This Matcha Green Tea Latte is the perfect energizing drink. It's smooth and creamy, light and rejuvenating. Packed with many benefits and antioxidants from matcha green tea powder. It's tasty, sweet, and super easy to make with just 3 ingredients. A great alternative to your regular coffee.
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Matcha is in one word amazing! Seriously. Ever since I tried matcha latte a few years ago, I’ve never turned back to my regular coffee in the morning. Matcha latte became my favorite hot caffeinated drink. For many reasons.
It’s smooth, creamy, rejuvenating, and tastes like no other hot drink. It wakes me up nicely and keeps my brain sharp and focused for hours. No sudden crushes of energy later in the day, like with coffee. It doesn't give me that "nervous energy" that caffeine sometimes does. Plus, it's easy on a tummy as well.
This homemade matcha latte tastes so much better than Starbucks and costs really nothing competing with the price you pay there. And when you crave a more refreshing drink during Summer, you can just pop the ice and make Iced Matcha Latte. How cool is that?!
What is matcha green tea?
Originated from Japan, matcha is a powdered green tea containing 137 times more antioxidants than classic brewed green tea. Both come from the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis), but with matcha powder, the entire leaf is consumed.
During the last few weeks of their growth, the tea leaves are shaded from the sun to increase their chlorophyll content and produce vibrant green color. The leaves are then ground to produce a fine powder which is known as matcha green tea powder.
Matcha powder has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries but has recently become more widely known and popular. Learn more about the history of matcha.
Matcha latte is one of the many ways it's consumed now. But matcha green tea powder can be used in Matcha Smoothies, Matcha Cookies, Matcha Pancakes, and more!
Best matcha powder for lattes
There are two main grades of matcha: culinary and ceremonial. The culinary grade matcha is best for cooking and baking, while ceremonial matcha is best for lattes.
Ceremonial-grade matcha green tea leaves are picked by hand and are more sweet-tasting. They are stone-grounded to reduce heat and friction, which prevents bitterness. As a result of this care and craftsmanship, ceremonial matcha is more expensive than culinary grade but also more flavorful.
Starbucks uses Tazo matcha powder with two ingredients: sugar and green tea powder. I use ceremonial grade matcha green tea powder with pure matcha green tea taste.
Ingredients used
To make Matcha Green Tea Latte at home, you will need only 3 simple ingredients:
- matcha powder
- hot water
- milk
As I said, I like to use pure ceremonial grade matcha powder for lattes. It's worth investing a few more dollars in quality matcha.
If you tried making a matcha latte at home and ended up being completely disappointed with its taste (bitter, leafy flavor), the secret is not only in the quality of matcha powder but also in the choice of milk.
I've tried many milk combinations, and it turned out that the perfect milk for the perfect Matcha Green Tea Latte is dairy-free milk. My favorites are organic soy milk or oat milk. They both have a smooth and somewhat sweet flavor. They also have a creamier consistency, which makes them a good coffee creamer and great for making frothy drinks like matcha latte.
If you like, you can add some sweetener to your matcha latte. Pure maple syrup or mild-tasting honey is the best. But you can easily skip added sugars if you got the right milk and top-quality matcha green tea powder. I encourage you to try without added sugars and experience the true matcha unbelievable taste.
How to make Matcha Green Tea Latte
The process is fairly easy, but you will need some equipment. I recommend investing in a bamboo whisk. It's needed to completely dissolve matcha powder. Alternatively, you can use a hand-held milk frother.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients.
- Add a teaspoon of matcha powder into a small bowl.
- Add in a small amount of hot (but not boiling) water (to help preserve the nutrients and avoid bitterness), around ¼ cup.
- Take the bamboo whisk and whisk until completely dissolved. Whisking in an “m” motion can help achieve a nice foam texture.
- Transfer the matcha mixture into a mug.
- Heat the milk until steaming, then make the froth using a whisk or milk frother.
- If you have an automatic milk frother, add the milk to the frother, heat, and froth the milk.
- Pour the milk into a mug over the matcha.
- Add sweetener if desired and to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe variations
- This recipe is vegan.
- Make it keto. Use low-carb sweetener. Use unsweetened almond milk. Add in 1 teaspoon of MCD oil.
Recipe tips
- If you don’t have a bamboo whisk, you can use a spoon, metal whisk, handheld frother, or blend the matcha in the blender. Bamboo whisks are gentle on the matcha and also help it dissolve more completely. I highly recommend investing in a matcha set!
- When whisking matcha, make sure there are no lumps.
- Matcha green tea latte tastes best lightly sweetened. So don't go wild with adding sweeteners. I like to use liquid, light sweetener, like honey or maple syrup. Stevia works fine too. Coconut sugar and date syrup are not good here.
