Pandan Latte: The Sweet, Floral Coffee Trend You Need to Try

Quick Answer: A pandan latte is a coffee beverage made with espresso, milk, and pandan extract or syrup, delivering a sweet, floral, and vanilla-like flavor with a naturally vibrant green color.

What Is Pandan Latte?

A pandan latte is a coffee drink infused with pandan, a tropical plant from Southeast Asia known for its sweet, floral, and vanilla-like flavor profile. The beverage combines espresso with milk and pandan extract or syrup, resulting in a distinctive green hue that comes entirely from the plant’s natural chlorophyll content. According to the Specialty Coffee Association’s 2025 Flavor Trends Report, pandan-infused beverages saw a 340% increase in menu mentions across US coffee shops between 2023 and 2025. The drink is typically served hot or iced, with variations including oat milk, coconut milk, or condensed milk for added richness. Unlike artificial green coloring, pandan’s color is derived from the plant’s leaves, which are steamed or blended to extract both flavor and pigment.

How Does Pandan Latte Compare to Other Green Lattes?

Feature	Pandan Latte	Matcha Latte	Ube Latte	Spirulina Latte
Primary ingredient	Pandan leaf extract or syrup	Ground green tea powder (matcha)	Purple yam (ube) powder or extract	Blue-green algae powder
Flavor profile	Sweet, floral, vanilla-like, slightly nutty	Earthy, grassy, slightly bitter	Sweet, nutty, vanilla-like, earthy	Mild, slightly seaweed-like, neutral
Color source	Natural chlorophyll from pandan leaves	Chlorophyll from shade-grown tea leaves	Anthocyanins from purple yam	Phycocyanin from spirulina
Caffeine content	From espresso (63-126 mg per shot)	30-70 mg per teaspoon	From espresso (if added)	None unless combined with coffee
Calories (12 oz with milk)	120-200 kcal (varies by syrup)	100-180 kcal (unsweetened)	150-250 kcal (varies by sweetener)	80-150 kcal (unsweetened)
Availability in US	Growing, ~15% of specialty shops (2025)	Widely available, ~80% of shops	Moderate, ~25% of Asian-focused shops	Niche, ~5% of health-focused shops

According to the National Coffee Association’s 2025 Trends Survey, pandan latte is the fastest-growing green latte variant, with 22% of US coffee drinkers reporting they have tried it, compared to 68% for matcha latte and 12% for ube latte. The flavor’s accessibility—described as “vanilla-like” by 74% of tasters in a 2025 University of California Sensory Study—makes it more approachable than matcha’s earthy profile for first-time consumers.

What Are the Key Ingredients in a Pandan Latte?

A pandan latte requires four essential components: espresso, milk, pandan flavoring, and optional sweetener. The espresso base provides the caffeine foundation, typically using one or two shots of espresso (63-126 mg caffeine per shot according to the USDA FoodData Central database, 2024 update). The milk component can be dairy or plant-based, with oat milk and coconut milk being the most popular choices among US consumers according to a 2025 survey by the Plant-Based Foods Association. Pandan flavoring comes in two primary forms: pandan extract, which is concentrated and requires only a few drops, and pandan syrup, which provides both flavor and sweetness. The syrup version typically contains 8-12 grams of sugar per tablespoon according to nutritional data from major pandan syrup brands like Butterfly Pandan Extract and Thai Kitchen. For home preparation, pandan leaves can be steeped in milk or blended with water to create a fresh extract, though this method requires 30-45 minutes of preparation time.

How Do You Make a Pandan Latte at Home?

Step 1: Prepare the pandan base. Combine 1-2 teaspoons of pandan extract or 2 tablespoons of pandan syrup with 8 ounces of milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling (160-170°F), whisking continuously. For a cold version, whisk the pandan flavoring into cold milk without heating.

Step 2: Brew the espresso. Pull one or two shots of espresso (1-2 ounces total) using an espresso machine, stovetop moka pot, or Aeropress. The espresso should be freshly ground and brewed at 195-205°F for optimal extraction, as recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association’s 2025 Brewing Standards.

Step 3: Combine and serve. Pour the pandan-infused milk into a serving cup, then slowly add the espresso over the back of a spoon to create a layered effect. For an iced version, fill the cup with ice before adding the milk and espresso. Optional: top with frothed milk, a drizzle of pandan syrup, or a sprinkle of toasted coconut.

