Matcha Latte Recipe: Hot and Iced, Step-by-Step

There are drinks that feel like a small ritual even before the first sip. Matcha latte is one of them. It’s green, soft, a little ceremonious, and yet very simple once you find your method. Perhaps that's why so many people want to learn to make matcha latte at home instead of just ordering it at a cafe.

For us at Nekko Kitchen, the charm of matcha latte is that it can be both meticulous and everyday. One day you whisk slowly, gently warm the milk, and take a quiet break in the middle of everything. The next day, you shake the concentrate in a shaker and pour it over cold milk before work. Both ways are valid, as long as the cup tastes good.

In this guide, we'll go through what you need, how to make a hot matcha latte, how to make an iced matcha latte, what mistakes usually cause problems, and how you can vary the flavor when you want to try something other than classic matcha. If you also want to understand how matcha relates to other Japanese tea powders, you can read our pillar guide green tea powder: matcha, sencha, and hojicha. If you instead want to understand how matcha differs from Japan's most common tea, you can read sencha vs matcha.

What you need

You don't need a full Japanese tea set to succeed at home. Of course, having the right tools helps, but the most important thing is that you can mix the powder evenly and avoid it being scalded by water that is too hot.

• 1 to 2 teaspoons matcha powder
• 60 to 80 ml hot water
• 180 to 250 ml milk
• A shaker, or a small bowl and cup
• A small whisk, preferably a bamboo whisk if you have one
• A fine-mesh sieve

Basic recipe for hot matcha latte

A good hot matcha latte should be smooth, green, and balanced. Not too thin, not too sweet, and above all, not lumpy.

• 1 to 2 teaspoons matcha powder
• 60 to 80 ml hot water, approximately 75 to 80 degrees Celsius
• 200 ml milk
• Sweetener to taste

1. Sift the matcha powder into a bowl or large cup.
2. Add the hot water.
3. Whisk until the powder is completely dissolved and the surface is lightly foamy.
4. Heat the milk separately over medium heat until it is warm but not boiling.
5. Froth the milk if you want more of a cafe feel.
6. Pour the matcha over the warm milk.
7. Taste and add sweetener if desired.

Iced matcha latte

Iced matcha latte is one of the simplest summer drinks we know. It feels cool, refreshing, and very beautiful in a glass. But it can easily become watery if you don't consider the proportions.

• 1 to 2 teaspoons matcha powder
• 50 to 60 ml hot water
• 180 ml cold milk
• Ice
• Sweetener to taste

1. Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl, or straight into the shaker.
2. In a bowl: add the hot water and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. In a shaker: use a splash of cold water instead and shake for ten seconds, since lacquered shakers cannot take hot water.
3. Fill a glass with ice.
4. Pour in cold milk.
5. Top with the matcha mixture.
6. Stir before serving.

Common mistakes when making matcha latte at home

Many recipes look simple on paper, but small details make a big difference.

Lumps in the cup

Lumps almost always occur when the powder goes directly into liquid without being sifted or whisked properly. The solution is simple: always sift the powder first. Then whisk with a small amount of water before adding the milk.

Bitter or harsh taste

Water that is too hot is the most common culprit. Boiling water makes matcha quickly taste harsh and edgy. A temperature around 75 to 80 degrees Celsius is usually much gentler. The easiest approach is to boil the water, then let it cool for a couple of minutes before pouring it over the powder. The taste can also become aggressive if the quality of the matcha is low.

Too sweet latte

This is easily done when trying to replicate cafe versions. Matcha latte doesn't need to taste like dessert. Often, a small amount of honey or syrup is enough to round off the bitterness without masking the tea.

Whisking without a bamboo whisk

The classic tool for matcha is a bamboo whisk, and there are good reasons for that. But you don't have to wait for the right tools to get started. You can use a shaker, a sieve and a small balloon whisk, or a milk frother. The shaker is also the only easy way to get foam into an iced latte, since cold water is hard to whisk by hand.

Sweetener and milk choices

• Oat milk: Often provides a round and friendly latte with a slight sweetness.
• Regular milk: Gives a fuller body and clearer creaminess.
• Almond or coconut: Almond provides nuttiness, coconut makes the drink dessert-like but often slightly masks the subtle tea flavor.

Variation: try with sencha or hojicha

Once you've mastered the basics of matcha latte, a fun door opens. The same type of drink can be made with other Japanese tea powders.

For an everyday latte, sencha powder is often the smarter choice than matcha: milder and rounder in milk, and with an origin we can document: grown without pesticides for more than forty years in Umegashima, Shizuoka, and tested for over 700 pesticides with no detectable residues. Ceremonial matcha is made to be whisked neat, so in a sweetened milk latte you are paying for nuance you drown anyway. Purity, on the other hand, is not drowned: it ends up in the cup either way. Shake the powder with a splash of cold water into a smooth concentrate and pour it over hot or cold milk, just like matcha. If you prefer loose leaf tea, try our Uogashi Sencha, a mild, fresh sencha that works well hot or cold-brewed.

Hojicha latte is something completely different from matcha latte. Where matcha is green, vibrant, and vegetal, hojicha is round, roasted, and almost nutty. Read more in our guide hojicha.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which matcha is best for latte?
You rarely need to buy the absolute most expensive "ceremonial grade" matcha to make a latte, as the milk masks the most subtle flavor notes. Look for a high-quality culinary grade or a latte grade that has a distinctly green color and clean aroma.

Why does my iced matcha latte separate?
The ice chills the milk, causing the warm matcha mixture to layer on top, creating a beautiful separation. When you stir, the flavors blend into an even latte.

Do I really need a bamboo whisk (chasen)?
No, it's not a strict requirement for an everyday latte. However, a bamboo whisk helps to incorporate small, fine air bubbles and gently break up clumps, resulting in a smoother consistency.

Can I make a latte with sencha powder instead of matcha?
Yes, and for an everyday latte we often think it tastes better. Sencha powder is stone-ground green tea just like matcha, but from sun-grown leaf, so it is milder and rounder in milk. Ours is also grown without pesticides for more than forty years and tested for over 700 compounds with no detectable residues, and a 30 g tin makes 15 to 30 cups. Shake the powder with a little cold water into a smooth concentrate and pour it over hot or cold milk.