During autumn and winter, I’m fairly obsessed with my daily matcha latte. In fact, I think I’ve got it down to a fine art now and it’s become the drink I need my ‘fix’ of to start the day. In summer though, I always find myself craving something sweet and icy – which is where this iced matcha latte comes into play. This iced matcha green tea latte perfectly captures all the flavors of your regular latte, but is refreshingly iced, to become a delicious summer beverage. Plus, when making this drink at home (rather than nipping to your favorite coffee shop), you get to save time, and money and be in 100% control of the ingredients you’re ingesting. Plus, making an iced matcha latte at home is super easy! Want to use “clean” dairy-free milk? No problem. More or less sweetener (and using the sweetener of your choice)? No problem. Want to customize it at all, in fact? No problem! Plus matcha is packed with health benefits, with just one cup containing the same amount of antioxidants as ten cups of brewed green tea. Plus, with the lower caffeine levels, it gives you the perfect energy boost but without any of the negative effects of coffee (like the jitters or a caffeine crash!). Oh and it’s also known to boost the metabolism, naturally detox, enhance mood and concentration, and is packed with Vitamin C and various other vitamins and minerals!
The Ingredients And Variations
The Matcha: Not all matcha green tea powder is made equally – but there are tons of options out there. The lighter and brighter the green color, the better flavor, and quality of matcha. Avoid any that is a dark murky green and brownish. I’ve found that spending more DOES equal a better product. I tend to go for brands around $30 per tin. The Milk: I love the creamy, frothiness of oat milk. However, you can use any of your favorite dairy-free milk options (almond milk, rice milk, etc). Optionally, you could also use dairy milk. The Sweetener: You can use a liquid sweetener of your choice (agave, maple, honey, etc). OR a granulated sugar (if dissolving in hot liquid first)Alternatively, feel free to use a sugar-free sweetener such as erythritol. Ice: Use plain ice or brewed green tea ice cubes, for a different flavor and to reduce watering down the drink. Optional: You can add in a creamer, to froth up – like this Oat Milk Creamer or Cashew Cream. Plus, you could also add in a little vanilla extract.
How To Avoid Matcha Clumps
One of the biggest issues when dealing with matcha is making sure that you don’t get clumps on the powder in your drink. The best way to avoid this is to first dilute the powder into a little liquid to form a paste and mix that with the rest of the milk. However, you then still need to mix that together- so there are a few methods of going about this. In a blender – 10-15 seconds is all you need in a blender. Add the milk to the blender first then the matcha paste and blend. You could also use a blender bottle (with a shaker), a cocktail shaker, a frother whisk, a mason jar, or any air-tight jar (and shake manually), or even a bamboo whisk (as pictured below). Top Tip: use a little hot milk or water to first dissolve the powder and then you’ll have to issue with clumps!
The Method
Step By Step Instructions
Whisk the matcha powder with a bit of oat milk (or water). Use warm liquids to help it dissolve easier- though this isn’t necessary. Fill a glass or a cup with ice cubes (optional) then add the oat milk. Add the whisked matcha and sweetener.Optionally, add some creamer on top (Oat Milk Creamer or Cashew Cream). Stir and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
You can blend up a large amount of matcha latte (minus the ice) in advance and store it in a jug in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just pour over ice, add any ‘extras’ and voilaBlend the entire drink, ice and all, for a matcha frappuccino.For even more green tea flavor and to reduce your beverage getting watered down, you can actually brew some green tea (hot or cold brew) and freeze it into ice cubes – use these instead of plain ice.If you want to be ‘fancy’ and make a layered latte then add your sweetener to the milk and pour that into the glass first, then pour in the matcha. the sugar content in the milk will keep it at the bottom of the glass. Pour the matcha in slowly though, to help the separation.Feel free to add in a little of your favorite plain or vanilla protein powder, for more of a pick-me-up.For a sugar-free, ‘smoothie’ style beverage, add a frozen banana and a handful of spinach to the drink and blend until smooth.Check out my Iced latte recipe for tips on how to froth up cold coffee creamer at home!
Other Delicious Drinks
For more of your coffee shop favorites check out these:
Mocha FrappuccinoGolden Frappuccino (turmeric)Dalgona LatteIced Latte
If you give this iced matcha latte recipe a go, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
