Creamy with a vibrant green color and delicious green tea flavor, this Starbucks Matcha Latte Recipe tastes like you stopped into Starbucks but at a fraction of the price and time. It’s ready in less than 5 minutes and costs less than $1.75 per serving!
If you ask me, matcha lattes are the perfect drink. With their bright color and unique, earthy matcha taste, they're the ideal replacement for a regular coffee latte, and they also make a tasty treat! They’re perfect enjoyed as a morning beverage, and they pair well with pastries and breakfast dishes, but they’re also a fantastic option for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
I love matcha lattes because they are refreshing and energizing without the bitterness or jitters of coffee. Fortunately, they’re incredibly easy to make at home, ultra budget-friendly (⅓ of coffee shop prices!), and totally tasty. Whether you are looking to kick your coffee habit or enjoy more non-coffee drinks in your diet, this cool and frosty, lightly sweet, and green tea-infused sipper always delivers!
Looking for more Starbucks copycat recipes? Check out my Starbucks Hazelnut Latte, Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha, and Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a traditional Japanese green tea made by pulverizing shade-grown green tea leaves into a fine powder. High-quality matcha powder has a bold green color and a grassy, earthy green tea flavor. The powder is high in antioxidants, which are believed to offer many health benefits (source).
Regarding caffeine, matcha has a fair amount (40-100 mg per cup), but not as much as coffee, which usually has 95-200 mg of caffeine per cup (source, source). Many drinkers (myself included!) report that matcha can increase alertness for longer with less jittery side effects.
There are different grades of matcha, including culinary and ceremonial grades:
Ceremonial grade matcha - This is the highest quality matcha, usually prepared using traditional tools like a bamboo matcha whisk (chasen). It has a stronger, purer matcha flavor and is sold as a specialty item.
Culinary grade matcha - This slightly lower-quality matcha is perfect for cooking or drinking. This Starbucks Matcha Latte recipe calls for sweetened matcha powder, typically made with culinary matcha. It costs less, but still has a wonderful matcha flavor and many antioxidants. You can substitute ceremony grade matcha if desired, however!
What Is a Matcha Latte?
Matcha lattes are drinks made by combining matcha powder, milk, and an optional sweetener. They are similar to coffee lattes but are made with matcha instead of espresso.
Just like espresso lattes, you can enjoy matcha lattes hot or over ice. This Starbucks iced matcha latte recipe will be served over ice, but I share easy directions below to serve it hot.
Though you can make matcha lattes unsweetened, many are made with a sweetener, such as sweetened matcha powder, simple syrup, or vanilla syrup. You can even use honey or maple syrup!
For this Starbucks copycat recipe, we will use sweetened matcha powder, making the ingredient list short but the flavor full and authentic.
Why You’ll Love It
There are so many reasons to swoon over this iced matcha latte Starbucks recipe, including:
- Authentic flavor and texture. This comforting drink has all the flavor notes you know and love about your favorite Starbucks sipper. It’s grassy, fresh, earthy, creamy, and frosty.
- Quicker than a Starbucks run. With just three easy steps and 5 minutes, this recipe saves you time and hassle!
- Budget-friendly. With a Starbucks grande iced matcha latte currently running $6, making this at home saves you over $4 per serving. A significant savings that adds up over the course of a month of frequent lattes!
- No specialty tools needed. Though I provide optional milk steaming and frothing instructions, you can easily make this recipe on the stovetop with just a saucepan, measuring cups, and a whisk. No blender or expensive appliances are required!
🥂Make it A Rosy Moment
A Starbucks-style Matcha Green Tea Latte is already a luxurious little treat, but with a few creative twists, you can turn it into an experience worth savoring. Here are three ways to make your matcha moment extra special...
- Sweet & Cozy Café Vibes – Drizzle a little honey or vanilla bean syrup into your latte for an extra touch of warmth and depth. Serve it along side more of my Starbucks copycat recipes like Starbucks Pink Drink, Medicine Ball Tea, or the Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso .
- Iced & Elevated – For a refreshing twist, blend your matcha latte with ice and a splash of coconut milk for a creamy, tropical flavor. Garnish with fresh strawberries or a dusting of shredded coconut. Perfect for warm afternoons or a little mid-day pick-me-up! (Pair it with my Easy Blueberry Brioche Bake for an extra dreamy moment.)
- Spring Brunch Soiree – Hosting brunch? Impress your guests by serving matcha lattes in elegant glass mugs with a sprinkle of edible rose petals on top! Serve alongside a platter of fresh croissants, honey-drizzled ricotta toast, and a side of Havarti Spinach Mini Quiche for a sophisticated yet effortless spread.
