Sakura Milk (Sakura Latte with no coffee)

A Cherry Blossom Drink That Represents Spring in Japan

Sakura milk is a creamy cherry blossom drink that captures the feeling of spring in Japan. The gentle floral aroma of cherry blossoms makes it a seasonal favorite, and similar drinks appear every year during cherry blossom season.

Many café chains release their own cherry blossom drinks each spring. You’ll often see versions similar to sakura latte or sakura milk tea at places like Starbucks, where cherry blossom–inspired beverages become part of the seasonal menu.

The good news is that this drink is surprisingly easy to make at home. With just milk, sakura powder, and a sweetener, you can recreate the soft pink color and delicate floral flavor of a classic cherry blossom drink in your own kitchen.

A Simple Sakura Drink Using Sakura Powder

For this recipe, the cherry blossom powder used was made by a brand called Yamasan. The powder has a naturally soft pink color and does not use artificial coloring, which gives the drink a gentle and natural look.

It’s also quite easy to find online, including on Amazon, so anyone interested in making sakura milk at home can try it.

While testing this recipe, an interesting detail appeared on the ingredient list of the powder: it contains agar (kanten). Agar is a natural gelling ingredient made from seaweed and commonly used in Japanese desserts.

Because of this, if the drink cools down enough, the mixture can lightly set and turn into something closer to a cherry milk pudding or a soft cherry milk flan. It’s a fun little surprise and another reminder of how often agar appears in Japanese sweets.

You may also notice the small salted sakura blossoms used as a garnish. In Japan, salted cherry blossoms are often served in celebratory drinks such as sakura tea at weddings or other special occasions. The blossoms are preserved in salt and then soaked in water to remove the excess salt before using them.

They are also occasionally used in Japanese desserts, where their gentle floral flavor and beautiful shape make them a lovely decoration for seasonal sweets.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Milk: 2 cups
Sugar or preferred sweetener: 2 tablespoons
Sakura powder: 1 tablespoon
Whipped cream: For topping
Sakura powder (for garnish): ½ teaspoon
Salted sakura blossoms: 2 pieces

Instructions

1. Place the salted sakura blossoms in water and soak them for a few minutes to remove excess salt.
2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and warm it gently over medium-low heat.
3. Add the sakura powder and stir until the powder dissolves evenly into the milk.
4. Stir in the sugar or your preferred sweetener and mix until fully dissolved.
5. Pat the soaked blossoms dry and trim off the excess stems.
6. Pour the sakura milk into two cups, then top with whipped cream, a light sprinkle of sakura powder, and one sakura blossom for each cup.

Sakura Milk(Sakura Latte with no coffee)

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• Milk: 2 cups
• Sugar or preferred sweetener: 2 tablespoons
• Sakura powder: 1 tablespoon
• Whipped cream: For topping
• Sakura powder for garnish: ½ teaspoon
• Salted sakura blossoms: 2 pieces

Method

 

1. Place the salted sakura blossoms in water and soak them for a few minutes to remove excess salt.
2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and warm it gently over medium-low heat.
3. Sift in the sakura powder and stir until the powder dissolves evenly into the milk.
4. Stir in the sugar or your preferred sweetener and mix until fully dissolved.
5. Pat the soaked blossoms dry and trim off the excess stems.
6. Strain the sakura milk into two cups, then top with whipped cream, a light sprinkle of sakura powder, and one sakura blossom for each cup.