How to make a matcha latte

If you’ve been online recently, chances are high that you’ve seen an uptick in matcha latte culture: the green tea-based drink has exploded in popularity, and suddenly everyone seems invested. As someone with extreme FOMO (fear of missing out), I did a deep-dive. I’m no expert, but I went from clueless to semi-capable of making a matcha latte at home.

If you know, you know: I’m not someone who chooses to spend extra time in the kitchen. I’m not the biggest fan of cooking, blending, mixing, or exploring new recipes—though I sure do love consuming them. This was reflective in my first try making matcha; it was a chaotic 20 minutes of more error than trial.

However, I’ve been practicing (it’s not hard, lol; most people will ace it in their first 3-minutes) and I’m now ready to share.

Here’s a rundown of how to make a matcha latte, for beginners, at home. What you need, how to do it. Bare bones, easy, simple. Give it a shot!

Want to skip ahead? Click on your preferred section below!

What is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves, specially processed from shade-grown tea leaves.

It’s known for its vibrant green color and umami, somewhat bitter, flavor. Matcha is typically consumed after mixing with hot water, and is also a popular flavor and dye in Japanese foods.

Matcha originated in China, though most matcha is produced in Japan, since shade growing was invented there in the 16th century. The traditional Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, service, and drinking of matcha as hot tea as both a meditative and spiritual practice.

What is a matcha latte?

A matcha latte, then, combines the matcha powder with hot water and milk, often with a sweetener. It’s created similarly to a regular latte, just subbing espresso for matcha, for a creamy and frothy drink.

It’s enjoyed either hot or iced, and has about 60-90 mg of caffeine.

What you need

Here’s everything I used to make my matcha latte.

Ingredients

• Matcha powder (ceremonial grade)
• Boiling water
• Milk (I chose a non-dairy 2% milk, many people prefer a sweetened/vanilla oat milk)
• Sweetener of choice (I chose agave – other options are honey or simple syrup)

Equipment

• Matcha kit from Amazon (includes a whisk, ceramic whisk holder, bamboo scoop, wooden spoon, and a powder sifter)
• Alternatively: milk frother
• Bowl to mix and whisk matcha in
• Kettle
• Measuring cup

How to make a matcha latte

Making a matcha latte is pretty simple! Here’s what to do.

• Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and 3/4 cup milk
• Place your sifter over your bowl or measuring cup. Measure 2 teaspoons of matcha into the sifter, and use the bamboo sifting tool to sift it into the bowl
• Add about a teaspoon of sweetener into the matcha powder
• Pour 1/4 cup of boiling water into the mix
• Use the whisk to combine the water and matcha; whisk until the powder fully dissolves into the water and the matcha is frothy
  • If you don’t have the bamboo whisk, you can also use a milk frother to combine
• Pour the matcha mix over the ice and milk, stirring until they’re fully combined

Note: this is for an iced matcha latte. To make a hot matcha latte, just swap out the ice cubes / milk for milk that’s been heated up and frothed.

And last, enjoy! Please let me know if you think matcha lives up to the hype.

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