A Korean-inspired sweet potato latte (goguma latte) made with baked Japanese sweet potato. The natural sweetness of roasted sweet potato makes it rich and creamy—no sugar needed. Use plant milk for a vegan drink.
🍁 From My Autumn Kitchen
I've been baking Beni Haruka sweet potatoes lately—they come out so creamy and sweet.
Finding ways to use the leftovers has become one of my quiet joys this fall.
This Korean-style sweet potato latte (goguma latte) is where I began.
Just blend the baked sweet potato with plant milk and warm it through.
With Beni Haruka, there's no need for sugar—the natural sweetness is more than enough.
Traditional recipes leave out the coffee, but I sometimes add a splash of instant coffee when the mood calls for it.
That faint bitterness meeting the soft sweetness feels surprisingly right.
Silky and smooth, yet softly frothy—almost like a cappuccino.
The texture is what I keep coming back for.
Perfect for slow afternoons, or those mornings when I want something warm and simple to ease into the day.
Jump to:
🧺 What Makes This Recipe Special
- Quick baked sweet potato drink recipe—just blend and warm
- Naturally sweet from roasted sweet potato—no added sugar
- Works with soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or any milk you prefer
- Add instant coffee for a mocha-style goguma latte
☕️ Ingredients & Tools
Ingredients (Serves 1)
- Baked Japanese sweet potato / yakiimo : I'm using creamy-sweet Beni Haruka variety.
🌿For baking instructions, see How to Make Japanese Baked Sweet Potato. - Plant milk of choice : Using unsweetened soy milk this time—though regular milk works too
- Instant coffee (optional): A hint of bitterness that brings out the sweet potato's sweetness
- Sugar (optional): For when you want it sweeter. Beet sugar powder dissolves easily, though coconut sugar or light brown sugar work too
- Cinnamon powder (optional): Just a sprinkle on top. Pairs so well with sweet potato
📝 Full measurements and steps in the recipe card at the bottom 👇
Tools
- Small saucepan
- Immersion blender or regular blender
- Rubber spatula
📖 How to Make
- Blend
- Add baked sweet potato and plant milk to the saucepan.
- Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth.
🌿 Add instant coffee at this stage if using
- Heat
- Place over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Warm until it reaches your preferred temperature.
🌿 If too thick, add more milk little by little 🌿 If not sweet enough, add sugar to taste
- Serve
- Pour into a mug
- Sprinkle with cinnamon if you like
📘 Kitchen Notes | Tips & Tricks
➤ Choosing Your Sweet Potato
If you're using something other than Beni Haruka, adjust the milk and sugar amounts based on how sweet and moist your sweet potato is.
What I like to use:
- Beni Haruka: Very sweet with a creamy texture—works best for this recipe
- Anno-imo: Creamy and sweet, though it has more moisture, so use less milk
- Silk Sweet: Smooth with a gentle sweetness
- Naruto Kintoki: More on the fluffy side. Adding a bit of sugar helps balance it out
➤ Playing with Thickness
Make it thick and it feels more like something to spoon than sip. But if you get it just right, it turns frothy—almost like a cappuccino. That's the one I keep going back to.
➤ Toppings
Cinnamon is classic, but black sesame seeds or crushed nuts work too. The different textures and aromas change the whole feel of it.
➤ Other Ways to Enjoy It
- With mochi: Add some chewy mochi balls for something closer to sweet potato oshiruko—thick, warm, and filling.
- Serve it cold: Chill it in the fridge for an iced latte. Good for warmer days.
📚 Recipe FAQs
Boiling or steaming works too.
It won't be quite as sweet though, so adding a bit of sugar helps.
A regular blender or food processor does the job.
Or mash the sweet potato with a fork, then whisk it hard—it'll have some texture, but that's not bad either.
Espresso or brewed coffee work. Just adjust the amount to taste.
Definitely—makes it even easier.
The sweetness and texture vary by variety though, so taste as you go and adjust the milk or sugar if needed.
🍠 Got Extra Sweet Potato?
Other ways I like to use sweet potato in vegan Japanese recipes:
🍪 Simple Vegan Cookies
For light afternoons:
🍮 More Vegan Desserts
Gentle sweetness, easy to make:
✏️ Recipe Card｜Summary
Korean Sweet Potato Latte (Goguma Latte)
Ingredients
- 80 g baked Japanese sweet potato (2.8 oz, peeled)
- 150-200 ml plant milk of choice (⅔-¾ cup, using unsweetened soy milk)
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
- sugar - to taste (optional)
- cinnamon powder - for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Peel the baked sweet potato.*How to bake sweet potato in the oven
- Blend：Add baked sweet potato and plant milk to the saucepan, then blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender. *Add instant coffee at this stage if using
- Heat：Place over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Warm until it reaches your preferred temperature. *If too thick, add more milk little by little*If not sweet enough, add sugar to taste
- Serve：Pour into a mug. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.
Notes
- Beni Haruka (Japanese sweet potato) works best for its natural sweetness and creamy texture.
- Anno-imo is similar but has more moisture—use less milk.
- For varieties like Garnet or Hannah, you may need to add sugar.
Make it thick and it feels more like something to spoon than sip. Get it just right and it turns frothy—almost like a cappuccino. ➤ Milk Options：
Soy milk pairs best with sweet potato. Almond milk, oat milk, or regular dairy milk work too. ➤ Variations：
- With coffee: Add instant coffee for a mocha-style goguma latte
- Iced: Chill for a cold version, perfect for warmer days
- With mochi: Add chewy mochi balls for something closer to sweet potato oshiruko
🍂 Final Thoughts
When winter gets closer, warm drinks and something sweet feel necessary.
This goguma latte is one of them.
So are chocolate-flavored sweets and soy milk chai with a touch of spice—small comforts made for this season.
The chai uses rooibos, so no caffeine.
With crumbly rice flour oatmeal cookies on the side, it becomes a quiet moment worth having.
For days when being kind to yourself feels like the right thing to do.
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