Have you ever tried sesame coffee that is sweet and salty? While tahini is usually used in savory food, it’s also delicious in sweets! Don’t knock it until you try it, and this salted tahini honeycomb latte from Maman is sure to convert you into the sweet and salty club.

You can make this nutty iced latte with staple kitchen ingredients, and in less than 10 minutes, you can also enjoy this viral NYX latte without leaving your home.

Here’s how to make this delicious salted tahini honeycomb latte at home!

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a popular Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ground toasted white sesame paste condiment. If you’ve never had tahini on its own, I’ll bet you’ve tried it in other foods like falafel, in hummus, or in desserts like halva!

It adds a rich, nutty, and earthy flavor to pastes and foods. On its own, it tastes similar to a runny peanut butter, but can taste slightly sour and bitter, too. It’s usually cream in color and packaged in plastic jars.

You can find this condiment in any grocery store, and it’s usually $10 for a medium-sized jar! Like most nut butters, it also pairs well with something sweet, like honey.

Does Tahini Go With Honey?

Sweet and salty is a classic flavor pairing, so tahini and honey definitely go together. Peanut butter and honey are a commonly known pairing, and tahini is very similar to peanut butter, so it works! There’s just something so satisfying about something rich and nutty paired with a nice sweetness!

Honey also brings out an additional nuttiness in the tahini and helps balance the flavors, making the tahini taste less bitter. There’s a reason why people add salt to sweet!

Why Sweet and Salty Works

Have you ever wondered why people add salt to sweets? Think: salted caramel, kettle corn, salted butter on grilled corn, saltwater taffy, the list goes on and on. It’s a very common flavor pairing, but there’s actually a scientific phenomenon and explanation why.

Food Science Break: Salt enhances the sweetness of sugar in food, rounds out flavors, and also decreases metallic and bitter taste! (Henney JE et al., 2003). The sodium binds to bitter receptors on the tongue and simultaneously enhances sweetness while no additional sugar is added.

So, salt cuts through sugar and makes sweet things feel less cloying and more balanced. That pinch of salt transforms this salted tahini honeycomb latte on our tongue!

Does Tahini Go With Coffee?

Because of its savory flavors, tahini actually may make coffee taste less bitter and sour!

A known hack for making coffee taste smoother is adding a small pinch of salt. As mentioned above, salt decreases bitterness and enhances sweetness. Adding a little salt to bitter or sour coffee is one of the hacks in the coffee community for saving poorly extracted coffee.

Since tahini is slightly salty and nutty, adding it to coffee may make it taste smoother! It also adds a nice nuttiness and roasted flavor that enhances the coffee’s nuttier flavors.

So, they’re a great pair, although unconventional.

What is a Salted Tahini Honeycomb Latte?

The viral salted tahini honeycomb latte comes from a French cafe called Maman in NYC. This drink is a part of their 2025 spring seasonal menu, which features tahini, honey, sea salt, milk, and espresso.

Their sweet and salty latte went viral on TikTok and garnered intrigued fans who were surprised by the use of tahini in a drink.

Tahini has a nutty, roasted flavor similar to peanuts, which works perfectly with a little honey and salt. People love a good sweet and salty concoction, and in drinkable form, you’ve got a hit!

What Does a Salted Tahini Honeycomb Latte Taste Like?

As mentioned, the tahini has a peanutty flavor that works nicely with the sweetness from honey. It’s roasty, toasty, and slightly smokey, which pairs incredibly well with coffee since it is also slightly smokey, bold, and bitter.

The tahini and honey round out the bitterness in the coffee, and it kind of reminds me of a black sesame latte, but more savory. It also tastes like a peanut latte but more earthy! This tahini honey latte rides the line between sweet and savory and is a great middle ground of nutty, bitter, salty, and toasty flavors.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I ended up really liking this combination. It’s one you have to try, especially if you like sweet and salty!

How to Make Espresso

A latte is 1-2 shots of espresso with steamed milk (or cold milk and ice). Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee that forms the base of all cafe-style drinks! It’s super strong, so you only need a little to get a great latte.

You can easily make espresso at home with an espresso machine (automatic or manual), following its respective manuals. However, if you do not own an espresso machine, you can still make espresso-like coffee and use that instead!

I am a full-hearted fan of moka pots, which are stovetop espresso makers that give you concentrated coffee without a machine. In a pinch, you can also use cold brew concentrate or even instant espresso powder!

As long as you have strong concentrated coffee, you can use it as an espresso replacement.

How to Make a Salted Tahini Honeycomb Latte

You’ll need these ingredients to make this creamy salted tahini honeycomb latte at home:

• ½ tbsp tahini
• 1-2 tsp honey
• 1-2 shots of espresso
• 1 cup ice
• 1-1½ cup milk
• A small pinch of salt

Salted Tahini Honeycomb Latte Recipe

1. Brew Espresso. Using your favorite coffee beans and method, brew 1-2 shots of espresso. You can use an automatic or manual espresso machine, even instant espresso powder works.
2. Mix Tahini and Honey. Add tahini, honey, and a little salt to the hot espresso. Stir until everything dissolves completely. Alternatively, you can mix these into the milk if you want a layered iced latte.
3. Assemble Drink. Add ice and milk into a glass, then top with your mixed espresso. Garnish with a piece of honeycomb (optional).
4. Mix and Enjoy!

Other Sweet and Salty Coffee Recipes

I always believe a little salt makes any sweet treat better. So, if you tried this combination and love it, then you have to try other sweet and salty lattes! Here is some drink inspiration for your next drink:

• Try The Matcha Version: Salted Tahini Honeycomb Matcha Latte
• Salted Maple Iced Shaken Espresso
• Salted Caramel Latte
• Maple Walnut Latte
• Salted Honey Cold Foam Iced Coffee
• Salted Vietnamese Coffee
• Black Sesame Cream Latte
• Honey Salted Pistachio Latte

Tips:

From me to you, here are some tips for improving or altering this salted tahini honeycomb latte at home:

• Make it Dairy-Free: If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, you can easily make this drink with alternative milks like oat, coconut, soy, or almond milk. Any creamy milk alternative works, and I think it would taste better with a nuttier milk like almond or pistachio since it works well with the nutty tahini.
• Try Different Sweeteners: Instead of honey, try other sweeteners like maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar. The taste might vary slightly depending on the sweetener used, but it may taste even better than the original!
• Make a Cold Foam: For a creamy version of this latte, make a salted tahini honey cream or cold foam to add on top of your iced latte. This is such a fun way to change up a classic latte and might taste even more luscious.