Name: Korean Mugwort Latte: Easy Caffeine-Free Cream Ssuk Latte
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 10 g mugwort powder ((about 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) ); 2 tbsp hot water; 150 ml milk ((about 2/3 cup)); 1 tbsp condensed milk; 1 tbsp condensed milk; 30 g heavy cream (about 2 tbsp); 1/2 cup cubed ice

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Korean mugwort latte is a no-caffeine Korean café drink that reinterprets mugwort, a traditional Korean ingredient, in a delicious and modern way. In Korean, it is called Ssuk Latte. You know when you are sensitive to caffeine but find ade, juice, and tea too predictable? And you still want a sweet and refreshing latte! In that case, try making a delicious Korean café mugwart cream latte in just 5 minutes, using a sweet milk base made with mugwort and topped with soft milk foam.

Front view of a Mugwort Cream Latte in a glass, with milk at the bottom and a mugwort gradient and cream foam layered above — This layered moment is my favorite. A Ssuk Latte shot.

What is Mugwort?

Have you ever seen green rice cakes among Korean rice cakes? The green rice cakes you see in honey-filled rice cakes (kkultteok 꿀떡) and songpyeon are ssuk-tteok 쑥떡, rice cakes made with mugwort. Mugwort, which is in season in spring, is a representative ingredient used in Korean rice cakes and tea. Its distinctive, fragrant aroma reminds Koreans of spring.

A wellness herb, mugwort: Mugwort has a warming nature and is known to warm the body. In Korean traditional medicine, it is even called uicho, meaning “medicinal herb,” because it is known to be good for health. It is also considered beneficial for relieving fatigue, making it a great ingredient to enjoy as tea.

Korean Mugwort Latte: Easy Caffeine-Free Cream Ssuk Latte — Mugwort for Korean mugwort cream latte

Why You’ll Love This Mugwort Cream Latte

Caffeine-free. Mugwort contains no caffeine, so it’s great to enjoy even late in the evening.
Milk foam used in Korean cafés. You can make it quickly with a small electric milk frother!
Sweet milk base like Korean cafés.
Beautiful. As the mugwort mixture spreads through the milk, it creates a gradient, making you feel like you’re enjoying a drink at a café just by placing the glass in front of you.
Simple ingredients.

Overhead view of a teaspoon beside a glass of Korean Mugwort Latte, with mugwort powder visible on the cream foam — The top view of mugwort Cream Latte is an art.

Korean Mugwort Latte Ingredients

Mugwort base

Mugwort powder: 10g (about 1 tbsp + 1 tsp)
Hot water: 2 tbsp

Milk base

Milk: 150ml (about 2/3 cup)
Sweetened condensed milk: 1 tbsp
Cube ice: 1/2 cup or more

Milk foam

Sweetened condensed milk: 1 tbsp
Heavy whipping cream: 30g (about 2 tbsp)

mugwort powder (Ssuk garu) — Mugwort powder (Ssuk garu) on Amazon👆

condensed milk — Mugwort powder (Ssuk garu) on Amazon👆

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Mugwort powder (ssuk garu): This is Korean mugwort (Korean mugwort) that has been dried and finely ground into a powder. You can find it at Korean grocery stores or online by searching for “Korean mugwort powder.”
Matcha powder: If Korean mugwort powder is difficult to find, simply replace the powder with matcha powder and enjoy it as a cream matcha latte.
Condensed milk: Use sweetened condensed milk. It gives the drink a rich, creamy sweetness that sugar cannot replace. If you don’t have it, you can substitute sugar.
Heavy whipping cream: Cold heavy whipping cream.
Milk: Use cold milk. If you’re vegan, you can substitute plant-based milk.

naoki uji matcha powder — Premium Uji matcha 🌿

How to Make Korean Mugwort Latte (Ssuk Latte)

Step 1. Dissolve the Mugwort Powder in Hot Water

Dissolve the mugwort powder in hot water.

Mugwort powder dissolved in hot water into a deep green liquid, the base for Mugwort Cream Latte — Dissolve it smoothly with no lumps.

Step 2. A Korean Cafe Segret! Sweet Milk Base

This is the secret milk base used in Korean cafés! Mix the cold milk and sweetened condensed milk well to make a sweet milk base.

Cold milk and condensed milk starting to mix together, the milk base for Ssuk Latte — Condensed milk is essential to make deep flavor of Korean mugwort latte

Step 3. Whisk the Mugwort Cream Latte Foam

Mix the cold sweetened condensed milk and whipping cream with a small electric milk frother until you get a smooth milk foam.

Blonde Kimchi Tips: Start with both the sweetened condensed milk and whipping cream cold.

Condensed milk and whipping cream being mixed with a small electric frother as the cream foam rises, Ssuk Latte milk foam — This is the sweet soft cream foam of Mugwort Cream Latte.

milk frother for Korean cafe milk foam — This is the sweet soft cream foam of Mugwort Cream Latte.

Step 4. Assemble and Finish

Add cubed ice to a glass, pour in the sweet milk base, and then pour in the mugwort mixture. After that, pour in the milk foam and finish by sprinkling mugwort powder on top. Your beautiful, caffeine-free Korean café drink is ready!

Blonde Kimchi Tips: Pour in the ingredients in this order: ice, milk base, mugwort mixture, and milk foam. This helps create a beautiful gradient as the mugwort color spreads through the milk.

Close-up of green mugwort powder piled on top of cream foam on a Mugwort Cream Latte — Milk base with ice for ssuk latte

Storage & Make-Ahead

This latte tastes best when enjoyed immediately.
You can prepare the mugwort mixture and milk base separately and keep them in the refrigerator for a short time, then assemble the drink just before serving.
Make the milk foam right before serving.

A Ssuk Latte glass with a straw, showing the cream foam and mugwort gradient — Korean Mugwort Latte looks like an art

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FAQ

The subtle mugwort aroma and slightly bitter taste blend with the sweetness of condensed milk with a smooth and nutty flavor. The cream foam on top makes it even smoother and sweeter.

Yes, it is caffeine free because it is made with mugwort powder and a milk base, so you can enjoy it even in the evening.

Look for “Korean mugwort powder” at Korean grocery stores or online shops. For this Ssuk Latte, make sure to use edible mugwort powder intended for drinks or cooking.

Mugwort powder on Amazon

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By Blonde Kimchi

Korean Mugwort Latte: Easy Caffeine-Free Cream Ssuk Latte

An iced, caffeine-free latte made with mugwort powder, milk, and sweetened condensed milk, topped with condensed milk cream foam for a Korean café-style finish.

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Start Cooking

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: cafe at home, Gluten Free, Non-Spicy, Spring, summer, under 5 minutes, vegetarian

Mood: Refreshing

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time:2

Cook Time:3

Total Time:5

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 355kcal

Equipment

1 Kettle