I’ve been seeing the viral Nitro Bar whipped sea salt latte everywhere and wanted to put my own spin on it — so behold, the Maple Cloud Earl Grey! It’s an Earl Grey milk tea topped with whipped maple sea salt cream that’s creamy, lightly sweet, and honestly, the perfect winter milk tea. If you’ve never had maple syrup with Earl Grey tea, you need to try it.

Here’s how to make a maple cloud Earl Grey milk tea at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a unique spin on the popular whipped sea salt latte!
• Easy to follow, and you’ll make a coffee shop-quality drink at home.
• A cool way to change up your Earl Grey milk tea recipe.
• Maple syrup is so good with Earl Grey tea!

What Is Earl Grey Milk Tea?

Earl Grey milk tea is brewed Earl Grey tea with milk added to it. You can have it in the traditional style, which is similar to a British cream tea, or the Asian way! If you’ve ever been to a boba tea store, then you’ll know that milk tea is a super creamy and strong drink served iced, sweetened, and sometimes with tapioca pearls.

It was one of the very first milk teas I’ve tried, and I just love that citrusy, floral flavor! It’s super easy to make at home with some loose-leaf tea and milk. But for a boba shop style, use non-dairy powdered milk. It makes it extra creamy.

What Is Maple Cloud Cream?

This is my name for a salted maple whipped cream, but cloud sounds nicer. It’s not a new flavor combination, but definitely underrated. The cloud has heavy cream, maple syrup, and a small pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness. It tastes kind of like kettle corn, but in cream form, which is then whipped until fluffy and can hold a stiff peak.

This is easiest applied via a piping bag, but you can also spoon it on. For a softer cream, add a little bit of milk to make a salted maple sweet cream cold foam instead. It mixes into drinks much more easily!

Why Maple and Earl Grey Work So Well

Well, it’s hard for maple syrup not to taste good in brewed tea! Unless you don’t like maple-flavored things. But I like the brown sugar and caramel flavor maple syrup has, especially when it’s the real deal. Earl Grey at its core is a black tea, which has malty, woody, and earthy notes. The bergamot oil, though, makes it super aromatic and citrus-forward.

So, a darker tasting sweetener like maple syrup meshes really well with all those flavors in Earl Grey tea. And a little creaminess ties it all together. Seriously, give it a try!

Ingredients for Maple Cloud Earl Grey

• 2 tbsp loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
• 1 cup hot water
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 cup ice
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ tbsp maple syrup
• ⅛ tsp salt or a small pinch

You’ll also need a handheld frother or electric mixer to make the cream.

How to Make Earl Grey Milk Tea at Home

Earl Grey milk tea is really easy to make at home, and you don’t need anything fancy to make it taste like the shops! The hack is that you need to make a really strong brew, so instead of using a teaspoon or tablespoon for one cup of water, you want to use two tablespoons.

Now, this might be strong, but trust me, you want a strong brew so the milk and cream don’t dilute the flavor. Boba shops make their teas insanely strong, usually using ratios of 4 tbsps per cup!

Once you brew your cup of tea, add a third cup of milk, preferably whole, for a creamy flavor. I like fresh milk milk teas since it’s healthier than using a powdered creamer, but the powdered stuff is what boba shops use to get their milk teas super creamy.

The steps:

1. Add Earl Grey loose-leaf tea to a teapot or heatproof cup and add hot water. Brew tea for 5 minutes, then remove the leaves. Optional: add the brewed leaves to your milk to make Earl Grey milk for more flavor.
2. Add a little bit of maple syrup to your tea and stir to dissolve.

How to Make Whipped Maple Sea Salt Cream

This is pretty straightforward! You’re going to make whipped cream with maple syrup and a little bit of salt. I use a handheld frother for making a single serving of this, but you can make a larger batch using a regular whisk or electric mixer.

The steps:

1. Add heavy cream, maple syrup, and salt to a cup or bowl.
2. Using a handheld frother, whip the cream until it doubles in size and is fluffy. The cream should hold a stiff peak when taking the frother or beater out.

Tips for Getting the Perfect Milk Tea

• Brew Strong Tea: For milk tea, you want a strongly brewed tea that doesn’t taste diluted after you add milk. Most boba shops brew their teas using a high ratio of tea leaves to water, and you might be shocked by how strong some of the teas are. find that 2 tbsps of loose-leaf tea to 1 cup of water is plenty strong.
• Let Tea Chill: You can use the tea right away if you brew it when you’re making this drink. However, it will melt some of the ice and make the tea taste less strong. For the best flavor, let the tea cool and chill in the fridge before using.
• Use A Fattier Milk: Everyone loves a creamy and strong milk tea. 2% milk doesn’t have enough fat to give that same creaminess, so use whole milk, oat milk, or even half and half for a fresh and creamy flavor.
• A Little Salt Goes a Long Way: Don’t use too much salt; you’ll end up with salty tea. Then, you’ll have to compensate by adding more sugar, which we don’t want to do. Use a small pinch at first, then add more little by ittle unti lyo’re saisfed.

FAQs

Is Earl Grey milk tea caffeinated?

Yes, Earl Grey milk tea is caffeinated. Earl Grey is a black tea, which naturally contains caffeine. A typical cup of Earl Grey milk tea has about 40–70 mg of caffeine, depending on the tea brand and how long it’s steeped. If you want a lower-caffeine option, you can use decaffeinated Earl Grey or steep the tea for a shorter time.

Is maple or honey better in Earl Grey tea?

Both maple syrup and honey pair especially well with milk and cream, making them ideal for Earl Grey milk tea, but they taste different. Maple syrup adds a deeper, caramel-like sweetness, while honey is lighter and more floral. I personally prefer using maple syrup for cold tea and honey for hot.

Can I make Earl Grey milk tea dairy-free?

Yes, Earl Grey milk tea can easily be made dairy-free. Plant milks like oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk all work well with Earl Grey. Oat milk is especially popular because it’s naturally creamy and balances the citrusy bergamot flavor. For a dairy-free whipped topping, you can use plant-based heavy cream or coconut cream.

What is maple whipped cream made of?

Maple whipped cream is made with heavy cream, pure maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. The salt enhances the sweetness and adds a nice savory balance. The cream is whipped until light and fluffy, which sits nicely on milk tea and coffee drinks.

Other Milk Tea Recipes to Try

This maple cloud Earl Grey milk tea is so fun to make at home, and you feel like a barista! There are so many other milk tea combinations out there that you should try next. Here’s some inspiration for your next creation:

• Dalgona Milk Tea
• Strawberry Earl Grey Milk Tea
• Earl Grey Milk Tea with Boba
• Brown Sugar Milk Tea
• Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with Boba