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    Home » Recipes » Matcha

    Matcha Milk Jam/Green Tea Milk Spread

    Published: Feb 24, 2017 by Michelle · 66 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This recipe for Matcha Milk Jam/Green Tea Milk Spread is rich and creamy in texture. It has a slight earthiness from the matcha, balanced with a little sweetness. Use it on toast, or as a filling for baked goods.

    This post first appeared on Sift & Simmer in February 2017. Updated May 2021.

    Spoon scooping Matcha Milk Green Tea Spread in jar.

    It's funny how you learn about new things nowadays.

    Especially on social media.

    Everything is so fast-paced; this minute it's in, the next minute, it's out.

    I first learned of Korean matcha milk spread on Instagram, and when my friend was in Korea, I messaged her to ask her to bring one home for me.

    Unfortunately, she had just left Korea and wasn’t able to get her hands on it despite having seen the item herself. 

    Matcha Milk Jam is a creamy condiment made of milk, cream, matcha and sugar. 

    At the time of this original post, no one carried matcha green tea milk spread in Vancouver.

    It was expensive to order it online from Asia, so I decided to make it myself.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    This green tea milk spread is rich and creamy in texture, with a slight bitter overtone from the matcha, balanced by a little sweetness.

    It's a versatile filling: use it on toast, pancakes, waffles, or in buns.

    This spread doesn't contain any chemicals (that are commonly found in store-bought milk spreads).

    It only contains 6 ingredients.

    6 ingredients you'll need

    My Matcha Milk Jam recipe contains only 6 ingredients:

    • high quality matcha powder: it's important to choose a good culinary or ceremonial matcha powder for not only taste and flavour, but also for colour. A lower grade matcha can taste overly bitter and yield a yellow-green hue.
    • water: dissolve the matcha powder in hot boiled water to ensure no lumps.
    • whole milk: use whole milk, which has about 3.5% MF (milk fat).
    • heavy cream: use a heavy cream with 36% MF (milk fat) for a richer texture; you can certainly use a cream with less milkfat, but may need to stir the mixture longer.
    • skim milk powder: helps to thicken up the milk jam and add some additional flavour; if you don't have skim milk powder, you can substitute with cornstarch.
    • granulated sugar: adds sweetness; you can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to your preference.

    All recognizable ingredients!

    Jar of matcha green tea milk jam spread.

    How to make it

    The one caveat to making matcha milk jam is that you need patience.

    In order to thicken the jam to a rich, creamy consistency, heat the ingredients over low-medium heat. 

    • First, dissolve the matcha, sugar, and milk powder with the hot water so that there are no lumps. 
    • Next, heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan. 
    • Whisk in the the matcha mixture into the cream and continue to whisk over low-medium heat. 
    • It's important not to walk away from the mixture at any time as the cream may boil over. 
    • Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and reduces by about half. 

    Note: the matcha milk jam will continue to thicken once cooled.

    Watch how to make it

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuFyU3kH-K0

    FAQs & troubleshooting

    Can I use non-dairy milk?

    Yes, you can -- depending on the consistency of the non-dairy milk, you may need to reduce the milk jam a little longer.

    See below on how to make a vegan variation.

    Do I need to add milk powder?

    It adds thickening power and flavour to the milk jam, however, you can substitute cornstarch instead. 

    Can I store it at room temperature?

    No, as the milk jam is not pasteurized (with a canning process method), it is not safe to store the matcha milk jam at room temperature.

    Store in the milk jam in the refrigerator.

    How long will it last?

    The matcha milk jam will last about 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator.

    My milk jam didn't thicken, what went wrong?

    Depending on how strong your heat source is, you may need to continue whisking until the mixture does thicken. 

    Otherwise, you can try adding a little more cornstarch/milk powder.

    Ways to use it

    Try it as a filling for doughnuts.

    Use it on in Matcha Strawberry Fruit Sando.

    Flavour variations & substitutions

    Earl Grey Milk Jam

    Hojicha Roasted Milk Jam  

    For a vegan variation, substitute canned coconut milk for the heavy cream and use a non-dairy milk. 

    Replace the milk powder with cornstarch.

    Other recipes you may like

    Be sure to check out these recipes:

    Matcha Cream Puffs (Choux au craquelin)

    Mini Matcha Custard Buns

    Matcha Strawberry Shortcake

    And if you love matcha as much as I do, subscribe to my blog and be on the list to receive my free Matcha Recipe e-book!

    When I posted this matcha milk jam to my Instagram account @siftandsimmer, I was surprised at the requests for this recipe! As a result, the wait is over -- you can now make your own Matcha Milk Spread easily from scratch.

    If you try this recipe, tag me @siftandsimmer on Instagram, or leave a comment/rating and let me know! 

