A matcha latte is matcha powder whisked smooth in a little hot water, then topped up with warm, frothed milk. For this recipe, you need 1 g of matcha, 30 ml of water at about 80°C and around 200 ml of milk or plant-based drink. It’s ready in five minutes.
What’s in a matcha latte?
For 1 matcha latte:
- 1 g Organic Matcha Powder (half a teaspoon)
- 30 ml hot but not boiling water (about 80°C)
- about 200 ml milk or plant-based drink, such as oat or soya drink
- honey, maple syrup or another sweetener, to taste (optional)
To whisk, use a bamboo matcha whisk (chasen), a milk frother or a small hand whisk. A fine sieve helps to prevent lumps.
How do you make a matcha latte?
- Sift 1 g of matcha into a bowl or mug and whisk it smooth in 30 ml of hot but not boiling water. Use quick zigzag strokes until there are no lumps left.
- Heat and froth about 200 ml of milk or a plant-based drink, such as oat or soya drink. Don’t let the milk boil.
- Pour the milk onto the matcha. Sweeten to taste, if you like.
What temperature should the water be for matcha?
The water should be about 80°C: hot, but not boiling. Boiling water draws the bitter compounds out of the leaf more quickly, which makes the latte taste harsher. Water at about 80°C keeps the flavour smooth and slightly creamy. If your kettle doesn’t have a temperature setting, let the water cool for two to three minutes after it boils, or mix three parts boiling water with one part cold.
How do you make a matcha latte without lumps?
Matcha powder is so fine that it clumps easily. So sift the powder into your bowl first and whisk it with a little water into a smooth paste before you add the milk. If you sprinkle the powder into a full cup of milk, you’ll almost always end up with lumps floating on top. No matcha whisk? A milk frother or a shaker with a little water works too.
Which milk or plant-based drink works best for a matcha latte?
- Cow’s milk gives a full, rounded latte and froths well.
- Oat drink makes the latte creamy and slightly sweet. Ekopura Organic Matcha Powder is registered with The Vegan Society, so with a plant-based drink your latte is fully plant-based.
- Soya drink gives the firmest foam of the plant-based drinks and has a neutral taste.
- Almond drink is lighter in flavour and less creamy.
Matcha latte variations
- Vanilla: stir a few drops of vanilla extract into the milk for a softer, rounder flavour.
- Honey and cinnamon: dissolve a teaspoon of honey in the matcha and sprinkle a little cinnamon over the foam.
- Coconut: replace some of the milk with coconut drink.
- Dirty matcha: pour a shot of espresso over the matcha latte. A single espresso (30 ml) adds about 40 mg of caffeine, a double (60 ml) about 80 mg.
- With protein: stir a serving of unflavoured protein powder into the milk for a protein matcha latte.
For a cold version with ice and cold milk, see our iced matcha latte recipe.
How much caffeine and how many calories are in a matcha latte?
A classic matcha latte contains no coffee, but matcha does contain caffeine. Made with 1 g of powder, it has about 32 mg of caffeine, roughly a third of the amount in a cup of filter coffee (about 90 mg, according to EFSA). The matcha itself provides about 3 kcal. The rest comes from the milk: with 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk and no sweetener, the total is about 95 kcal.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a matcha latte without a bamboo whisk?
Yes. A milk frother, a small hand whisk or a shaker works too. Just whisk the powder smooth in a little water first, before the milk goes in.
Why is my matcha latte bitter?
Usually the water is too hot or you’re using too much powder. Use water at about 80°C and 1 g of matcha per latte. If it still tastes too harsh, add a little more milk, or use a plant-based drink such as oat drink.
Can you drink a matcha latte cold?
Yes. Whisk the matcha smooth in 30 ml of cold water and pour it over ice and cold milk. See our iced matcha latte recipe for the full method.
Is a matcha latte vegan?
That depends on the milk. Ekopura Organic Matcha Powder is registered with The Vegan Society. Use oat, soya or almond drink and your matcha latte is fully plant-based.
Give it a go
For this recipe, we use Ekopura Organic Matcha Powder: ceremonial grade matcha from Shizuoka, organic, with just one ingredient. A 90 g pouch makes 90 lattes. Our guide to what matcha is covers its origin, taste and caffeine in more detail.
