Iced Matcha Latte
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This iced matcha latte is cold, creamy, lightly sweet, and easy to make at home. The milk and honey complement matcha’s earthy flavor and make the whole drink feel smooth and balanced.
Recipe Overview: Iced Matcha Latte
- ⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 5 minutes
- 🥤 Serving: 1 glass
- ⚡ Calories: About 324 calories per glass
- 🍵 Flavor Profile: Smooth, earthy matcha balanced with creamy milk and a touch of honey for just the right amount of sweetness.
- ✨ Selling Point: A creamy coffee shop style iced matcha latte you can make at home in just 5 minutes.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy. Quick to whisk, pour, and enjoy.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON
Matcha is definitely an acquired taste, but once you get it, you really get it. There is something about that earthy, slightly grassy flavor mixed with cold creamy milk and a little honey that is so good, especially over plenty of ice. This iced matcha latte is smooth, refreshing, and just sweet enough without covering up the matcha itself. It has become one of those drinks I actually crave.
I especially love it as an afternoon drink with something sweet, like my Sourdough Blackberry Lavender Scones. And on the days I want coffee instead, I usually reach for something like my Iced Maple Syrup Latte or Honey Lavender Iced Latte. But matcha has its own thing going on. Once you know, you know.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Iced Matcha Latte
🍵 Smooth and earthy: The creamy milk and honey complement the matcha without covering up that distinct flavor people love.
🧊 Super refreshing: Cold milk, plenty of ice, and matcha make this especially good when you want something lighter than coffee.
⏱ Ready in 5 minutes: It feels like a coffee shop drink, but it takes almost no time to make at home.
🍯 Lightly sweetened: Honey adds just enough sweetness while still letting the matcha be the main flavor.
🥛 Easy to customize: Use your favorite milk, adjust the sweetness, or add vanilla or lavender if you want to switch it up.
💚 Once you know, you know: Matcha can be an acquired taste, but once it clicks, it becomes one of those drinks you randomly start craving.
Key Ingredients
🍵 Matcha powder: The star of the drink. Use a good quality matcha you enjoy drinking, since the flavor really comes through in a simple latte like this.
🍯 Honey: Adds a light sweetness that complements the earthy matcha without overpowering it.
🥛 Milk: Makes the latte creamy and smooth.
💧 Hot water: Used to whisk the matcha smooth before it is added to the milk. Hot, not boiling, is best.
🧊 Ice: Keeps the latte cold and refreshing. Use plenty so the drink stays chilled without getting watery too quickly.
How to Make an Iced Matcha Latte
- Step 1: Combine the matcha and hot water.
Add the matcha powder to a small bowl or cup and pour in the hot water. Add the honey while the mixture is still warm so it can dissolve easily.
- Step 2: Whisk until smooth. Whisk the matcha mixture until the powder is completely incorporated and the mixture looks smooth with no obvious clumps.
- Step 3: Pour the matcha over ice.
Fill a glass generously with ice, then pour the prepared matcha over the ice.
- Step 4: Add the milk.
Slowly pour the cold milk over the matcha and ice. Stir everything together before drinking, or leave it layered for about twelve seconds while you admire it.
- Step 5: Top with cold foam, optional.
If you want to make it extra creamy, finish the iced matcha latte with a layer of homemade cold foam.
- Step 6: Stir and enjoy.
Give the iced matcha latte a good stir to combine the matcha, milk, and cold foam, then serve immediately while it is cold and creamy.
Expert Tips for the Best Iced Matcha Latte
🍵 Use good quality matcha. Since matcha is the main flavor, quality really matters. A fresher, better quality matcha will usually taste smoother and less harsh.
🌡️ Do not use boiling water. Very hot water can make matcha taste more bitter. Use hot water that has cooled slightly instead.
🥄 Sift the matcha first. Matcha clumps easily, so sifting it before whisking makes a noticeably smoother drink.
🍯 Add the honey while the matcha is warm. This helps it dissolve evenly so you do not end up with sweetness sitting at the bottom of the glass.
🧊 Use plenty of ice. A full glass of ice keeps the latte cold and refreshing without warming up the second you pour everything together.
🥛 Choose a milk you actually like. Whole milk makes it rich and creamy, while oat milk is especially good with matcha. The milk changes the flavor more than people think.
✨ Whisk until completely smooth. A bamboo whisk is great, but a handheld frother works too. The goal is a smooth matcha mixture before it ever meets the milk.
Iced Matcha Latte FAQs
Yes. A handheld milk frother, small whisk, or even a tightly sealed jar will work. The goal is simply to get the matcha smooth before adding it to the milk.
Matcha can taste bitter if the water is too hot, if too much matcha is used, or if the matcha itself is lower quality. Use hot water rather than boiling water and adjust the amount of honey to taste.
Whole milk makes it especially creamy, while oat milk is a great dairy free option because it pairs really well with matcha. Almond milk and 2% milk work too.
Absolutely. Skip the ice and warm or steam the milk instead. Whisk the matcha with hot water and honey as usual, then pour in the warm milk and stir. Just avoid boiling the matcha itself, since very hot water can make it taste more bitter.
More Refreshing Non-Coffee Drinks
For the days you want something besides coffee, these are a few favorites to make at home.
💚 Made this iced matcha latte? I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a ⭐ rating and a comment below, and if you share it on Instagram, tag me so I can see yours.
Iced Matcha Latte Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cup
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup milk
- Ice
Optional Cold Foam:
- ⅛ cup heavy cream
- ⅛ cup milk
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the matcha powder and hot water to a small bowl or cup. Whisk until smooth and no clumps remain.
- Stir in the honey while the matcha is still warm so it dissolves completely.
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Pour the matcha over the ice, then add the milk.
- If using cold foam, add the heavy cream, milk, and honey or maple syrup to a small cup and froth until thick and pourable.
- Spoon or pour the cold foam over the latte, stir, and serve immediately.
This is one of my favorite afternoon drinks 💚 I especially love adding a little lavender syrup to it. The floral sweetness with the earthy matcha is so good.