Valoween Recipe: Layered Love Spell Latte

This content originally appeared in the 2023 Valoween Zine.

It’s natural this time of year to think about romantic love, but this recipe is perfect for adding a little self-love to your day as well. (And is how I used it!)

I wouldn’t label myself a witch, but in recent years I’ve definitely become more interested in how to add a little magic into my daily life. I’m exploring this by learning the magical properties of everyday ingredients, which is where this simple layered latte came from!

Cinnamon has a wide range of magical uses. When it comes to love, it’s associated with lust. It’s also used for healing and as protection from negative energies. Vanilla, meanwhile, is most often used in spells for love and friendship. It calms and strengthens, and it also brings luck.

In this recipe, we add a bit of both to simple syrup for flavor and magical properties, then top it with pink-frothed milk for a fun layering effect. Bonus points for a little extra magic: instead of food coloring, the pink milk gets its color from beet juice, which is an aphrodisiac.

It’s also the perfect complement to these planchette sandwich cookies.

Layered Love Spell Latte

Infuse your morning coffee with a little color and a lot of magic.

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-2 vanilla bean pods
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks

Layered Latte

• 3 oz espresso or strong coffee
• 1-2 Tbsp simple syrup
• 1/2 cup milk of your choice
• 1-2 Tbsp beet juice for color

To Make Simple Syrup

• Combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves.

• Place on stove over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and drop in vanilla bean pods and cinnamon sticks.

• Steep for 10-15 minutes, then remove vanilla pods and cinnamon sticks. Allow syrup to cool to room temp.

• Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

To Make Layered Latte

• Brew espresso or coffee.

• Stir 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon vanilla simple syrup into coffee.

• Combine 1/2 cup of milk of your choice with 1-2 tablespoons of beet juice. (This is for color. The small amount of juice shouldn’t affect the taste.)

• Froth milk mixture.

• Pour coffee into a cup, then slowly pour the frothed milk on top for a layering effect.

• When ready to drink, stir to combine, and enjoy your love spell latte!

Looking for more Valoween treats?

Check out these blog posts for more recipes: