Skip the usual pumpkin spice latte. If you love experimenting with vibrant fruit flavors in your morning brew—like my popular Strawberry Matcha Latte or the visually stunning Dragonfruit Matcha Latte—it's time to try a Cempedak Spice Latte. It's creamy, healthy, and a brilliant way to bring an exotic, cozy twist to your coffee routine.
Cempedak season in Southeast Asia aligns perfectly with autumn in the West. While coffee shops roll out squash and spices, tropical markets are overflowing with the sweet, fragrant pods of cempedak. Because its flesh is naturally dense and rich, it blends into a luxurious, velvety base that beautifully balances a bold shot of espresso.
A quick tip before you dive in: If you haven't prepped your fruit yet, you have to try opening it my favorite way! I have a method where you can peel the rind all the way back and hold the whole thing right by the stem to pull out the pods—it's honestly so satisfying. Check out the How to Cut Open a Cempedak tutorial to see how it's done!
Craving more tropical treats? Check out my full Cempedak Recipe Category for more creative ideas, including my indulgent Cempedak Ice-Cream and healthy Breakfast Cempedak Cake!
Watch the Recipe Go Viral! 🎥
Want to see exactly how creamy this latte gets in real life? This recipe has been very popular on my social media! You can watch the step-by-step video over on my viral Cempedak Spice Latte Instagram Reel or watch the Cempedak Spice Latte Video on YouTube Shorts. Don't forget to save the video so you can easily reference it when you're ready to brew!
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Creamy Cempedak Puree:
- 330 grams fresh cempedak flesh (seeds removed)
- ⅓ cup condensed milk (Use oat or coconut condensed milk to keep it dairy-free!)
- ⅓ cup oat milk or water (Just a splash to help your blender run smoothly)
For the Spiced Latte Base:
- 2 tablespoon cempedak puree
- 1 ½ cups oat milk (Or your preferred milk of choice)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon coconut sugar (Adds a lovely caramel undertone)
- 2 espresso shots (Or ⅓ cup of very strongly brewed coffee)
For the Optional Toppings:
- Coconut whipped cream
- A pinch of extra ground cinnamon
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Cempedak Puree
- Separate the cempedak flesh from the central core and pop the seeds out of the pods.
- Place the seedless flesh into a high-speed blender with the condensed milk and a splash of oat milk or water. Blend on high until velvety smooth, then set aside.
Eco-Tip & Zero Waste: Don't throw away the seeds! For a savory snack, check out my guide on How to Cook Cempedak Seeds: 3 Viral Ways to Eat Them. If you have a sweet tooth, you have to try my super viral Chocolate Cempedak Seed Spread—it's like a tropical, sustainable Nutella! You can also use them for these refreshing Ice-Cream Popsicles With Cempedak Seeds.
2. Heat and Infuse the Milk
- In a small saucepan, gently heat 1 ½ cups of oat milk over medium heat until it simmers.
- Whisk in 2 tablespoons of your fresh cempedak puree and the coconut sugar until dissolved.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Whisk until lightly frothy.
3. Brew and Assemble
- Brew two fresh shots of espresso (or strong instant coffee).
- Pour your hot, spiced cempedak milk directly over the espresso in your favorite mug.
- Top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if you're feeling indulgent.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Cempedak Latte
- Use Fresh and Ripe Cempedak: For the best flavor, choose a ripe cempedak. The riper the fruit, the more fragrant and sweet your puree will be. You can even freeze cempedak if it’s in season and use it later.
- Blending Smoothness: When making the puree, blend the cempedak flesh with a small amount of milk or water to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Adjust Spice Levels: If you love the warmth of cinnamon or ginger, you can increase their amounts slightly for a more spiced flavor.
- Sweetness Control: The cempedak fruit itself is naturally sweet, but coconut sugar adds an extra layer of caramel-like flavor. Adjust the sugar to your preference.
- Foam Your Milk: Frothing your milk (especially oat milk) will add a luxurious, creamy texture to the latte, giving it that professional coffee shop feel.
Let's Make A Cempedak Spice Latte!
Discover your new favorite seasonal drink with this unique tropical recipe! If you tried making this at home, please leave a comment and a star rating below—I absolutely love hearing how your recipes turn out.
For more easy and healthy recipes like this one you can follow me on YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST.
Cempedak Spice Latte
Ingredients
Cempedak Puree:
- 330 grams cempedak flesh seeds removed
- ⅓ cup condensed milk use oat or coconut for dairy free
- ⅓ cup milk or water to help with blending
Spiced Latte:
- 1½ cup oat milk or any milk of choice
- 2 tablespoon cempedak puree add more for a stronger flavor
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 2 espresso shots
For Topping:
- coconut whipped cream
- ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the Cempedak Puree:
- Remove the seeds from the cempedak flesh and place it in a blender.
- Add the condensed milk and ⅓ cup of oat milk or water. Blend until smooth, creating a thick puree. Set aside.
Heat the Milk:
- In a saucepan, gently heat the oat milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
- Add in the cempedak puree and coconut sugar and whisk until combined.
- Turn off the heat and add the vanilla extract, ground ginger and cinnamon. Stir until everything is well combined and lightly frothy.
Brew the Espresso:
- Prepare two shots of espresso using your coffee maker. If you don’t have an espresso machine, strong brewed coffee works as well.
Assemble the Latte:
- In a cup, pour the hot cempedak-spiced milk mixture over the espresso. Stir to combine.
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