    Jar of matcha milk jam spread with spoon.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 25 votes

    Matcha Milk Jam/Green Tea Milk Spread

    A recipe for creamy, rich matcha flavoured milk spread, great for breakfast or fillings.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: Asian, Japanese, Korean
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 68kcal
    Author: Michelle

    For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoon good quality matcha green tea powder sifted
    • ¼ C hot boiled water
    • 3 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon dry milk powder or cornstarch
    • ½ C whole milk or non-dairy alternative* (see note 3)
    • ½ C heavy cream (at least 36% milkfat) or canned coconut milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place sifted matcha powder into a heat-safe jar or bowl.
    • Carefully add hot boiled water to the matcha.
    • Stir in sugar and milk powder and mix until everything is completely dissolved.
    • Heat whole milk and heavy cream in a small saucepan.
    • Bring to a simmer over medium heat and while whisking, gradually pour matcha mixture over a sieve into the saucepan. If there are any lumps remaining in the sieve, add some of the milk from the saucepan over top of the sieve and push through with the back of a spoon.
    • Whisk periodically until mixture has thickened and reduced by half, about 20 minutes over low-medium heat. It should be smooth and creamy.
    • A way to tell if it's ready is when you scrape the mixture in the pot with a spoon or whisk, there should be a line that is visible, meaning it has thickened enough. If you scrape the pot and can't see a line, continue whisking over heat.
    • Once it has thickened enough, remove from heat. Let cool.
    • Pour into a jar and refrigerate. The spread will be a little more thicker once it has cooled.
    • Best consumed in 1 week.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuFyU3kH-K0

    Notes

    Note 1: Different brands and grades of matcha will have varying degrees of bitterness. Reduce amount of matcha if you don't like it too strong, or increase it if you prefer a more intense flavour.
    Note 2: Depending on how strong your heating element is, it may take longer than 20 minutes for the milk jam to thicken. Test for thickness by using the scraping method (outlined above).
    Note 3: Not all non-dairy milks are created equal. Some have gums and are thicker; if using a thin "milk," you may need to check the consistency and adjust with additional cornstarch. 
    Yield: appx ½ C, 125ml

    Nutrition

    Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 42mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

    Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!

    Spoon dripping Matcha Milk Green Tea Spread into jar.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tara

      May 08, 2021 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      Oooh this looks amazing! I bookmarked your hojicha milk jam recently to use up some leftover hojicha powder, but now I really want to make this Matcha Milk Jam too! Sounds incredible paired with toast.

      Reply
    2. Izabel

      August 10, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      Looks awesome! Could I use tapioca starch instead of corn starch?

      Reply
      • Michelle

        August 10, 2021 at 9:04 pm

        I personally haven't used tapioca starch, but you should be able to. Let me know if you try it out!

    3. Simone

      October 14, 2021 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night and I love it. I added an extra teaspoon of cornstarch because I was impatient. Checked it this morning and its perfect. I can't wait to try other recipes.

      Best, from SF

      Reply
      • Michelle

        October 14, 2021 at 11:57 am

        Hi Simone, glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

    4. Tara

      January 17, 2022 at 3:54 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Easier than caramel and less sweet!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        January 17, 2022 at 6:31 pm

        Thanks for making the recipe and sharing it with me on Instagram, Tara! Glad you enjoyed it!

    5. Cara

      February 17, 2022 at 7:46 am

      5 stars
      So perfect - super creamy but not too sweet!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        February 18, 2022 at 10:18 am

        Thanks for trying the recipe, Cara! 🙂

    6. Jess

      March 10, 2022 at 7:47 am

      5 stars
      I love when I can make something at home better than I can get it at the store!

      Reply
    7. Toni

      March 24, 2022 at 7:56 am

      5 stars
      My daughter loved it!! She enjoys matcha!! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 25, 2022 at 9:49 am

        Glad your daughter enjoyed it, Toni!

    8. Claudia Lamascolo

      May 10, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      Super flavors easy to make and we just love this its our go to recipe!

      Reply
    9. Angela

      March 03, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      If I want to make this spread using boba bubble tea powder instead of matcha powder, what would I have to change? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 03, 2023 at 3:18 pm

        Hi there, sorry I have not tried using boba bubble tea powder in this recipe.

    10. Shoshi

      April 17, 2023 at 4:47 pm

      Lovely flavours - thanks for the recipe. I used glutinous rice flour instead of corn starch / skim milk powder and it worked really well!

      Reply
    11. Linsey

      April 29, 2023 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Not too sweet, so smooth, rich and creamy, perfect on the toast!!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        April 30, 2023 at 11:23 am

        Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Linsey!

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