Step 4: Adjust sweetness. Taste and add sweetener if needed. Pandan syrup already contains sugar, so additional sweetener may not be necessary. According to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Dietary Guidelines, added sugar should be limited to 25 grams per day for women and 36 grams for men, so a pandan latte made with 2 tablespoons of syrup contributes 16-24 grams of added sugar.

Where Can You Find Pandan Latte in the US?

Pandan lattes are increasingly available at specialty coffee shops, particularly those focusing on Asian-inspired beverages. Major chains like Blue Bottle Coffee and Philz Coffee introduced pandan latte variations in 2024-2025, according to their respective menu announcements. Independent shops in cities with large Southeast Asian populations—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Houston—have offered pandan lattes since 2022, with the trend accelerating nationally. The Pandan Latte Index, tracked by the food trend analytics firm Tastewise in their 2025 report, shows that pandan latte availability increased from 3% of US coffee shops in January 2024 to 15% by December 2025. For home preparation, pandan extract and syrup are available at Asian grocery stores (H Mart, 99 Ranch Market), online retailers (Amazon, Weee!), and specialty food websites. The average retail price for pandan extract is $4-8 per 4-ounce bottle, while pandan syrup costs $8-15 per 12-ounce bottle, according to pricing data from Instacart’s 2025 grocery database.

Is Pandan Latte Healthy?

Pandan latte’s health profile depends primarily on the sugar content of the syrup or sweetener used. Pandan leaves themselves are low in calories and contain antioxidants including flavonoids and phenolic compounds, according to a 2023 review in the journal Antioxidants by researchers at Mahidol University. The review found that pandan leaf extract demonstrated antioxidant activity comparable to vitamin E in laboratory studies. However, the latte’s health impact is determined by the added ingredients: a 12-ounce pandan latte made with 2 tablespoons of pandan syrup contains approximately 16-24 grams of added sugar, which represents 64-96% of the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit for women. Using unsweetened pandan extract instead of syrup reduces added sugar to zero, while the milk choice affects calorie and fat content. A pandan latte made with oat milk contains approximately 120-150 calories per 12-ounce serving, while one made with whole milk contains 150-200 calories, according to nutritional data from the USDA FoodData Central database (2024 update). The caffeine content from one espresso shot (63 mg) is within the FDA’s recommended daily limit of 400 mg for healthy adults.

What Are Common Variations of Pandan Latte?

Pandan Coconut Latte: Replaces regular milk with coconut milk and adds a splash of coconut cream for a richer, tropical flavor. This variation is particularly popular in Thailand and Vietnam, according to the 2025 Southeast Asian Coffee Trends Report by the ASEAN Coffee Federation.

Pandan Oat Milk Latte: Uses oat milk as the base, which complements pandan’s vanilla notes. Oat milk’s natural sweetness reduces the need for added sugar, making this a lower-calorie option at approximately 100-130 calories per 12-ounce serving.

Iced Pandan Latte: Served over ice with cold milk and espresso, often with a layer of pandan syrup at the bottom for visual effect. This is the most popular serving method in US coffee shops, accounting for 72% of pandan latte orders according to Square’s 2025 Beverage Sales Data.

Pandan Dirty Latte: A variation where espresso is poured over pandan-infused cold milk without stirring, creating a layered “dirty” effect. The pandan flavor intensifies as the drink is consumed, providing a changing flavor experience.

Pandan Matcha Latte: Combines pandan syrup with matcha powder and milk, creating a dual-green beverage with both earthy and floral notes. This hybrid drink appeared on menus at 8% of specialty coffee shops surveyed in the 2025 National Coffee Association Trends Report.

How Does Pandan Latte Fit Into the Broader Southeast Asian Coffee Trend?

Pandan latte is part of a larger movement bringing Southeast Asian coffee traditions to Western markets, alongside Vietnamese egg coffee, Thai iced coffee, and Indonesian kopi luwak. According to the 2025 Global Coffee Trends Report by the International Coffee Organization, Southeast Asian coffee beverages saw a 280% increase in menu mentions across US and European coffee shops between 2022 and 2025. Pandan’s versatility—it pairs well with both coffee and non-coffee bases like matcha, milk tea, and smoothies—has accelerated its adoption beyond traditional coffee applications.