With this copycat Starbucks recipe, you can bring the delicious sweet flavor of hot Matcha Latte from Starbucks into your home! This drink is super easy to make and ready in just 5 minutes or less. If you're a fan of green tea, you definitely need to try this latte recipe!
This recipe is:
- inspired by the Starbucks Matcha Green Tea Latte
- hot and warming
- sweetened
- so easy to make at home
- ready in just a few minutes
- frothy and creamy
- containing a healthy caffeine kick
- simply delicious
- perfect to start the day!
- Delicious alongside homemade Matcha cookies, Vegan S'mores Cookies or Vegan Mochi Donuts!
Ever since trying it for the first time, I've been obsessed with Matcha Latte - and that obsession has only been heightened when I first tried the Starbucks Matcha in Singapore in 2018 - it was simply next level and I have since gone on a mission to re-create this delicious drink at home, and here we are!
This latte recipe is inspired by the hot Matcha Green Tea Latte that Starbucks offers and it can be made with a blender, a milk frother, or a traditional Matcha whisk. It's easy to make and ready in just a few minutes, which makes it the perfect morning drink for busy days.
💚 About Matcha
What is matcha?
Matcha is a type of green tea made from whole green tea leaves. The leaves are covered before the harvest to keep their bright green color. Once harvested, the leaves are ground into a fine green tea powder.
Matcha is known for its earthy taste and is often used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, which may offer health benefits like improved heart health and brain function.
What is in a matcha latte?
A matcha latte is a drink made with matcha green tea powder, milk and a sweetener, such as sugar, maple syrup or flavored syrup. It can be served both hot and cold and it’s a great alternative to latte made with coffee.
Is matcha latte healthy?
Matcha lattes can be a healthy option - as long as you are mindful of how much sugar or sweetener you add to your drink. Making matcha lattes at home can give you more control over the amount of added sugar in your drink.
The matcha powder itself is a rich source of antioxidants that may provide protection against various diseases.
❤️ Why this recipe works:
- Healthier alternative to coffee. It's the perfect start to the day - especially when you need a little caffeine kick to jumpstart your morning, but want to avoid the caffeine jitters from coffee. Matcha is also packed with antioxidants, making it a fantastic choice of drink.
- Simply delicious! With the sweet and earthy flavors alongside the frothy and creamy milk, this Starbucks matcha is a tasty, comforting drink to have every day.
- Customizable. You can customize your Matcha Latte by choosing the type of milk and sweetener you prefer. For a creamier taste, opt for coconut milk. And if you prefer your latte less sweet, reduce the sweetener or opt for a sugar-free option like Splenda.
- Quick & Easy. It's ready in just a few minutes! For this recipe, you can use a blender or milk frother which makes it super convenient - and it creates the most delicious matcha latte every time!
🗒️ Ingredients & Notes
To make this delicious Starbucks-inspired Matcha Latte, you only need 3 ingredients:
- Matcha Powder - For best results, use a high-quality matcha powder.
- Milk - I like to use plant milk like soya milk or oat milk for my green tea latte. Both are relatively flavor-neutral compared to other dairy-free alternatives and perfect for making a delicious Matcha Latte at home.
- Vanilla Syrup - I love to use 2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup for the perfect sweetness and flavor. Alternatively, you can make your own homemade vanilla syrup for this recipe.
🥄 Equipment
- a high-speed blender or electric milk frother
If you don't have a blender or frother to hand, please see the notes on alternative options for making this green tea latte below.
🌱 Substitutions
There are a couple of things you can easily swap in this recipe, in case you don't have all ingredients to hand.
- Plant Milk - I personally love making this drink with soya or oat milk, but you can simply swap this for your favorite milk. Delicious options would be almond milk, which will give the latte a nuttier flavor, and coconut, which will add a sweet note of coconut.
- Vanilla Syrup - you can swap the sugar-free syrup for another vanilla syrup you have to hand. Instead of vanilla syrup, you can also mix maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix it into the drink or make your own vanilla syrup from scratch.
📖 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Below you can find the steps for making Matcha Latte in a blender and making Matcha Latte in a milk frother. For best results, read the full instructions first and follow these steps to make a delicious Green Tea Latte in just a few minutes.
Version 1: Making matcha latte in a blender
To start, heat up your plant milk in the microwave or on the stove.
Add hot plant milk and vanilla syrup to a blender.
Lastly, add the matcha powder. By adding the matcha last, the green tea powder will not get stuck in any corners at the bottom of your blender.
Blend the matcha latte on a high-speed setting for 1 minute or until smooth and frothy.
Version 2: How to make matcha latte in a milk frother
If you have a milk frother, then making matcha latte has become even easier! I personally use a Dualit milk frother, which has the ability to make both hot and cold froth. I love this in particular, as it saves me having to heat the plant milk in advance.
If your frother does not heat the milk, then please heat the plant milk in the microwave or on the stovetop beforehand.
Pour the milk into the milk frother and add the vanilla syrup.
Sprinkle in the matcha green tea powder.
Switch on the frother using the hot setting.
Allow it to froth the matcha latte - this should take 1-2 minutes.
