This creamy Vanilla Matcha Latte recipe is a cheaper and easy version of the original Starbucks. The terrific combination of earthy matcha, creamy milk, and touch of sweet vanilla is will leave you craving for more!
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⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star
- Easy way to introduce matcha in your diet: on its own, matcha tea is a bit bitter and vegetal. The vanilla helps to round out the earthy matcha taste very well, creating a delicious drink!
- Healthier: When you consume matcha, you're consuming whole green tea leaves. However, the Starbucks original latte is packed with sugar. If you make it at home, you can customise it to taste. Moreover, vanilla is a natural sweetener, reducing the amount of sugar you need to add to the matcha latte! Last but not least, matcha has less caffeine than coffee so is a good way to boost energy levels without the jitters.
- Good for your budget: DIY costs less than going to the coffee shop and I also show you how to reduce the cost further!
Note: Since you're on this page, I presume you already know what Matcha is and will save you the scrolling. If not, you can find out more about it by clicking the link! To learn more about the 2 types of green tea, Hojicha vs Matcha, click here.
🥘 Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients:
- matcha powder and warm water: I prefer pure matcha but if you want it to be exactly like Starbucks, they use one mixed with sugar! There are different grades of matcha. (You can get these at most grocery stores, such as Trader Joe's, if not go to a Japanese one or online.) Ceremonial matcha powder gives you the best flavor but is more expensive than culinary grade matcha. Things are getting increasingly costly so, in a pinch, you can even use green tea powder instead. (It's not the same as matcha though. For one, the color will be totally different (a dull and not a vibrant green color.))
- milk: Starbucks uses a 2% milk. I prefer whole milk but you can use a milk of choice, such as almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk cashew milk etc. Click here to find out about the pros and cons of these dairy-free milks for matcha lattes.
- vanilla extract: Alternatively, you can get the Starbucks vanilla syrup (make sure to skip the sweetener, if so!)
- sweetener: You can use use white sugar, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar or green tea simple syrup.
📖 Variations & Substitutes
- Iced Matcha Latte: Do not warm the milk. Instead shake it in a Mason jar to froth it, like you do with a cold brew matcha, before adding the matcha solution. Finish by adding ice cubes. Perfect for hot summer days!
- Matcha Chai Latte: leave out the vanilla and add Chai Concentrate instead (Click through for more details.)
- Strawberry matcha latte recipe: add fresh strawberry puree and skip the vanilla.
- Pineapple green tea latte: skip the vanilla, add pineapple ginger syrup and preferably use coconut milk.
- Blueberry matcha: substitute the strawberries with blueberries!
- Vegan Latte: substitute the cows milk with almond milk or oat milk. Remember to use bone-char free sugar or maple syrup.
- Vanilla Matcha Sundae: top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
1a. Over medium heat, warm milk in a small saucepan. Do not let it boil.
1b. When heated, whisk to make frothy. (Alternatively, use a milk frother.)
Note: it's easier to froth hot milk than cold.
1c. Stir in the vanilla and sweetener of choice. Mix well.
Note: if making iced vanilla matcha latte, don't heat the milk. Instead, put the milk, vanilla and sweetener in a Mason jar, seal well and shake till frothy. The rest of the recipe is unchanged. Just add ice at the end.
2a. The traditional way to make matcha tea is to whisk the matcha powder and warm water in a small bowl. Whisk till you don't see any dark green lumps. (Don't use boiling water or the matcha will be extra bitter.)
Note: A regular whisk won't do as good a job as the traditional matcha whisk. (It doesn't have enough spokes. If you don't have the matcha whisk, see below.)
2b. Pour the matcha into the milk from Step 1.
Optional: Top with sweet cream and enjoy!
How to make matcha without a bamboo whisk
You can use an electric milk frother.
If not, add the liquid and matcha to an airtight Mason Jar and shake till well-combined. There will be a few dark green spots as the matcha won't be perfectly suspended.
To prevent this from happening, sieve the matcha before shaking.
Note: Make sure you whisk or shake just before you want to drink. (If not, the powder will settle at the bottom- it is only suspended in the liquid and not dissolved.)
🥡 How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Note: you will need to re whisk/re-shake the matcha drink before serving as the fine powder will settle at the bottom.
🥗 Other Homemade Lattes
Enjoyed this easy Starbucks Copycat Vanilla Green Tea Latte Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below! If you REALLY liked this summer latte, please consider supporting it by buying me a coffee! 🙂 (No obligation though!) Thank you and have a great day!
Vanilla Matcha Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
- Matcha whisk and small bowl Instead of the traditional whisk, you can also use a handheld frother or Mason Jar.
- Small pot and whisk
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Matcha Powder
- ¼ Cup Warm water Do not use boiling water or the matcha will have a more pronounced bitterness.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Or to taste Substitute: scrape ½ a vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon Sugar Or to taste.
- ¾ Cup Milk I use whole milk but you can choose a milk of choice
- Optional: whipped cream, ice cream etc
Instructions
- Over medium heat, warm milk in a small saucepan. Note: Do not let it boil.
- When milk is hot (but not boiling), whisk to make frothy. (Alternatively, use a milk frother.)Note: it's easier to froth hot milk than cold.
- Stir in the vanilla and sweetener of choice. Mix well.Note: if making iced vanilla matcha latte, don't heat the milk. Instead, put the milk, vanilla and sweetener in a Mason jar, seal well and shake till frothy. The rest of the recipe is unchanged. Just add ice at the end.
- Whisk the matcha powder and warm water in a small bowl till you don't see any dark green lumps.
- Pour the matcha into the frothy milk.Optional: Top with sweet cream and enjoy!
Notes
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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Emma says
NEVER add any dairy based milk to Matcha! Especially if you're drinking it for health reasons. The milk sticks to the polyphenols, which lowers your bodies nutrient absorption. In other words, you won’t get the health benefits Matcha holds.
Zen says
Hi Emma, thanks for sharing about the dairy-based milk and matcha interactions. I've mentioned this in some of my other matcha recipes but not here, something which I will correct soon 🙂 I drink matcha for both health and flavor reasons, so when it's for flavor I add the dairy milk 🙂 (I have to confess matcha tea alone all the time can be a bit too grassy for me 🙂 ) What are your favorite tasty ways to consume matcha to get its benefits?