What’s most surprising about Starbucks’ new secret Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte

How (and why you should) order this variation

By Emily Caldwell Published April 16, 2025

Starbucks Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte — Emily Caldwell / The Manual

If you follow Starbucks on social media, you might’ve caught the brand’s post yesterday about how to order a new (secret) variation of the traditional Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte. I’ll admit, I’ve never tried lavender coffee, nor did I have a deep urge to do so until I saw the Instagram post. I’m unsure if the bright purple for springtime or the curiosity around lavender coffee intrigued me to order this. Regardless, I’m glad I tried this drink because it doesn’t taste anything like I thought it would. From the looks of this drink, I expected it to be super sweet and overpowering. Yet, after one sip, it’s safe to say I’m hooked on the taste of lavender in coffee. The drink is light, smooth, and sweet enough without tasting like a whole dessert.

The Instagram post starts by ordering a Grande Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte. When ordered right off the menu, this drink is crafted with Starbucks blonde espresso roast, creamy oatmilk, ice, and infused with sweet and subtle floral notes of lavender. Despite heading to Starbucks several times over the last month, I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never tried this springtime favorite beverage.

Recommended Videos

The new secret customization of this beverage creates a more lavender-focused drink, with lavender from top to bottom. It combines shots of Starbucks’ rich espresso with subtly sweet and floral notes of lavender, creamy oat milk, and ice, all topped off with lavender cream cold foam.

How to order

Starbucks Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte — Starbucks / Starbucks

Order a Grande Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte
Add an extra shot of espresso
Order upside down (means milk first, espresso shots second, which is opposite of how a traditional latte is made)
Add an extra scoop of lavender powder
Add lavender cream cold foam

If you try to order this beverage in the app, you’ll find no spot to request these special customizations. This customized iced lavender oatmilk latte can only be ordered in a Starbucks café or via drive-thru. Since I’m usually a pretty basic coffee drinker, I felt odd ordering a drink this long. When you taste one sip of this light, springtime latte, you’ll agree — it’s 100% worth it.

Contributor

Emily is a freelance journalist with a focus on food, travel, health, and fitness content. She loves to travel to new…

Topics

Coffee & Tea

Food & Drink

I tried the viral Amalfi lemon sorbet and here’s what surprised me most

The TikTok-famous Amalfi lemon sorbet: worth the hype or just pretty?

Italy lemon sorbet

On TikTok, "foodtok" and "traveltok" often overlap—two of my biggest passions. Before my trip to Italy, my TikTok "for you" page was inundated with reels of Italian lemon sorbet, served inside the lemon itself instead of in a bowl. Suddenly, I found my entire feed taken over by this eye-catching Italian lemon dessert, originating from Italy's Amalfi Coast.

As I saw more videos of this treat, I assumed it would be one of those treats that gain popularity based on visual appeal alone and often lack flavor. After all, the presentation in the lemon itself is undeniably appetizing. When I arrived on the Amalfi Coast, it felt only right to try this famous treat in the very place it was born. Here's what surprised me most about this frozen sensation (and why you should never assume based on what you see on social media).

Food & Drink

I tried Starbucks’ new Pecan Oatmilk Cortado and it’s not what I expected at all

What I thought of this fall-inspired Cortado

Starbucks pecan cortado

When Starbucks first released its version of the cortado in January, it instantly became a favorite of mine. To me, the perfectly balanced construction of equal parts espresso and steamed milk in a cortado makes for the perfect beverage that's strong enough in espresso flavor, but still has a good bit of creaminess. This small but mighty espresso drink always hits the spot, especially when you're looking for a drink that's low in liquid volume but high in caffeine content.

I'd describe myself as what I call a "classic coffee drinker." By this, I mean that I tend to shy away from fancy espresso beverages and flavored drinks that have lots of "add-ons" like caramel drizzle or cookie crumbles. I love coffee and espresso in its purest form, and I tend not to like drinking coffees that are overly sweetened.

Food & Drink

What is green coffee? Here’s what you need to know

How green coffee differs from roasted coffee

green coffee plant

You may have seen the words "green coffee bean extract" on the ingredient labels of various energy drinks or even marketed as a supplement. Green coffee beans are unroasted coffee beans with a naturally green tint. For coffee drinkers, "green coffee" is not often a part of our everyday routine. Unless you're roasting your own coffee beans, the average coffee drinker doesn't come in contact with green coffee beans. Green coffee refers to the seeds of the raw coffee fruit before they undergo the roasting process, which gives a darkened color and complex flavor. Can you drink green coffee? Why is it called green coffee? In this guide, we'll break down the answers to all of your "What is green coffee?" questions, from flavor to uses.

What is green coffee?