🍵 Serving
Serve your latte in your favorite mug, sprinkle with a little extra matcha green tea powder and enjoy hot.
You can enjoy matcha latte on its own or alongside a light snack, such as fresh fruit, cookies or energy bites. They are also a great drink for a brunch spread, and delicious served alongside savory items like avocado toast or a breakfast sandwich.
Matcha is also delicious cold - try this Iced Matcha Latte version for a refreshing latte that's perfect for summer!
💡 Extra Tips
How to make Matcha Latte without a blender or milk frother
If you don't have a blender or milk frother to hand, here's how you can still make this delicious drink using a traditional matcha whisk:
- Whisk the matcha powder in 2 tbsp of the plant milk until no lumps are left.
- Slowly stir in the vanilla syrup.
- Carefully add the preheated milk and continue to whisk more vigorously to combine all ingredients.
- Serve the latte whilst still hot.
➕ Optional Additions & Variations
If you want to take your Starbucks matcha latte to the next level, there are a couple of delicious variations you can try:
- Serve your Starbucks Matcha Latte with whipped coconut cream on top!
- Sprinkle a little extra matcha powder over the top of the drink before serving.
- Add a drizzle of almond syrup to make a matcha marzipan latte - simply divine!
- Mix in a dollop of vanilla protein powder to make protein matcha!
- Add some delicious flavored syrups to your matcha, such as Brown Sugar Syrup!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Matcha is a Japanese green tea. Matcha powder is made from whole green tea leaves - after harvest, they are dried and then ground into powder. Matcha is mainly produced in Japan.
Matcha powder is essentially made from green tea leaves. They are dried and ground up into a powder that does not dissolve in water. When making drinks such as this Starbucks Matcha Latte, the matcha powder is whisked into the drink, and the tiny powder particles are basically suspended in the liquid.
To smoothly blend in the matcha powder, you need to whisk it vigorously.
Yes, matcha contains caffeine. A matcha latte contains roughly half the caffeine of an equally sized latte.
You can use your favorite milk to make a matcha latte! My personal favorites are sweetened soya or plain oat milk. Almond milk gives the matcha latte a nuttier taste, whilst coconut will make it more creamy and sweet. But please feel free to use your favorite milk for this Starbucks Matcha Latte recipe.
No, in order to make a matcha latte, you need matcha powder. Matcha latte can't be made with green tea teabags.
Starbucks uses pre-sweetened matcha which is essentially a mix of matcha green tea powder and sugar. Because the Starbucks matcha is already sweetened you, unfortunately, can't order an unsweetened version at Starbucks.
Starbucks currently uses a Starbucks VIA Matcha tea blend - VIA is their own line of instant drink powder and it comes in portioned packs for individual use. That's how they manage to make the Starbucks Matcha Latte taste the same throughout their cafés.
The Starbucks Instant Matcha blend is not sold in the UK or US, and can only be found in some locations around Asia, such as Singapore and Japan.
The two ingredients in the Starbucks Matcha Tea blend are sugar and matcha green tea powder. As sugar is the main ingredient in the matcha blend, it cannot be ordered unsweetened at Starbucks. However, you can easily make this homemade version unsweetened by skipping the sweetener or choose a sugar-free alternative.
Matcha in itself is packed with antioxidants and considered healthy, but the Starbucks Matcha Latte version is contains sugar and is therefore considered less healthy. When making matcha latte at home, you can easily adjust the amount of sugar or sweetener and create a healthier version.
Matcha can come in all kinds of grades and qualities. My personal favorites are Clearspring and Teapigs, but if you're unsure where to get great quality matcha powder from, check Amazon or your local health food store.
🌱 More recipes to make with matcha powder
If you love matcha, try my homemade Matcha Cookies with White Chocolate Chips or my Matcha Energy Balls - they are both the perfect sweet snack for matcha lovers!
🥛 More Starbucks drinks to make at home
- Iced Vanilla Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
- Starbucks Matcha Lemonade
- Iced Matcha Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
- Starbucks Pumpkin Cold Foam
If you're a Starbucks fan, then also try the Strawberry Matcha Latte Starbucks Copycat recipe by SugarYums! It's easy to make vegan - just use agave and opt for vegan milk and cream.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
Matcha Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 tsp green tea matcha powder
- 1 cup plant milk (250 ml)
- 1 tbsp sugar-free vanilla syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your milk in a mug of jug in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. It should be hot, but drinkable temperature. Adjust the heating time if needed.
- Transfer the milk into the blender alongside the vanilla syrup and matcha powder. Blend on a high speed for roughly a minute or until all ingredients are well combined and the milk frothy.
- To serve, transfer the matcha latte to your favorite mug and sprinkle with a little extra matcha powder over the top before serving (optional).
Notes
- Instead of a blender, you can also use an electric milk frother. Please see the equipment notes in the blog post above.
- Feel free to replace the sugar-free syrup with any vanilla syrup you might have to hand. You can also simply make your own by mixing maple or agave syrup with vanilla extract.
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Eugenia Dominy
This article was so informative Thanks for sharing it. You have got a fan in me!
romylondonuk
Thank you so much, Eugenia! so glad you like the blog post 🙂