I took a quick caffiene break the other day and stepped into a really cute little cafe that specializes in matcha drinks. They had matcha boba, standard matcha tea and you could add flavored syrups, honey, cocoa, and more! It was totally overwhelming, so I asked the cashier for a recommendation. She suggested that I try a hot matcha latte. It seemed pretty basic, considering all of the fun options they had, but I’d never had it before and thought it was worth a try. And it was so, so good! The matcha was a touch more bitter than I like it, so I added a little bit of sugar. Perfect!
A few days later, I was craving it again. I had some matcha powder that I’d picked up in Kyoto, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was surprisingly easy to make, and the results were fantastic. You don’t even need any special equipment to get almost coffee shop quality milk foam, either. I’ve got a great method that I use for homemade espresso drinks that works like a charm. You just microwave the milk in a mason jar for about 90-120 seconds (don’t put that lid in the microwave though!), put the lid on it, wrap it in a towel so you don’t burn yourself, and shake it vigorously for about 60 seconds. You get a nice, dense foam on your milk.
There are so many ways you can customize this matcha latte. My favorite twist on this drink is to use my vanilla bean sugar instead of regular sugar. A touch of honey is really lovely too. You can dust it with cocoa powder instead of matcha at the end for a hint of chocolate.
Ok, a quick note about matcha. You definitely get what you pay for. Cheap matcha is super bitter (more than it’s supposed to be) and gritty. Don’t be afraid to splurge a little bit; otherwise you’re just throwing away money because you won’t even be able to drink it. Here’s a great source from someone who spent a lot of time and money testing different matcha.
I have a favorite Japanese tea company out of Kyoto that I love (they’ve been around for almost 300 years!). Ippodo Tea has a few locations around Japan and you can find their products in some Japanese grocery stores. If you’re not in Japan, you can get Ippodo tea on Amazon, and they have a New York location that you can visit (highly recommend stopping into any of their locations if you love green tea!).
One year ago: Carla’s family recipe for beef & potato tacos.
- 1 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
- 2 oz water
- 6 oz milk
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or your favorite sweetener)
- additional matcha, for dusting
- cocoa powder, for dusting
- equipment: whisk, a mason jar or any other airtight, microwaveable container
- Sift the matcha powder into a mug that holds at least 8 oz. Add any dry sweeteners, if using.
- Bring the water to a boil and let cool briefly. Pour over the tea and whisk to remove any lumps from the matcha. If using a liquid or syrup sweetener, add now.
- Pour the milk into the mason jar. Keep the lid off, and place the jar in the microwave. Microwave over high heat for 1 minute, 45 seconds. Remove from the microwave and screw on the lid. Wrap in a towel and shake the jar vigorously for 60 seconds.
- Pour the hot milk and foam over the green tea. Dust with additional matcha or cocoa powder, and enjoy!
- Yields 1 serving.
- I like to add a hint of sugar to my latte because the matcha can be a bit too bitter sometimes.
- I've never tried this foaming method with anything other than milk, so I'm not sure if you would get the same kind of foam with a nut milk or soy milk. I'm sure it will taste DELICIOUS (especially with almond milk or vanilla soy milk!), but you may not be able to get it to foam as prettily.
Ahhh, yes! I adore matcha so much but have never made a latte at home. I need one of those little whisks but alas…. either way, now I can make one of these bad boys at the first twinge of a craving! Looks so gorgeous, too. Good work! 🙂
Thanks, Cheryl! While the bamboo whisk is freaking adorable, you can certainly use a regular whisk. Or send me your info and I’ll send you one from Japan 😉
Mmmmm. When we got back from Japan I drank matcha lattes nearly every day for a month. Never did mine look as pretty as this one. I’m adding that wooden whisk to my shopping list!
PS. That frothed milk trick is GENIUS!
Sarah, I really think you need another trip to Tokyo. We can go to Kappabashi and get you a bamboo matcha whisk. That definitely justifies spending $1200 on a flight, right?
I drank so much matcha latte when I studied abroad in Tokyo during college. SO GOOD! Can you believe I’ve never made it at home?! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
It’s so easy, Maryanne! I hope you get a chance to make one, let me know how it turns out!
I love how that mug is just a little bit smooshed! It’s perfect! I love matcha but for some reason haven’t gotten around to buying my own powder. Adding it to the grocery list!
Thanks, Kelly! I love that mug too. It fits perfectly in your hands 🙂
matcha has caffeine, just FYI if you were stopping for a health reason. Great recipe, gonna give it a shot! Thanks.