Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Written by Becky

Anyone else a fan of green tea lattes? As a part owner of a artisan coffee roasting company, I must confess that even I, from time to time, will have a visit to SB (you know what I’m talking about!). But, when I do shamefully walk in, I most commonly order a Green Tea Latte verses their coffee. Recently, a Japanese student of mine introduced me to Matcha Green Tea Lattes, and now I’m really hooked.  Luckily, these aren’t served in the big SB so I’ll be making them at home or visiting my local tea shop.

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

After seeing an article in Bon Appetit about Matcha Lattes, I first asked my Japanese student, Yuki, where to get Matcha powder cheaply in the city.  She kindly responded that you can’t get it cheaply anywhere.  Her friend sends her matcha powder in the mail from Japan and even then she only sends a small amount. This stuff is like powdered gold!

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

The reason why matcha green tea powder is so expensive is because of its many health benefits.   The health benefits of matcha tea exceed those of green tea because when you drink matcha you ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water. One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content. Here are just a few of the health benefits: calms and relaxes, fights against viruses and bacteria, rich in fiber, lowers cholesterol, rich in antioxidants, and boosts metabolism.

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Yuki, generously brought me a tiny clear bag of this foreign green powder to class one day. I, overly ecstatic, thanked her for the gift of my current drug of choice.  I could hardly wait to concoct something at home with this magical green powder. My mind filled with dreamy green thoughts of match pound cake and match almond lattes…

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

That day, she also showed me the beautiful customs around sharing Matcha tea (see Instagram photo here).  The whole class drank the tea together and enjoyed learning about the history of matcha and the age old traditions behind tea drinking in Japan.  The whole process was beautiful and exact, from the way to whisk the powder into the water or milk, and how to hold the cup and pass it to the next person.  If you know me well, you know that it was a little taste of heaven for me, experiencing God’s creativity through cultural uniqueness (credit shaquena here). I will forever think of Yuki and her Japanese traditions when I sip a cup of Matcha!

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe

Here is the easy way to make a Matcha Green Tea Latte at home. 
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Dairy Free
Servings 1 latte

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 3/4 cup plain almond milk or regular milk, warm
  • honey to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring enough water to a boil for the amount of servings you are making. Whisk 1 teaspoon matcha powder per serving with 1/4 cup boiling water.  Once powder is dissolved into water, mix in the milk. Sweeten to taste with honey or agave.

Notes

The water to green tea powder ratio may differ depending on brand of matcha.  Check the packaging to confirm the ratio before making. 

Comments (93)

  1. If you are looking for high quality Matcha then check out our website. We are the largest producer of Matcha green tea in the world and we are a family owned company founded in 1888.

    We have a office located in LA serving North America.

  2. I also have a coffee shop and will sometimes catch myself pulling my jacket hood up and walking into SB. I find that occasionally having to pay for a latte keeps me humble 😉

  3. I love the green tea latte that I found at woolworths – use to drink it like crazy. then one day it disappeared and Woolworths claim that they never sold it……. but I swear they did.

  4. Just ordered an iced green tea latte at SB- it was so poorly made (tons of extra powder clumping at the bottom) that I went to whole foods and bought myself some matcha to make a better one at home!

  5. Just a suggestion to dissolve the green tea in a little cold water or water at 60 degrees C or 140 degrees F as boiling water makes the matcha bitter.
    Cheers!

  6. Just thought you should all know that the Starbucks green tea lattes are sweetened with icing sugar even if you ask for the not sweetened version. Their matcha powder has icing sugar added to it. It’s a shame if you are trying to cut out sugar and be healthy!

  7. Yep, this stuff is super expensive. I usually bought the powder from a Korean Market (or Japanese) in Washington. It cost $10 for less than a cup of matcha, the container was glass, all made in Japan with Hirigana writings on it… so worth the price I guess. I actually never try a matcha latte at SB before, usually just green tea latte.

  8. That’s really sweet. Buy your matcha online. Or go to your nearest Japantown. Better yet, move to my area in Saitama. I have a grocery store here that sells a small tin for ¥1,000. Don’t ever speak about Starbucks and Matcha again; nor take recipes from a Westerner attempting to demonstrate Eastern heritage.

  9. Bought Matcha powder from Amazon, summer 2012. 6 ounces in a pressurized sealed can. I think it was about $30 delivered. Then came across a 16 ounce package for about $32 delivered, address in Taiwan. Had to do that, too. Shipped within an hour (Email notice) I guess by clipper ship. From somewhere in China through Hong Kong to the Port Of Houston. Promised delivery was 2 months, actual delivery final stage US Mail, 4 weeks. Package had customs declaration on it. Love it! Tea straight from China!

