Homemade Matcha Latte is an earthy green tea drink topped with warm, frothy milk and can be sweetened to your liking for a perfectly balanced, cozy drink. It's creamy, light, and delicious. It's good for you too — loaded with antioxidants and helps benefit overall health.
Making matcha tea at home is so much easier than you think! It takes just five minutes and three ingredients to create the perfect green tea latte to start your day or power you through the afternoon.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a type of green tea that is grown and produced in Japan. The green tea leaves are ground into a fine powder and consumed completely, unlike typical green tea that is brewed in the leaves which are not consumed.
Matcha has a unique, slightly bitter taste and is rich in antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.
Why You'll Love this Matcha Latte
- It's healthy. Matcha has numerous health benefits! It's loaded with antioxidants and can help liver, heart, and brain health. In some studies, it has even been linked to preventing cancer.
- Easy to make at home. You will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make matcha tea lattes at home. Simply whisk the matcha with some water, add more water, and top with frothed milk.
- The foamy and creamy texture. Arguably the best part of a latte is the texture! A warm, creamy drink with a thick layer of foam is comforting and feels like a hug in a cup. This green tea latte has both, plus a balanced, sweet-but-not-sugary taste for the ultimate warm beverage.
- No artificial ingredients. The few ingredients in this matcha tea are all derived from natural sources — just matcha, hot water, and milk of your choice. No processed sugar, preservatives, or other complicated ingredients here!
- It’s a great alternative to coffee. A matcha latte is a great little pick-me-up treat that you can reach for when you’re just not feeling coffee, and easy enough that you could make it every morning at home instead of going out to a fancy cafe.
Ingredient Notes
To make this easy Matcha Latte at home, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- matcha powder - use unsweetened matcha powder to control the amount of added sugar in your drink, and make sure to use a high-quality matcha powder (at least culinary grade matcha powder).
- hot water
- maple syrup - this is completely optional, depending on how sweet you like your lattes. You can also use honey, simple syrup, or agave in place of the maple syrup if you prefer. If you like your matcha less sweet, you can reduce the amount of syrup or omit it altogether.
- milk - use the milk of your choice. Both dairy and non-dairy options like almond, coconut, soy, or oat milk will work well in this matcha latte recipe.
You will also need a cup, bamboo whisk (or regular whisk), cooking pot, and a milk frother, French press, or whisk.
How to Make the Best Matcha Latte
- Whisk matcha. In a cup or measuring cup, add matcha with 2 tablespoons of the water. Use a bamboo whisk (chasen) or regular to whisk to whisk the mixture into a paste. I recommend moving the whisk up and down in a “W” shape to break apart the matcha clumps rather than in circles which isn’t as effective.
- Add hot water. Stir in remaining hot water and maple syrup (if using).
- Froth milk. Heat the milk in a pot on the stove until warm and steaming, about 3-5 minutes. Then, use a milk frother, French press, or whisk to froth the milk until foamy.
- Assemble latte. Divide the matcha mixture into 2 cups. In each cup, add half of the frothed milk into the center. You can get creative and play around with patterns on top (try a leaf!). Serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Vanilla matcha latte. Make a vanilla matcha latte by adding some vanilla extract or vanilla bean.
- Spiced matcha latte. Mix in spices like cinnamon or ginger for a spiced matcha latte.
- Mint matcha latte. Add peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil to make a mint matcha latte.
- Matcha latte float. Top the matcha latte with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream to make a matcha latte float.
- White chocolate matcha latte. Stir in some melted white chocolate into the matcha tea mixture until melted before topping with frothed milk.
How to Serve
Matcha Latte is a classic cozy drink to enjoy with a tea time treat. Some of our favorite tea time cookies to serve with this are:
- Almond Crescent Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Lemon Drop Cookies
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Add your favorite flavors. Is your usual drink of choice a mocha latte? Add some chocolate syrup to make a mocha matcha! You can add any of your favorite flavors to make your ideal matcha latte.
- Decorate your matcha latte. You can use a drink stencil and loose matcha powder, cinnamon, or cocoa powder to create simple images on top of your matcha latte and make the experience even more special.
- Recipe for one. If you want to make just one green tea latte, simply divide the ingredients in half.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Matcha lattes are best served fresh as the components may separate when refrigerated and the frothed milk may change texture.
How to Freeze
Freezing matcha lattes will result in separation, but you can prep matcha ahead of time by following steps 1 and 2 (no milk) and then freezing the matcha mixture in an ice cube tray. Then, when ready to make your latte, simply thaw the ice cubes and prepare the frothed milk to pour on top.
More Drink Recipes
- Matcha Milk Tea
- Golden Milk Turmeric Latte
- White Hot Chocolate
- Iced Latte
- Ginger Turmeric Tea
- Slow Cooker Apple Cider
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Recipe
Matcha Latte
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 lattes
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Homemade Matcha Latte is an earthy green tea drink topped with warm, frothy milk and can be sweetened to your liking for a perfectly balanced, cozy drink. It's creamy, light, and delicious. It's good for you too — loaded with antioxidants and helps benefit overall health.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- ½ cup hot water
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey (optional, to taste)
- 1 ½ cups milk, dairy or non-dairy
Instructions
- In a cup or measuring cup, add matcha with 2 tablespoons of the water. Use a bamboo whisk (chasen) or regular to whisk to whisk the mixture into a paste. I recommend moving the whisk up and down in a “W” shape to break apart the matcha clumps rather than in circles which isn’t as effective.
- Stir in remaining hot water and maple syrup (if using).
- Heat the milk in a pot on the stove until warm and steaming, about 3-5 minutes. Then, use a milk frother, French press, or whisk to froth the milk until foamy.
- Divide the matcha mixture into 2 cups. In each cup, add half of the frothed milk into the center. You can get creative and play around with patterns on top (try a leaf!). Serve immediately.
Notes
How to store: Matcha lattes are best served fresh as the components may separate when refrigerated and the frothed milk may change texture.
How to freeze: Freezing matcha lattes will result in separation, but you can prep matcha ahead of time by following steps 1 and 2 (no milk) and then freezing the matcha mixture in an ice cube tray. Then, when ready to make your latte, simply thaw the ice cubes and prepare the frothed milk to pour on top.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Drink
- Method: Whisk
- Cuisine: Japanese
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