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Korean Sweet Potato Latte (Goguma Latte)

by Emily
Sweet Potato Latte Cover Photo

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During the upcoming autumn and winter seasons, try making our sweet potato latte recipe to warm your belly–It is the perfect treat to get you into the cozy, fireside mood. In South Korea, this cold weather cafe drink became popular for a few reasons: 

  1. First, this latte uses produce which ripens during the colder months. It is always good to use seasonal ingredients. 
  2. Second, this drink does not contain any coffee or caffeine–It is perfect for those who do not like coffee and/or are eliminating caffeine from their diet! 
  3. Finally, Sweet potatoes are often considered ‘diet food’ in South Korea. Not only will they fill you up, but have lots of nutrition. This recipe contains some healthy, natural products that fill the stomach for an extended period.

You can easily make this comforting and subtle Korean cafe drink at home in just a few minutes of active cooking. Soon, you will be sipping on this velvety, fragrant drink!  

Large sweet potatoes next to green plants.
Beautiful and Large Korean Sweet Potatoes.

What Is a Sweet Potato Latte?

The sweet potato latte is known as a ‘goguma latte’ (고구마라떼) in South Korea. In English, the Korean word ‘goguma’ (고구마) means ‘sweet potato,’ while the word for ‘latte’ (라떼) is the same in both languages! 

To make this drink, people combine roasted or steamed sweet potatoes with frothed milk, a sweetener, and some spices. Like I stated above, though it is called a latte, it does not contain any coffee or caffeine. 

Korean Sweet Potato Latte Frequently Asked Questions:

Below, we listed some questions you may have about this Korean sweet potato latte (goguma latte). If we do not answer your question below, feel free to leave a comment or email us at carvingajourney@gmail.com!

A Korean sweet potato cut open to show the yellow interior.
The Korean Sweet Potato Has a Beautiful, Golden Yellow Interior.

Is This Goguma Latte Free of Major Allergens? (Gluten, Soy, Dairy, Etc)

For the most part, this goguma latte recipe does not contain any major allergens. It does not contain gluten, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and eggs! 

Unfortunately, for those who do not consume dairy, it does contain milk. Thankfully, you can easily replace the milk with non-dairy options! We recommend using more neutral-flavored substitutes such as almond or oat milk when making our sweet potato latte recipe. Below, under the vegetarian and vegan question, you can find two brands we recommend using as a milk substitute! 

Can You Make This Recipe Vegetarian or Vegan?

Like I stated above, you can easily replace the dairy with a neutral-flavored milk substitute. If you do, make sure to pick an option that does not curdle when heated through steaming or frothing. Some mix substitutes work better than others. 

For Hot Drinks, I Recommend:

  • Almond Milk: When picking almond milk, pick specific types that do not curdle when heated. I recommend the Silk brand. For me, it works the best with hot drinks.  
  • Oat Milk: Once again, when using oat milk, look for brands specifically used by baristas in coffee shops. I recommend using Earth’s Own Barista Edition for making hot drinks. For those with celiac disease, be careful when consuming oat milk–many people have reactions to oat milk even when it is labeled gluten-free. Read about why in this interesting article.
An overhead shot of Korea goguma latte.
I Enjoy Topping My Sweet Potato Latte with Nuts, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon.

What Type of Sweet Potatoes Should I Use?

To start making this goguma latte drink, you need to roast or steam sweet potatoes. In South Korea, they typically use different Korean varieties of sweet potato to make this recipe. These varieties are different from those found in the United States or other western countries. Of the Korean sweet potato varieties, they usually use: 

  • Chestnut Sweet Potatoes (Bam-Goguma 밤고구마): These sweet potatoes have a yellow interior and taste similar to chestnuts. These sweet potatoes are denser, drier, and nutty in texture!
  • Honey Sweet Potatoes (Kkul- Goguma 꿀고구마): This type of sweet potato has a deep yellow interior. They taste extremely sweet and have a moist texture. 

Personally, I enjoy using the chestnut sweet potato when making a sweet potato latte. When looking for these potatoes, note that the exterior has purple skin while the interior has a butter-yellow color flesh. 

An overhead shot of a sweet potato latte with nuts and cinnamon.
A Perfect Warm Drink for Fall and Winter.

Where Can I Find These Korean Sweet Potatoes?

You can find these sweet potatoes at any Asian grocery store. If you do not live near an Asian grocery store, they often sell these in Whole Foods. In Whole Foods, you will find them labeled under ‘Japanese Sweet Potato.’ 

If you cannot find different Korean varieties of sweet potatoes, you can use Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes, yams, or any other varieties of sweet potato found at your local store. Each variety will alter and change the taste, though they will all taste yummy! 

How Do I Store Goguma Latte Leftovers?

If you cannot finish your drink, you can easily store it in the refrigerator for a few days. When dealing with a leftover latte, cover it with plastic wrap or place it into an airtight container. Then, store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. 

Further, you can cook and store a bunch of sweet potatoes in advance to prepare this drink throughout the week. If you do, store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat the sweet potato in the oven or microwave before mixing it into the goguma latte.

A side shot of a Korean sweet potato latte next to cinnamon sticks.
A Cold Weather Drink!

We Hope You Enjoy Making This Korean Sweet Potato Latte Recipe!

In the end, we hope you enjoy making this Korean sweet potato latte recipe. If so, let us know in the comment section below. Also, what else do you make if you eat a lot of sweet potatoes?

If you would like to read more about Korean culture and cooking, you can find further articles and recipes on our blog. We listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey Korean recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by our blended Korean and Southern heritage.

Further Carving A Journey Korean Recipes:

If you have any questions or comments, you can also email us at [email protected].

And, finally, we would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow us at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to our blog by joining our mailing list. We hope you enjoyed learning how to make this Korean sweet potato latte recipe (goguma latte). Thank you so much for stopping by!

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Korean Sweet Potato Latte (Goguma Latte)

5.0 from 1 vote
Recipe by Emily Course: Beverages, RecipesCuisine: KoreanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • 200 Grams Roasted or Steamed Sweet Potato (7.05 Oz)

  • 2 1/4 Cups Milk or Milk Substitute

  • 1 TBSP Neutral Honey or Maple Syrup

  • 1 Pinch Salt

  • Sliced or Crushed Nuts, such as Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Etc.

  • Optional: Cinnamon, Garnish

  • Optional: Nutmeg, Garnish

Directions

  • First, roast or steam your sweet potato. Let it cool to not cause the milk to curdle.
  • Then, combine the sweet potato, milk, honey, and salt into a blender. Blend on high until the texture is smooth and frothy.
  • Pour the drink into a small saucepan. Heat the mixture of medium heat while continuously stirring so it does not curdle. Let it simmer for about a minute until warm.
  • Pour into cups and serve with optional nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • Serve hot!

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