexpected, craveable ways.
Monin named "Swavory" its 2026 Flavor of the Year, calling it "The Savory Shift" and pointing to rising consumer demand for more nuanced flavor profiles. Java City's 2026 coffee trend report lists savory-sweet combinations — miso caramel, sea salt maple, tahini — as staples at specialty cafés across the country.
Other drinks riding this wave: olive oil lattes, spring onion coffee, cheese foam drinks. If those sound strange, remember that oat milk lattes once did too. The swavory shift is accelerating, and tahini is its most approachable entry point.
The science behind it is real. Tasteworks' 2026 flavor forecast notes that sweet-and-savory profiles create "flavor contrast enhancement" — opposing flavors make each other more vivid. Salt brightens sweetness. Savory adds depth that lingers. That's why one sip feels interesting and the next sip feels even better.
Synergy Flavors' 2026 savory trend report echoes this, noting that consumers — especially younger ones — are actively seeking drinks that go beyond straightforward sweetness. Beverage Daily's 2026 flavor trend roundup puts sweet-savory hybrids at the top of the list for café innovation this year.
Tahini Latte Recipe: The Classic Iced Version
The Maman-style tahini latte uses four ingredients: tahini, honey, sea salt, and espresso, finished with cold milk over ice. This takes about 8 minutes and needs nothing more than a small whisk or frother.
Ingredients (serves 1)
- 1–2 shots espresso (about 30–60ml)
- 1 tablespoon tahini (smooth, runny style)
- 1–2 teaspoons honey (raw or wildflower work well)
- Small pinch of flaky sea salt (about ⅛ teaspoon)
- 150–180ml cold milk of your choice
- Ice
Method
- Make the base. Add tahini, honey, and sea salt to the bottom of your glass. Stir into a smooth paste.
- Add espresso. Pull 1–2 shots directly onto the tahini base. The heat dissolves everything together. Stir well until completely smooth — no streaks.
- Add ice. Fill the glass with ice.
- Pour the milk. Add cold milk slowly. Stir from the bottom to blend the tahini-espresso base through the milk.
- Finish. A second pinch of flaky sea salt on top is optional but worth it. Serve immediately.
Tahini tip: Brand matters here. Look for smooth, runny tahini — Seed + Mill, Soom, and Al Wadi are reliably pourable. Thick or grainy tahini can seize up when it hits cold milk, leaving clumps instead of a silky emulsion.
Hot Tahini Latte Variation
For a warm version, the process is the same — just swap cold milk for hot steamed milk.
- Mix tahini, honey, and sea salt in the bottom of your mug.
- Pour your espresso shot over the mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Steam milk to about 65°C (150°F) — frothy, not scalding.
- Pour the steamed milk over the espresso-tahini base slowly, letting the foam settle on top.
- Finish with a tiny drizzle of honey and a pinch of sea salt on the foam.
The hot version is grounding and cozy — perfect for mornings when you want something more interesting than your usual routine.
Tahini Latte Variations Worth Trying
Once you understand the tahini-honey-salt balance, there's room to experiment. These are the variations making the rounds in specialty cafés and home kitchens right now.
| Variation | What's Added or Changed | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Salted Tahini | Tahini, honey, flaky sea salt | Nutty, sweet, savory |
| Cardamom Tahini Latte | ¼ tsp cardamom in the base | Warm, spiced, aromatic |
| Tahini Matcha Latte | Replace espresso with 1 tsp matcha | Earthy, vegetal, sesame-forward |
| Black Sesame Latte | Black sesame paste instead of tahini | Deeper, more roasted, dramatic color |
| Maple Tahini Latte | Maple syrup instead of honey | Warmer sweetness, slightly caramel |
| Cinnamon Tahini Latte | Pinch of cinnamon in the base | Cozy, spiced, works iced or hot |
The tahini-matcha crossover has its own following — WebstaurantStore's 2026 beverage trend report names it one of the top crossover trends between coffee and tea culture this year. If you enjoy building café-style lattes at home, our banana bread latte recipe and pistachio latte recipe use the same build-in-the-glass approach.