Important Ingredients & Substitutions
Just a few simple ingredients are all you need to make this matcha latte recipe, Starbucks style:
- Matcha Powder - Use sweetened matcha powder for ease and to stay true to the Starbucks recipe. If desired, you can also use unsweetened. If doing so, use only 2 teaspoons of matcha.
- Milk - I recommend using 2% milk for the creamiest drink, but you can use non-dairy milk if desired. Almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk are all tasty options!
- Ice - Include this ingredient only if making an iced drink. Add it to your preference, using less for a stronger matcha flavor and more for milder notes.
Full Recipe Below
Find the full list of ingredients & measurements below!
Step by Step Instrictions
Wondering how to make a Starbucks iced matcha latte at home? I've got you with these simple instructions:
- Step 1: Steam the milk in a steamer or slowly heat it over medium heat in a saucepan until just steaming. If desired, blend it with a milk frother until smooth and creamy.
- Step 2: Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly whisk in the sweetened matcha powder until smooth.
- Step 3: Enjoy hot or pour the latte over a large glass of ice. Enjoy!
Top Tip
Prevent clumping by heating the milk before whisking in the matcha. Hot milk combines with it much better than cool milk, making latte smooth and creamy and the process easier.
Tips for the Perfect Matcha Green Tea Lattes
Anyone can make this drink, thanks to these simple tips:
- Don’t burn the milk. This will give the milk a bitter, scalded taste, ruining the drink. Heat it over moderate heat until just steaming, stirring periodically. Reduce the heat if the milk ever starts to smell bitter, and don’t let it come to a simmer or boil.
- Whisk vigorously. Blend the matcha into the milk until it's smooth. Continue whisking (or use a milk frother) for an extra creamy and frothy finish!
Recipe Variations
Whether adjusting the sweetener, milk, or serving temperature, there are so many tasty ways to enjoy this Starbucks iced matcha latte recipe!
- Vanilla - Give your matcha green tea latte a nutty and warm taste by adding ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Or use unsweetened matcha powder and add a pump or two of vanilla syrup!
- Maple - Enjoy the sweet, caramelized flavor of maple syrup? Stir in 2 teaspoons of syrup with unsweetened matcha powder and adjust the sweetness to taste!
- Extra Creamy - Enjoy a touch of (healthy) indulgence by making this with coconut milk! I recommend mixing ½ cup of it with 1 ½ cups of your non-dairy milk of choice to keep it creamy but not too rich.
- Pistachio Raspberry - One of my favorite Starbucks matcha lattes is sweetened with 1 pump of pistachio and 2 pumps of raspberry syrup. To keep this variation from being too sweet, use unsweetened matcha powder.
- Honey - Sweeten your drink with 1-2 teaspoons of honey or 1 tablespoon of honey syrup, and use unsweetened matcha for a cozy and warm touch!
- Hot - Warm up on a cool day with a hot matcha latte! Follow the directions as listed and pour the latte into a large mug, omitting the ice.
💡Recipe FAQ
Starbucks uses a recipe just like this one! They use sweetened matcha powder and milk to make their matcha lattes.
So many syrups are delicious in matcha lattes. My personal favorite is a combination of 1 pump of pistachio syrup and 2 pumps of raspberry syrup, but classics like vanilla and hazelnut syrup are delicious. Add a burst of fruity summer flavor by adding strawberry, blackberry, or peach syrup. The options are nearly endless!
Though I like to use sweetened matcha powder for simple prep, you can substitute unsweetened matcha powder and sweeten with simple syrup, flavored syrups, maple syrup, agave syrup, stevia, honey, or monk fruit.
Yes! For a processed sugar-free and keto macha latte, use a low carbohydrate non-dairy milk (such as almond or soy milk) and unsweetened matcha powder. Sweeten the latte with stevia or monk fruit to taste before serving
Yep, you can make this recipe without heating the milk. The matcha combines most easily with warm milk, so prevent lumps by blending the cool milk and matcha with a milk frother or immersion blender.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Starbucks Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sweetened matcha powder
- 16 oz 2 cups steamed 2% milk
- Ice optional
Instructions
- Steam your milk in a steamer or slowly over medium heat in a saucepan.
- Once heated through, quickly whisk in the sweetned matcha powder into the milk.
- Enjoy immediately or pour over a large glass of ice!
Notes
- Heat the milk to prevent clumping. Hot milk combines with it much better than cool milk, making the process easier and the latte smooth and creamier. To make this recipe with cool milk, blend the powder into the milk with a milk frother or immersion blender.
- Don’t burn the milk. This will give the milk a bitter, scalded taste, ruining the drink. Heat it over moderate heat until just steaming, stirring periodically. Reduce the heat if the milk ever starts to smell bitter, and don’t let it come to a simmer or boil.
- Whisk vigorously. Blend the matcha into the milk until it's smooth. Continue whisking (or use a milk frother) for an extra creamy and frothy finish!
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