Iced Matcha Latte: How to Make a Matcha Latte

A matcha latte can be a warm or cold beverage (the latter is usually over ice) that uses matcha green tea powder, warm water, sugar or another sweetener, and milk or some other type of dairy or dairy substitute. Matcha tea is a Japanese green tea powder that comes in varying degrees of green color depending on the powder’s quality and storage conditions. High-quality matcha—for example, ceremonial grade matcha—has a bright green color. Matcha is different from green tea leaves and only comes in fine powder form.

You might enjoy the ritual of ordering an iced matcha latte at your local coffee shop, but you can make an iced matcha latte at home with steps that involve little prep time. Follow these general instructions in addition to an iced matcha latte recipe to make your beverage:

1. 1. Heat up water. In a kettle or a small saucepan on the stove, heat a ratio of one tablespoon water to one teaspoon matcha powder. Heat the water to about 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 2. Mix the matcha powder. In a tea bowl, add the matcha powder and hot water. With a bamboo whisk or other matcha whisk (or a milk frother), combine the powder and water using side-to-side movements instead of clockwise movements. If you plan to also use sugar as your sweetener, it’s best to add that during this step so that the sugar is able to dissolve. Once the matcha dissolves, you can move on to the next step.
3. 3. Add a sweetener. To a mason jar or large glass full of ice cubes, add your sweetener of choice—simple syrup, maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar can all work well.
4. 4. Choose your milk. You can incorporate a dairy milk—for example, whole milk—or a dairy-free milk, such as almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk. Add your milk of choice to the glass with the ice cubes and sweetener.
5. 5. Pour the matcha on top. With your other ingredients already in place, you can now pour the matcha mixture over the ice cubes and milk. The matcha mixture will rest near the top of the glass until you stir the drink to combine all the ingredients and the ice.

Traditional iced matcha green tea lattes are popular on their own, but many coffee shops and restaurants offer different kinds of matcha lattes. Here are a few variations you might see or want to try making in your own kitchen:

1. 1. Dirty matcha latte: Making a tea latte “dirty” means adding espresso to it; however, adding cold brew works as well. Sweeten your mixture with a simple syrup and add whole milk or oat milk to make it creamier.
2. 2. Iced matcha latte smoothie: You can mimic the flavors of an iced matcha latte in smoothie form. Use frozen banana as the sweetener, then add matcha powder, milk, and frozen spinach or spirulina powder to complement and enhance the green color of the matcha powder.
3. 3. Matcha chai latte: Chai, which means “tea” in Hindi, is another popular tea for lattes. You can add a matcha mixture to an iced chai latte to combine both flavor profiles. Sweeten the drink or leave it unsweetened to better enjoy the spicy notes of the chai and the earthy notes of the matcha.

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