Matcha Latte

Want to make a matcha latte at home? This simple and calming drink recipe features matcha green tea powder and steamed foamed milk that you can enjoy everyday.

What is matcha?

Matcha is ground green tea leaves, turned into a fine powder.

Green tea originated from China, and has been enjoyed in East Asia for centuries.

The Japanese tea ceremony ritual centers around the preparation, serving, and consumption of the powdered green tea, which has become popular in recent years.

Read my Beginner's Guide to Matcha for more information on this green tea.

What is a matcha latte?

A matcha latte is a tea latte made from green tea matcha powder and frothed milk.

A latte traditionally consists of espresso coffee and heated milk, but in this case, tea replaces the coffee to give it its vividly bright green hue.

Nowadays, many coffee shops and cafes, including Starbucks offers a matcha latte/green tea latte on their menus.

What does matcha taste like?

It should have a mellow, slightly sweet and earthy taste, with hints of umami.

Choosing a high quality matcha powder will mean the difference between a sweet, slightly grassy, vegetal tea and a bitter, highly astringent tea.

Matcha grades

There are two typical grades of matcha:

ceremonial grade matcha: a high-quality matcha tea with vivid, bright green hue, usually more expensive, used for tea ceremonies, and tastes sweeter and less astringent

culinary grade matcha: a "lower-grade" matcha that is used in everyday lattes or baking; may have a less bright green color and taste less sweet

Optimal brewing temperature

The most optimal brewing temperature for matcha is around 80 degrees F/176 degrees C.

Water that is too hot can scorch the matcha tea, which may add additional unpleasant bitter flavour.

Health benefits

Matcha contains antioxidants and catechins that are believed to decrease cancer risk.

Choosing a non-dairy milk to pair with matcha can be beneficial as dairy milk contains casein, a protein which binds to the catechins in green tea.

Matcha green tea powder does contain caffeine, compared to hojicha.

However, it also contains an amino acid, l-theanine which helps slow down the absorption of caffeine.

Ingredients you'll need for a homemade matcha latte

• matcha green tea powder: sifted; choose the highest quality matcha tea powder for the best taste and flavor
• hot water: around 80 degrees F/176 degrees C
• frothed milk: it's best to use a non-dairy/dairy-free alternative such as coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk or oat milk, however you can use regular whole milk if you like
• sweetener: optional, you can use honey, simple syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup

Ways to froth milk

There are a few ways to froth or foam up milk.

The easiest and quickest way is to use a milk frother or electric whisk.

If you're making more than a few drinks, you can also use a blender to whip air into the milk.

Use a French press and give it a few pumps.

Or use a mason jar with a tightly-sealed lid and shake the milk well.

Traditional tea tools

Matcha tea is traditionally made with a few tools:

Chashaku: bamboo tea scoop, used for scooping the tea powder

Chasen: bamboo whisk, used for whisking the matcha powder with water

Chawan: literally "tea bowl," a small bowl for preparing and consuming the tea

You can make a matcha latte with or without these tools (for more information, see my photo below or my blog post on Matcha 101).

Two ways to make a matcha latte

Traditional method:

Use a chashaku (bamboo tea scoop) to add the matcha powder to sieve placed over a chawan (tea bowl).

Sift the matcha into the chawan to remove any clumps.

Pour a little hot water (about 80 degrees C/176 degrees F, not boiling hot) into the bowl and gently press the chasen (bamboo whisk) against the bottom of the bowl.

Move the chasen in a zig zag motion until the liquid becomes foamy.

Top the matcha off with steamed, frothed milk of your choice and sweeten to your taste.

Modern method:

Sift the matcha powder into a large mug to remove any clumps.

Pour a little hot water (about 80 degrees C/176 degrees F, not boiling hot) into the mug.

Use an electric whisk/frother to foam up the matcha tea.

Top the matcha off with steamed, frothed milk of your choice and sweeten to your taste.

 

Variations

Add ice to make it an Iced Matcha Latte.

Play around and add different syrups such as rose or pandan to add a different flavor to the drink.

What to pair with a matcha latte

Enjoy the matcha tea latte on its own, or pair it with sweets.

Try it with red bean mochi, mango cream mochi, cookies, mooncakes, or chocolate.

FAQs

Why are there clumps of matcha on the bottom of my drink?

As matcha is made from ground whole tea leaves, it doesn't fully "dissolve."

The matcha particles are suspended in the liquid and consumed together.

It's best to give the drink a stir before drinking.

Why is my matcha latte grainy?

This can depend on the quality of the tea powder.

A stone-ground powdered tea will yield a finer powder, which is less grainy/gritty.

Is matcha latte sweet?

Matcha lattes can be unsweetened or sweetened, to your taste.

Which milk is best for matcha latte?

Any non-dairy or dairy-free milk is most optimal for a matcha latte.

Try oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, or a coconut milk.

How many matcha lattes can I have in a day?

Like anything else, it's best to consume matcha in moderation. 1-2 cups per day would be a safe consideration.

Other tea latte recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Hojicha Latte

Iced Matcha Chai Latte

Pumpkin Spice Hojicha Latte

Matcha Rose Latte

Iced Hojicha Latte

Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!