Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe: Tips for Making Matcha Ice Cream

Green tea ice cream is a Japanese dessert made with matcha, an earthy, grassy green tea powder. The popular dish combines savory matcha flavor with the sweetness of chilled cream. You can find matcha powder in most grocery stores in the tea aisle.

Making green tea ice cream is a straightforward process. You can easily dress up with classic Japanese toppings, like anko (sweet red bean paste), or fresh fruit. Here are some tips for making perfect green tea ice cream:

1. 1. Add eggs. Some ice cream recipes use egg yolks or whole eggs, while others omit them altogether. For creamier Western-style ice cream with a soft-serve texture, use eggs in the recipe, but you can skip them for a lighter, icier style of matcha ice cream found in Japan.
2. 2. Make a vegan version. For vegan matcha green tea ice cream, you can swap the cow milk for a dairy alternative, like coconut milk or oat milk, and skip the eggs.
3. 3. Use an ice cream maker. While you can make homemade ice cream without equipment, an ice cream maker can be a time-saver and help you achieve ice cream with a smoother, more even texture.
4. 4. Use the right matcha powder. Matcha green tea powder is made by stone-grinding green tea leaves (grown in the shade to boost their chlorophyll levels) into a fine powder that’s whisked with water into tea or mixed into baked goods and sweets. There are various matcha grades: Higher-grade matcha powder is typically reserved for teas and lattes but will yield a more vivid green color when added to ice creams. Culinary grade powder is considered a lower grade but is more affordable.