- The quality of matcha green tea powder is crucial for the overall taste of this drink, so don't go cheap when choosing the right matcha powder. I always use the highest ceremonial grade matcha because I love my matcha to be strong and powerful but also sweet tasting. Not bitter and leafy.
- I tested oat, almond, coconut, and cashew milk, and the first two stood out as real winners. Cow's milk tastes the worst, so please don't try.
FAQ about matcha
Matcha has a rich earthy flavor with grassy, spinach-like notes and pleasant bitter undertones. Pure ceremonial matcha whisked up with hot water has a grassy flavor but mixed with milk and sweetener, gives a smooth, sweet and delicious morning drink.
Like coffee, matcha contains caffeine, but it won't give you jitters and nervous energy like coffee does. A cup (240ml) of matcha has around 60mg of caffeine. The caffeine level is more comparable to that of black tea, or about ⅔ cup of coffee. But matcha is much more energizing and longer-lasting.
Yes. Matcha has the ability to control your stress, and appetite, thus assisting with weight loss. A compound in matcha called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) reduces inflammation and speeds up the metabolic rate of cells. This means that when you’re doing nothing, matcha is helping you burn off more calories.
Matcha tea is generally safe to consume. Having a cup daily is perfectly ok. But same as the other caffeinated drinks, having too much in a day could be harmful. Possible side effects of drinking too much matcha may cause headaches, diarrhoea, insomnia, and irritability.
Definitely morning. Matcha provides an excellent energy boost and helps you stay alert and focused. It's great to have it with breakfast so you start your day feeling energized.
Matcha green tea latte benefits
- Matcha latte is a drink packed with L-Theanine, an amino acid that reduces mental stress, enhances mood and performance and creates a calm-yet-alert state of mind.
- It's full of powerful antioxidants that promote good health.
- It's made without added sugars and low in calories, great for weight loss.
- It's full of wonderful pure matcha flavor.
- It's vegan, easy to make, and in one word - incredible!
This matcha drink is truly amazing. It's smooth and creamy, mildly sweet, full of flavor, and so cozy. The perfect drink for cold mornings and lazy afternoons.
It's the perfect replacement for the usual cup of coffee. It helps keep your brain boosted and super-charged for everyday mental work. Plus, it's vivid green and looks pretty awesome. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Matcha Green Tea Latte
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder pure ceremonial
- ¼ cup hot water
- ½ cup oat milk
- Sweetener: maple syrup or honey (optional and to taste)
Instructions
- Add a teaspoon of matcha powder into a small bowl.
- Add in a small amount of hot (but not boiling) water (to help preserve the nutrients and avoid bitterness). I usually add around ¼ cup.
- Take the bamboo whisk and whisk until completely dissolved. Whisking in an “m” motion can help achieve a nice foam texture.
- Transfer the matcha mixture into a mug.
- Heat the milk until steaming, then make the froth using a whisk or milk frother. If you have an automatic milk frother, add the milk to the frother, heat, and froth the milk.
- Pour the milk into a mug over the matcha.
- Add sweetener if desired and to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don't have a bamboo whisk, you can use a spoon, metal whisk, handheld frother, or blend the matcha in the blender.
- Matcha green tea latte tastes best lightly sweetened. I like to use pure maple syrup.
- The quality of matcha green tea powder is crucial for the overall taste of this drink, so don't go cheap when choosing the right matcha powder. I always use the highest ceremonial grade matcha.
- You can substitute oat milk with almond, coconut, organic soy, or cashew milk, Cow's milk doesn't work well with matcha.
Nutrition
This post is originally published in January 2019. It's updated with new information and republished in February 2021. The recipe stayed the same.
Wendy says
Thank you so much, Louri! That's helpful. I think I'll have to find ceremonial grade matcha in the U.S. still, I appreciate the recommendation.
Wendy says
Thanks for the tasty recipe! I'm wondering if you have a recommendation for a good ceremonial matcha powder? What are your top brands and where to buy? Also, I have some powder But it's not a bright green like the color in your pictures. It's more of a yellowish green pea soup color. Do you know what that indicates? Thanks!
Natalie says
Yellowish green matcha powder colour indicates cooking grade matcha powder. Cooking grade matcha is ok for pancakes, cookies and smoothies, but for a matcha latte, you will need the ceremonial grade. The ceremonial grade matcha has a really bright green colour, just like shown in the pictures.
I'm using Pure Chimp matcha powder, it's a UK brand. Not sure about availability outside the UK, you will need to check. I can recommend this product. The quality and price are really good. --> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matcha-Powder-PureChimp-Ceremonial-Pesticide-Free/dp/B00HNDSOCI?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1
Louri says
Wonderful flavor !