Craving a Starbucks matcha latte? This matcha green tea latte is amazing and you can make it at home whenever you want! It is creamy, refreshing with included variations to make a low calorie (“skinny”), vegan, whole food plant based, whole30 or keto matcha latte.
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Why this recipe works
- It is creamy and delicious on a hot summer day or to cozy up on the couch and binge watch your favorite show.
- Great version of a Starbucks matcha latte that you can make at home whenever you want (for a fraction of the price)!
- This matcha green tea latte can be made to suit any nutritional preferences including low calorie (“skinny”), vegan, whole food plant based, whole30 or keto matcha latte
What is an iced matcha latte?
An iced matcha latte is generally comprised of the following main components:
- Matcha powder (unsweetened)
- Milk of choice
- Sweetener of choice
- Vanilla flavor (optional depending on variation)
Starbucks largely popularized this delicious beverage and people commonly asked what is in Starbucks iced matcha green tea latte and is Starbucks matcha latte is sweetened?
I had these same questions and asked my friendly Starbucks barista when I visited one day in hopes that I could modify the delicious beverage to a lower calories version.
Unfortunately (for me at the time), the Starbucks matcha latte IS sweetened. I was advised that they use a premade powder combining matcha powder and sugar which makes it tough to modify to accommodate dietary preferences or restrictions.
That is why I love this version because you can modify it to your hearts content! For example, my favorite version is the iced matcha green tea latte with almond milk, a delicious milk substitute (also low in calories). I use a sugar substitute so I can enjoy this yummy treat with only 40 calories in 1 cup (what!?). Matcha green tea latte has caffeine so it will also give you a nice energy boost.
What is matcha and what does matcha taste like?
The key component in this matcha latte is matcha powder. Matcha is a finely ground powder made from processed green tea leaves. It originated in Japan and matcha means “ground tea.”
Pure matcha powder alone can taste bitter but mixed with the right carrier it gives a rich, earthy, grassy and nutty flavor.
What is the best matcha powder for matcha latte?
For this recipe you want to make sure you purchase unsweetened powder. You want to be sure to look for 100% pure ground green tea powder. Good quality matcha is a fine powder similar to the consistency of baby powder. Matcha is growing in popularity and is starting to pop up in many grocery stores. For example, Whole foods, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s.
You can also buy matcha powder on Amazon.
How to make this recipe
After discovering the delicious Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte, of course I had to go on a quest to create my own! Your base for the matcha green tea latte is surprisingly basic:
- Matcha powder (unsweetened, 100% pure ground green tea)
- Milk of choice (almond milk, whole milk, skin, 1%, 2% milk, half and half, oat milk, cashew milk)
- Sweetener of choice: Sugar (granulated or powder), aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), saccharin (Sweet n’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), monkfruit, maple syrup, honey, vanilla syrup
- Vanilla flavor (optional depending on variation)
Simply, combine matcha powder, milk of choice, sweetener of choice and vanilla (optional) in cocktail shaker or jar. Add a few ice cubes. Shake vigorously. Serve over additional ice. BOOM! Enjoy!
Modifications
I wanted to be sure that this delicious beverage could be enjoyed by everyone, so I created the following variations/modifications:
- Low Calorie (“Skinny”): Use a lower calorie milk or milk variation such as almond milk (my favorite!), cashew milk or skim milk and/or lower calorie sweetener such as aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), saccharin (Sweet n’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), monkfruit powder.
- Vegan/ Whole Food Plant Based/Whole 30: Use a vegan milk option such as almond milk (my favorite!) or oat milk and/or sweetener such as honey, maple syrup or monkfruit (choice depending on strict compliance level).
- Keto/Paleo: Use lower carb milk option such as almond milk or half and half/heavy cream (you can dilute with water to desired richness) and a low carb sweetener such aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), saccharin (Sweet n’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), monkfruit powder.
Related recipes to check out
For a delicious and super easy healthy snack, check out my Mexican fruit cup.
For a kid-friendly, healthy snack, check out my Chickpea Cookie Dough. It is amazing with pretzels for dipping!
For a delicious and healthy one-pot meal with barely any preparation and full of amazing flavor, check out my Jackfruit Curry.
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Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker, jar or stir.
Ingredients
- 1.5 tsp Matcha powder (unsweetened, 100% pure ground
green tea) - 1 cup Almond Milk Substitute any milk of choice (see notes).
- 2 packets Sugar (granulated or powder), aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), saccharin (Sweet n’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), monkfruit powder packets. Substitute any sweetener of choice (see notes).
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional) See notes re: vanilla syrup.
Instructions
- Combine matcha powder, milk of choice, sweetener of choice and vanilla (optional) in cocktail shaker or jar.
- Add a few ice cubes. Shake vigorously.
- Serve over additional ice.
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