Homemade Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte Recipe

There was a time when matcha was unfamiliar to the general public, but these days you can't walk into a coffee shop without spotting it on the chalkboard menus and hearing the baristas calling it out. Matcha has gone from being a staple used in Japanese tea ceremonies to becoming a ubiquitous and much-loved favorite in the U.S., with the bright green color showing up in everything from ice cream to baked goods to hot and iced beverages. 

Our homemade iced strawberry matcha latte is a delicious combination of earthy matcha and fresh, juicy strawberries. Instead of using a premade sugary syrup, we blend fresh strawberries with pure maple syrup and a touch of milk to create a creamy puree that is a vibrant rosy first layer in the bottom of the glass. After ice and milk, we whisk the matcha with hot water till it's foamy and pour it on top of the strawberry puree, resulting in vibrantly stunning layers of color and flavor.

Making a homemade strawberry latte is so fun and easy that it's perfect for when you want a fancy café drink without leaving the house. You can whip up a batch when you have guests coming over for brunch, and the layered glasses always steal the show.

To make this recipe, you only need a small handful of items. Pick up some strawberries and look for the freshest ones you can find so they add natural sweetness. If you have frozen strawberries on hand, thaw them out for about 20 minutes before blending. Then you'll need maple syrup, your choice of milk, and matcha powder. A premium grade matcha is a good choice for matcha drinks that are mixed with milk and other ingredients.

Add the strawberries, maple syrup, and 3 tablespoons of milk to a small blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into the bottom of a glass.

Sift the matcha into a bowl for whisking.

Add 2 ounces of hot water and whisk with a bamboo whisk or a milk frother.

Add about 1 cup of ice cubes to the glass.

Pour in the remaining milk.

Top with the matcha and serve.

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Matcha is a form of green tea leaves that are harvested differently from regular green tea and ground into a powder. The plants are protected under shade for the last few weeks before they are harvested, which increases their chlorophyll content and gives them that natural vibrant green color. One of the main differences between green tea and matcha is that you are consuming the whole leaf when drinking matcha, instead of steeping leaves in water. This provides a more concentrated dose of health benefits as well as caffeine.

There are 3 types of matcha. Ceremonial grade is the highest quality because it is made from the leaves from the first harvest, and the stems and veins are removed. It is the smoothest and most expensive type of matcha and is the best choice for drinking on its own in pure form. The second type of matcha is premium grade, which is made from slightly later harvests, and is still smooth but usually has a bit of bitterness. It's perfect in drinks that include other ingredients like milk, and in this case, strawberries. The third type of matcha is culinary grade, which uses more mature leaves. The color is typically not as vibrant, and it is the most bitter. This type is widely used in baking where the bitterness will be camouflaged by other ingredients.

You will find matcha in all sorts of recipes like smoothies, matcha pancakes, matcha muffins, or even matcha gelato. Once you have matcha on hand, you can experiment with adding a teaspoon or two to drinks and baked goods, to enjoy the earthy vegetal flavor and the surprising green color.

You have many options when it comes to flavoring your matcha lattes. The sweetness of fruit always pairs well with the grassiness of matcha. Instead of strawberries, try blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. Mango, peach, or nectarine also work well and can be made in the same way we use strawberries in this recipe. If you don't have fresh or frozen fruit on hand, you can use a frother tool to blend any type of fruit jam with the milk before you add it to your drink.

There are other ways to sweeten the latte, and you can add more or less depending on your preferred sweetness. Honey, agave, brown sugar, or coconut sugar would each add their distinctive flavoring to the drink. Adding spices to the drink is another way to alter the flavor. Try cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, or vanilla extract for a warmer, more complex flavor.

For a more dessert-type latte, add a drizzle of white or dark chocolate sauce. A dash of caramel or vanilla syrup will add a delicious flavor twist as well. And, of course, you can never go wrong with a swirl of whipped cream.

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