  10. Starbucks Secret Menu: Green Safari Frappuccino

    Green Tea Frappucchino
    Add Hazelnut syrup (1.5 tall; 3 grande; 4 venti)
    Add Caramel syrup ( .5-1 tall; 1.5 grande; 2 venti)
    Add Java chips
    optional: Top with whipped cream and Caramel drizzle

    [My notes: Do it all! Don’t ask about the calorie count! It is super cold- try it on a warm day.]

  11. I was all excited when I saw a Green Tea Smoothie mix at Smart & Final. It’s a 32 oz container for about $10. It does have matcha in it, but I was disappointed to see how much artificial stuff and sweetener is in it. I tried it anyway, and you have to add far too much to get that nice green color and matcha flavor, and then it’s too sweet. Ah, well, foiled again! Thanks for all the info, I will have to purchase online.

    • Eric, I used to get the Risha one from Whole Foods but they must have stopped stocking it or something because I can’t find it or any other matcha powder there anymore. Sad!!

  12. I stumbled across this page after having tried my first Tea Grotto matcha latte, then wandered across the street to the asian market to buy powder to make my own, and googling recipes. I just happened to scroll down to read the comments and noticed someone mentioned Tea Grotto, and then checked the about page to see if the same one here in Salt Lake. What a funny, small world! (The matcha I grabbed was $8.19 for 8 oz., and I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m excited to with this recipe!)

  13. My favorite in green tea is Matcha, especially Smoothie Grade Matcha that consider very vital in my daily diet.I was skeptical when I first read “Put 1 teaspoon (0.5 grams) of Matcha in your smoothie to give yourself an energy boost, reduce cancer and lose weight!” But because I was looking for proofs, I had to try it myself to believe Matcha wonders. Matcha boosts my body energy on a daily basis. Now I’m a Matcha enthusiast.
    To keep good levels of matcha antioxidants, stay away from adding milk to your matcha food, as it will reduce or even cancel the antioxidants. That’s not what you want. If you want the same taste and don’t want to lose the antioxidants, I recommend swapping the milk for almond milk.

  14. I’m glad i found this site. Since starting a daniel fast, ive found these to be a heavenly treat! Going out to find matcha powder. Starbucks is so good but too sweet and I’d like to avoid artificial sweetners and white sugar. Price for a grande S4.75 ill go broke at this rate!

  15. FYI, do not make this with boiling water. The matcha will be scorched and you’ll need more sweetener to balance the bitter taste. Matcha is sweet as it is, so you shouldn’t have to sweeten it too much to balance it if you make it right. You need to use water that is between 150- 170 degrees so you don’t ruin the tea. This tea has health benefits, but the main reason it is so expensive is because of the high quality of the tea leaves used. They use tencha, a form of gyokuro (the highest grade of Japanese teas) that has had all of the leaf veins removed. Then they grind it using a stone mill. It is this production process that really bumps up the price. Also, if you are attempting to eliminate caffeine intake, DO NOT DRINK THIS. This has more caffeine than a cup of coffee, since you are consuming the tea leaf itself. I have yet to come across decaf matcha, but it’s safe to say that it does not exist since the Japanese revere this tea so much and the decaf process changes the flavor slightly.

  16. Hi Becky, found you through Pinterest. Love vintagemixer. Wholefoods carries a brand of regular and organic Matcha called DoMatcha, comes in a small round tin, approx. $27 dollars. I’ve bought the organic one. It’s really good.

  17. I sprinkle it on my egg white omelette with spinach sun dried tomato feta. I’ve mixed it in my chili, overnight oats.. Anything to get the benefit. I found it online at amazon and think of karate kid 2 whenever I use it

  18. Hi guys! I’ve been with Starbucks for 6 years. Our green tea latte is actually made with matcha powder! Same with green tea frappucino…made with matcha! Always has been haha.

    (P.s. For the person complaining about the clumps in the iced green tea lattes, it’s “standard” for us to put the matcha on top and shake it, the clumps are meant to be there haha. Sorry, gotta defend the SB, or at least the baristas a bit!)

    Here is the recipe:
    Liquid sugar
    Matcha powder
    Milk
    You steam the milk in with the matcha and there ya go!

    I buy matcha from my work so I’m excited to try your version since I don’t have a milk steamer at home!

    • Cupcake, Starbuck green tea lattes are definitely a favorite of mine! That was the inspiration behind making them at home. I especially like the melon-like flavor of them at Starbucks – what is that exactly? Thanks for your comment!

  19. You had me so confused because you mentioned that Starbucks didn’t have matcha green tea lattes, except I know for a fact that their green tea lattes have always been made with matcha. Personally, I always get an extra scoop of it to boost the flavor…

    And wasn’t the melon syrup in the green tea lattes discontinued years ago? It used to be standard a long time ago but they use classic now (simple syrup).

