Iced Matcha Latte

Here’s how to make a killer iced matcha latte! This recipe tastes just like a coffeeshop, except it’s homemade in minutes.

A matcha latte is one thing, but the iced matcha latte? This green drink is like a whole new category: perfectly chilled, lusciously creamy, with just the right hint of sweetness. If you love a good Starbucks iced matcha latte, never fear! You can recreate it in the comfort of your own home. It’s even faster and easier than the hot latte version. Here’s how!

Ingredients in an iced matcha latte

The iced matcha latte takes only a few minutes to mix up in the comfort of your own home. It’s easier than the heated version because you don’t have to steam the milk (or heat and froth it). And there’s something about the iced version that’s uniquely refreshing: the bitterness of the matcha melds more seamlessly into the chilled milk. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Matcha (green tea powder)
• Honey (or maple syrup or agave syrup)
• Water
• Milk: Skim milk, oat milk or almond milk

The only important thing to note: the grade of matcha you’re using! Keep reading for more.

Grades of matcha

Matcha is a fine powder made of ground green tea leaves that originated in East Asia. It’s consumed as part of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, and an integral part of Japanese culture. There are three grades of matcha that correspond to quality:

• Ceremonial grade matcha is the highest grade and fit for tea ceremonies; it has the brightest green color and smoothest flavor (buy it!)
• Latte grade matcha is slightly less bright green and has more bitter flavor (buy it!)
• Cooking grade matcha is greenish brown in color and fairly bitter

For this iced matcha latte, we prefer either Ceremonial Grade or Latte Grade matcha. It has the brightest color and the best smooth flavor. We used the Ceremonial here, and it was fantastic! It’s worth the difference in price, and you only use a teaspoon at a time.

Best milk to use: dairy and non-dairy

Interestingly, the best milk for an iced matcha latte is different from the hot latte. For a hot latte, whole milk is key. But here it’s the opposite:

• Skim milk: The best dairy milk? Skim milk. For some reason, the cold matcha just doesn’t work with whole milk. The skim milk has just the right body to pair with the cold matcha. (Trust us!) o
• Oat milk or almond milk: Non-dairy milk shines in an iced matcha latte! Something about less milkfat just works here. Our favorite is oat milk, but almond milk is also great.

How to make an iced matcha latte

Once you’ve got your hands on the ingredients, let’s make an iced matcha latte! In fact, you can probably make it quicker than reading this article. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):

• Make the matcha: Whisk the matcha with water to make a paste, then add more water and whisk until it’s frothy. You can use a classic bamboo whisk that’s used for a cup of matcha or a regular whisk. (Here’s more on how to make matcha.)
• Add the sweetener: Honey is a great pair flavor-wise with matcha, or use maple syrup. You could also try Vanilla Syrup for a twist!
• Froth the milk: Simply place it in a jar, cover and shake for 30 seconds. Easy! You can also skip this step if desired.
• Combine and add ice: Add the matcha, frothed milk and ice. You’re latte ready!

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of your latte in the comments below. Or tag us on Instagram when you make it!

Step it up: add cold foam!

One more thing. Want to step up your iced matcha latte, Starbucks style? Add cold foam! Cold foam is frothed nonfat milk that makes a frothy topping for cold coffee drinks like iced coffee, cold brew, and more. It simulates the frothy topping of the steamed milk in a latte, but at a cold temperature so it doesn’t melt when hitting the drink. Of course, it was a Starbucks invention (genius, really).

When you order an iced matcha latte at Starbucks, you can order it with a topping of cold foam. So why not try it at home? It’s fast and easy with a milk frother. Here’s How to Make Cold Foam.

More iced coffees and teas

There’s something so refreshing about an iced latte…they’re one of our favorite coffee and tea drinks to splurge on! Here are a few more tasty iced lattes:

• Try the classic Perfect Iced Latte with espresso
• Opt for an Iced Chai Latte or Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Grab an Iced Espresso or Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Espresso
• Learn How to Make Iced Coffee

01

Perfect Iced Latte

02

Iced Chai Latte

03

Iced Espresso

04

Iced Coffee

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