In case you haven't been to a coffee shop lately, matcha is now a popular ingredient in a variety of beverages. The classic matcha green tea latte in particular has become a new staple. Of course, it's far from the only delicious beverage that can be made with this type of green tea!
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What is matcha?
Matcha, or japanese green tea powder, is a fine powder of young green tea leaves that has a vibrant green color. Unlike regular green tea that is steeped, with matcha you consume the entire tea leaf. It can be blended with just a bit of water using a bamboo whisk as in a traditional japanese tea ceremony, or blended into everything from a smoothie to ice cream or even brownies. This article sticks to beverages, categorized below as iced, hot, or smoothies.
One of the reasons it has become so popular is that matcha provides a longer lasting energy boost than a cup of coffee, thanks to the amino acid L-Theanine.
What kind should I use?
It depends. You can read all about the differences between ceremonial and culinary matcha, and you can't go wrong with a ceremonial tea which I recommend for most beverages. That said culinary are often less expensive, and you may not notice a difference in taste between the different grades if blending them into a smoothie or using them in baking. The best matcha powder is ultimately a matter of personal taste, though my favorites are Kyoto Dew, Akira, and Jade Leaf.
Easy and Delicious Matcha Drinks
If you're in the mood for a latte, smoothie, or even hot chocolate, this list has you covered with those matcha beverages and more!
Iced Matcha Drinks
Iced matcha recipes are mostly simple to put together, blending the matcha powder into water with a matcha whisk or milk frother, then adding the rest of your ingredients over a cup of ice. And while these will spell out the milk each creator used, you can always substitute any type of milk you want, from a dairy-free milk to whole milk.
Strawberries and maple syrup are blended together and added to a matcha tea latte for a fruity and refreshing beverage.
This 3 ingredient matcha lemonade is a simple and refreshing drink- you can use storebought lemonade or Veronika's homemade recipe.
The summery pineapple and coconut combination here are reminiscent of a pina colada, but non-alcoholic and with the health benefits of matcha!
This shortcut horchata recipe uses store bought rice milk to make it a quick preparation, and the cinnamon and matcha compliment each other beautifully.
While preparing fresh boba pearls takes a bit longer than most of these beverages, for boba lovers it's well worth it for the delightful combination of tapioca pearls in simple syrup with matcha.
Hot Matcha Drinks
First thing in the morning, or on a cozy cold day there is nothing like a warm beverage- enjoying one before the kids get up is my favorite way to start the day. You can either combine a quality matcha with hot water to the dilution that suits your taste, or add some complimenting flavors with one of these recipes.
The classic matcha latte recipe, plus a bit of vanilla extract. This easy 5 minute latte can either be made hot or as an iced matcha latte.
This is a delightful cozy drink for a cold day. The white chocolate and marshmallows make it an indulgent treat you're sure to love!
This starbucks copycat recipe is a chai latte with matcha added for a delicious drink you don’t have to visit the drive thru for.
What I love about this matcha mixture recipe is that it uses coconut milk powder so you just add hot water to it! Sometimes heating the milk is what prompts me to choose an iced latte, and this mix plus a tea kettle is a great option for those days.
Nothing says winter quite like gingerbread, and this oat milk based latte compliments it perfectly!
Matcha Smoothies
While I usually recommend ceremonial grade matcha for green tea drinks, smoothies are heavy in fresh fruit. Bananas in particular (which are in all three of these) have so much natural sweetness that you could easily use culinary grade matcha instead.
This matcha smoothie is a simple 5 ingredient recipe leaning on frozen fruit for natural sweetness.
This healthy smoothie sneaks in a bit of kale that gets masked with the sweetness of the banana and earthy nature of the green tea leaves.
Peaches are such a refreshing choice for this easy 5 ingredient smoothie, and well balanced by the spice of ginger and creaminess of almond milk.
What's your favorite matcha drink? Let me know in the comments!
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