  20. I love matcha. A local coffee/tea shop sells a matcha latte with a homemade cashew almond milk. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to replicate theirs at home. I buy matcha from Gotmatcha (a website) since I don’t live near a store that sells it (that I know of at least). They also sell “blends” that include sweetener (organic coconut nectar sugar and/or organic raw stevia), which I haven’t tried. (I just mention it because it would stink to accidentally order that instead of the regular matcha.)

    • I’ve tried both too. And the unsweetened kind, I usually add honey too. And when you’re making it at home a matcha brush is nice to have but a whisk works well too!

  21. I have tried lots of matcha green tea and personally think PureChimp have the best value for money.

    Matcha is amazing if you haven’t already tried it. really versatile as well. Personally mix a bit with juice & have as shot but this latte recipe sounds tasty.

  22. I’m definitely intrigued by the matcha latte! I will be snooping around for it next time I go shopping…

    I found a few other articles that mention Starbucks’ matcha has “flavoring” and “sugar” added to it, which would be a bummer for someone who might be avoiding refined sugar or on a Paleo diet or with health issues.

    I’m an avid fan of local/community-driven businesses and personally would look elsewhere (home or a local coffee/tea shop) for a beverage! Just my two cents 🙂

  23. A new love and discovery of mine…but after reading this i fear that my using my keurig to put the hot water into the cup with powder in it may be committing a grave sin … lol. I purchased a single blender to blend my matcha with coconut oil and yesterday added a tiny bit of unflavored protein powder. I think I will have to break out my little cups for this treat today and share it with my hubby 😉

  24. Just a tip, you can get powdered green tea for $7 a pound on nuts.com. It’s not tea ceremony quality matcha but it is excellent for lattes and cooking. It’s 100% green tea leaves ground into a powder. I’ve served it to Japanese guests and they thought it was great, they all buy it now too instead of ordering from Japan at 10x the cost. I use coconut milk frothed in the Vitamix for mine and it compliments the matcha flavour quite nicely. Enjoy!

  25. If you live in the S.F Bay Area you can get these at Peets Coffe & Tea ™ and they’re heavenly! My favorite and only order.

  26. This recipe warms my heart. I’ve been drinking matcha lattes from Second Cup for over a year, and recently discovered mate lattes from a little cafe in NDG, Montreal called Mate Latte. Although, mate and matcha are two different types of green tea this recipe reminds me of the mate lattes from Mate Late which I adore (perhaps because both are homemade and not from a chain).

    I do have a question. I just wanted to elaborate on how much I love this recipe first! What kind of pot do you use to boil the milk? I.e. Is it ceramic? porcelain? etc.. I love the small yellow pot with the wooden handle which is featured in your photos. I’ve tried searching for a similar one but have had zero luck.

    • Jessica, I love my little pot too 🙂 I found it at a thrift store and it is enamel ware. The brand is Dansk. You may be able to find similar ones on easy or ebay. And I love finding someone who loves Matcha Lattes as much as me. Thanks for leaving a comment and take care 🙂 Becky

  27. Hi the matcha is expensive because of the production method. First it is grown in shade before harvesting and secondly, only young tea buds are selected. The leaves are then milled into ultra fine powder using granite stone with the rate of about 40-80g per hour each stone. So you can imagine why its expensive not just because of the many benefits. Thanks

  28. Thanks for sharing! Yesterday I learnt matcha tea existed, today I’ve bought a pack of it and followed your recipe to make a matcha latte. It’s awesome! I think I might give up coffee 🙂

    • You should also give my matcha pound cake a try too! I gave up coffee in exchange for matcha for a while too! Before that no other tea was good enough!

  29. I recently bought Serendipitea culinary-grade matcha from Amazon and have been simply stirring a teaspoon into a warm mug of milk with a teaspoon of honey. It’s lovely, but it leaves a layer of matcha in the bottom of the cup. Does that happen in your recipe (which I will try tomorrow morning — and thank you!)? I also wonder if culinary-grade matcha is right for matcha lattes…

    • I’m wondering if the culinary grade matcha is more intended for baking? The one I have dissolves into the milk pretty easily, though the last few sips do seem to be more concentrated. Hope that helps! I also have a matcha pound cake recipe on my site if you’re looking for more ways to use it!

  30. Thanks for the recipe! Even though I’ve been having matcha my entire life i still can’t get the right ratios for a satisfactory matcha latte.

    Before you whisk the matcha into the water, it’s crucial to sift the powder through a sieve to get any lumps out, and that the boiling water be cooled slightly—just pass it back and forth between a couple cups to do this. Your serving cups will be warmed and the water will be cooled – two birds with one stone!
    Another important point is that the matcha never dissolves into the water. It’s simply suspended in the water. That’s why the last few sips can be super strong or grainy depending on how long it takes you to drink the cup. Hope this helps!

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