The Right Glass for a Tahini Latte
Part of what makes this drink is the visual. When you pour cold milk into the dark espresso-tahini base, you get a beautiful gradient — deep brown at the bottom fading lighter toward the top. That moment deserves the right glass.
The Ovalware Latte Master Glass was made for exactly this. It's a tall, slightly tapered cylinder with a wide mouth — hand-blown borosilicate glass with double-wall construction. The double wall keeps iced lattes cold without condensation making your hand slippery. The clear glass shows the layering as you pour. The wide mouth gives you clean access to stir and add that final pinch of salt without hitting the rim.
It comes as a set of 2, so you can make one for yourself and one for whoever you're trying to convince that tahini belongs in coffee. (They will be convinced.)
| Feature | Latte Master Glass |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 250ml / 8.5oz per glass |
| Material | Hand-blown borosilicate glass |
| Construction | Double-wall — no condensation, keeps drinks cold |
| Best for | Lattes, iced lattes, flat whites, cortados |
| Sold as | Set of 2 |
| Price | $36.99 |
| Free shipping | US orders $65+ |
Making iced lattes at home is already part of many people's morning routines. The tahini latte is just the most interesting version of that right now.
Tips for Getting It Right
- Use smooth tahini. Separated or thick tahini won't emulsify with espresso. If yours has separated in the jar, stir it thoroughly from the bottom before measuring.
- Pull espresso directly onto the base. The heat helps everything dissolve together. Cold espresso on cold tahini is harder to emulsify and often leaves streaks.
- Taste your tahini before you start. Good tahini is nutty and slightly sweet. Rancid tahini ruins the drink — it's worth buying a quality jar for this recipe.
- Use flaky sea salt, not table salt. Maldon or fleur de sel dissolve at the right rate and have a cleaner flavor. Table salt can make the drink taste sharp.
- Start with 1 tablespoon. If you want more sesame, go up to 1.5 tablespoons. More than 2 tablespoons and the drink starts to feel heavy.
- Oat milk works best. Its natural sweetness and body complement tahini better than most other milks. Whole dairy milk is a close second.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tahini Lattes
What does a tahini latte taste like?
A tahini latte tastes nutty, slightly savory, and lightly sweet — closer to a sesame dessert than a regular coffee drink. The espresso adds roasted bitterness that balances the creaminess of the tahini, while honey and sea salt create a complex sweet-savory finish. Most people describe it as richer and more interesting than a standard latte, with a flavor that lingers pleasantly after each sip.
Can you make a tahini latte without an espresso machine?
Yes. Strong coffee works in place of espresso — a moka pot, AeroPress, or very concentrated drip coffee (about 60ml) all work. The drink will be slightly less intense but still excellent. You can also use cold brew coffee for an iced tahini cold brew version, though the flavor shifts from roasted to earthy.
Is tahini in coffee actually good?
Genuinely, yes. Tahini has a natural affinity with coffee — both have roasted, slightly bitter notes, and sesame paste adds a creaminess that complements milk. The savory element makes the sweetness from honey more vivid. Most people who try it find it hard to go back to a plain latte.
What milk is best for a tahini latte?
Oat milk is the most popular choice — its natural sweetness and body work well with tahini's richness. Whole cow's milk is a close second. Almond milk and coconut milk both work but can overpower the sesame notes. Avoid low-fat milks, which tend to make the texture watery and don't carry the tahini flavor as well.
How much tahini goes in a latte?
Start with 1 tablespoon (15g) per drink. This gives clear sesame flavor without overwhelming the espresso. If you want it more sesame-forward, go up to 1.5 tablespoons. More than 2 tablespoons and the drink can feel heavy — the goal is balance, not tahini overload.
The Bottom Line
The tahini latte is the most interesting coffee drink of summer 2026 — and one of the easiest to make at home. Four ingredients, no special equipment, 10 minutes. The hardest part is finding a tahini you trust.
Grab the Ovalware Latte Master Glass to make it look as good as it tastes. And while you're exploring café-style drinks at home, our ube latte recipe and espresso tonic recipe are both worth adding to your rotation.
The savory shift in coffee is just getting started. This is a good place to begin.
