My easy iced matcha latte recipe is so easy to make at home! You can make yourself this vibrant green, earthy, and creamy drink whenever the mood strikes. The best part is it tastes good with any type of milk, so you can make it with dairy or nondairy milk to suit your needs!
The flavor of matcha can be a bit strong if you aren’t used to its earthy, slightly bitter notes. Try starting off this matcha latte with a little less matcha powder than I recommend, and see how you like the taste. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s more of a guide, and you can change up the quantity of matcha for a more (or less) intense flavor. For more beverage recipes, try my dark and stormy, watermelon agua fresca, or hot chocolate.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is a Japanese powdered tea made from finely ground green tea leaves. This type of green tea leaves is grown in a special shaded environment, which boosts their chlorophyll content and produces a fine powder that’s a vibrant shade of green. Matcha has a naturally earthy, somewhat grassy flavor, which can vary in intensity depending on the type of matcha powder.
When mixed with hot water, the powdered tea disperses to form a brilliant green drink. So when you drink your iced matcha latte, you are, in fact, consuming tea leaves instead of infusing water with tea leaves and then discarding them, like you would do when making a regular cup of tea.
In addition to enjoying its flavor, many people turn to matcha lattes for energy. Its caffeine content is lower than coffee, but it is typically regarded as energizing without making you jittery.
Ingredients
Matcha powder — if you’re new to the flavor of matcha, I’d recommend starting with slightly less matcha powder than I use in this recipe (1 teaspoon). Choose the highest quality of matcha you can afford or find.
Water — you’ll whisk the matcha powder with a small amount of water to ensure the powder is properly suspended before adding milk.
Milk — I use whole milk to make my matcha latte, but you can use any milk you prefer. Dairy or non-dairy options work excellently.
How To Make An Iced Matcha Latte
1. In a small bowl, sift the matcha powder through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps.
2. Add the hot water to the sifted matcha. Whisk vigorously with a bamboo matcha whisk or mini whisk.
3. Add another 3 tablespoons of cold water and whisk again.
4. Fill a glass two-thirds full with ice cubes. Add your cold milk of choice, then pour in the matcha mixture. Sweeten the creamy iced matcha latte if desired and serve immediately.
What Type Of Matcha Should I Use?
For the most delicious iced green tea latte, use a high quality matcha powder. I recommend finding a ceremonial grade matcha powder, which has a smooth, nutty, and earthy flavor and is a beautiful, vivid green.
Culinary grade matcha powder is typically used for baking and has a stronger, more bitter flavor. I don’t recommend it for this recipe flavor-wise, but if you are familiar with this type of matcha and enjoy it, it will work!
Do I Have To Use A Bamboo Whisk?
A bamboo whisk (also known as a chasen) is the best tool for whisking the matcha powder into the water without lumps. Matcha naturally clumps in liquid, so you want a good tool to mix it in. Use an electric milk frother or a mini whisk if you don’t have a bamboo whisk.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Add sweetener: You can sweeten the latte with simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup or by whisking granulated sugar with the matcha powder and hot water.
- Milk options: Use whole or skim dairy milk, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or oat milk in your iced matcha latte, depending on your taste.
- It’s important to sift the matcha before combining it with hot water. If there are clumps present from the start, it will be much harder to whisk them into the water and break them apart.
- Water temperature: When added to the matcha, the hot water should be steaming but not boiling. The ideal temperature is 180°F for matcha powder to properly disperse in water and extract the best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but skip pouring it over ice in step 3. Instead, mix the matcha powder with hot water, whisk in the cold water, add your choice of milk, and store in a sealable bottle or container that you can shake up before serving. The next day or when you are ready to serve, shake it up well to redistribute the matcha powder and pour it over ice. The matcha latte mixture will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Yes! Whisk the matcha with hot water as directed. Then add 3 tablespoons of additional hot water (instead of cold). Pour the mixture into a mug and stir in sweetener, if desired. Top with 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of hot or steamed milk and enjoy!
No. While it may look like the matcha powder dissolves, it actually becomes suspended in water and milk. Some of the matcha infuses the water (just like tea leaves normally do), and eventually, the powdered tea settles. You may need to stir your latte occasionally for the best flavor.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this iced matcha latte recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Iced Matcha Latte Recipe
Equipment
- Tea kettle
- Matcha whisk or mini whisk
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- ¾ cup milk of your choice (180mL)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sift the matcha powder through a fine mesh strainer to remove any clumps.
- Add the hot water to the matcha. Whisk vigorously with a bamboo matcha whisk or mini whisk until the matcha powder is fully mixed in (no lumps). Add another 3 tablespoons of cold water and whisk to combine.
- Fill a glass two-thirds full with ice. Add the milk of your choice, then pour in the matcha mixture. You can sweeten the latte with 1 to 2 teaspoons of simple syrup, maple syrup or honey, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Add sweetener: You can sweeten the latte with simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup or by whisking granulated sugar with the matcha powder and hot water.
- Milk options: Use whole or skim dairy milk, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or oat milk in your iced matcha latte, depending on your taste.
- It’s important to sift the matcha before combining it with hot water. If there are clumps present from the start, it will be much harder to whisk them into the water and break them apart.
- Water temperature: When added to the matcha, the hot water should be steaming but not boiling. The ideal temperature is 180°F for matcha powder to properly disperse in water and extract the best flavor.
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