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Home » Recipes » Kitchen Basics » Ingredient 101 » Matcha 101 + Matcha Tea Latte

Matcha 101 + Matcha Tea Latte

Published: Jul 24, 2017 · Last Modified: September 19, 2019 by Dani

This post may contain affiliate links.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Matcha is a young, delicate, high-grade, green tea leaf that is, grown in the shade for about three weeks before it’s hand picked, dried and ground into a fine powder.  

During the time it’s grown in the shade the plant produces very high levels of chlorophyll which is a plant based pigment that is not only responsible for matcha’s beautiful bright green color, but also packs the leaves full of nutrients and antioxidants.

The shade also creates an amino acid called L-Theanine, which is the magic ingredient found in matcha, said to reduce anxiety, and enhance your mood while boosting, concentration, focus and alertness.

Unlike traditional green tea, with matcha tea you are actually consuming the whole leaf which is part of the reason why it’s such a nutritional powerhouse and considered a super food!  It’s actually one of the highest graded foods when it comes to antioxidant concentration. And remember antioxidants are what fight off free radicals in the body!

Not only are they preventative but they also support healthy glowing skin, control blood sugar, lower cholesterol and increase our metabolism (which is why you will often hear people say that matcha supports weight loss).

Matcha does contain caffeine but because of the way the body digests matcha the caffeine is released at a very slow and steady rate, so rather then getting a big jittery boost and then a crash, it gives us a more natural, sustained boost of energy over a longer period of time.

So if caffeine doesn’t normally agree with you, you may find that you have a different experience with matcha.

Categorically there are two main types of matcha; ceremonial and culinary.

Ceremonial matcha is made from the finest, youngest green tea leaves which give it a delicate, refreshing and naturally sweet flavor. It is ideal for enjoying simply as a tea or an iced tea.

When looking at a ceremonial matcha, it should have a vibrantly green color with a light, fresh, and slightly grassy smell.   It should also be extremely fine to the touch and feel like eye shadow. If it smells off, or is grainy or dull, it’s not the real deal.

Culinary Matcha on the other hand is a mix of younger and older tea leaves and so while it’s still has a fresh flavor, it tends to be a bit more earthy and robust.

Culinary grade matcha can look less vibrant green than ceremonial matcha but should still be a beautiful green. Just like ceremonial grade, a quality cooking grade matcha should smell fresh and slightly grassy and still feel fine and smooth.  If it feels coarse or you can see the individual grains of matcha easily, it is not good.

And because culinary matcha usually has a lower price point, it’s the perfect to add to your lattes, smoothies, breakfast bowls, baked goods etc.

So in a nutshell, when you are buying your matcha you want to pay attention to the origin (most good matches come from Japan), color, texture, taste and price.

And yes, my friends, you pretty much get what you pay for.  A good ceremonial matcha can range any where between 25-40 per gram.

I am not a matcha aficionado, but the matcha I have been using and really enjoying is from The Matcha Reserve.  It costs just under $40 for 40 grams.  Not only do they sell traditional matcha, they also have flavors like mango and caramel, which are made by adding a tiny bit of extract to the matcha.  If you are interested in trying out their matcha, you can save 15% by using my code: DaniMatcha

Once you choose a matcha home you want to store it in a cool dry place, it’s extremely sensitive to both light and heat which is why good quality matcha is usually sold in foil or a dark container.

Keeping it in the fridge freezer is a good idea, especially if you do not drink it every day.

There are lots of different ways you can incorporate matcha into your diet, it’s super versatile. You can add it to smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, chia pudding, cookies, muffins, you name it!  People are making matcha everything these days.

How To Make Matcha Tea

Those who drink matcha often like to use an official matcha making kit which includes a matcha bowl  (chawan) with bamboo whisk (chasen) and scoop (chashaku).

But if you don’t have all the fancy tools you can do the exact same thing with a spouted cup (or type of wide mug), a small whisk (or if really desperate a fork will do) and a teaspoon.

For an 8 ounce cup start with 1 teaspoon of matcha powder, you can run it through a fine mesh sifter to help break up the clumps so you have a creamier, frothier matcha.

Then add a couple ounces of hot water, you want your water to be just before boiling. Technically speaking it should be at 175 f, steamy/just before boiling is really all you need to aim for.

Grab your whisk and begin moving in an M or W motion to whip the matcha until it starts to create a thick green paste and becomes frothy.  This will take one to two minutes.

Note: if you are using a metal whisk you may not get as much froth as you would if you were using a bamboo whisk.

Once your forth has formed, add another 4-6 ounces of water and enjoy.

How To Make A Matcha Latte

Now if you wanted to make a Matcha Latte, you would do everything exactly the same right up until you’ve created your foam and then instead of adding water, you would add a teaspoon of your favorite sweeter and 6 ounces of steamed milk, any milk you fancy will work, so pick what works best for you and your health style.

Have you ever worked with Matcha before?  I would love to hear your tips down in the comments below!

Print Recipe
4.63 from 8 votes

Matcha Green Tea Latte

Course: drinks, ingredient 101, KITCHEN BASICS
Cuisine: American, healthy
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time2 mins
Cook Time3 mins
Total Time5 mins
Servings: 1 servings

Ingredients

  • 2-4 tablespoons hot water
  • 6 ounces milk almond, coconut, cows etc
  • 1 teaspoon matcha tea powder this is the one I like
  • 1 tablespoon honey maple syrup, or stevia to taste (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the matcha tea powder to a small amount of hot water in the matcha tea bowl or into your favorite mug.
  • Use a fork to briskly whisk the matcha in up-and-down direction until you see a white foam form on top of the matcha.
  • Pour sweetener and steamed milk into the cup. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you try Matcha Reserve be sure to use use code: MATCHADANI to save 15%

Drinks, Ingredient 101, Recipes, Video Drinks, Honey, ingredient 101, latte, matcha

About Dani

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Matcha tea says

    August 9, 2017 at 3:47 am

    5 stars
    most of the people doesn’t know how to make a perfect matcha tea…thanks for you guide.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 10, 2017 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      Anytime!! So glad it was helpful.

      Reply
  2. Peg Allen says

    October 1, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    5 stars
    Hey, Dani
    On the Matcha Tea Latte recipe above it says 4 cups of hot water. Did you mean 4 OUNCES?
    We just tried our first Matcha Latte and I think we had too much hot water and not enough steamed coconut milk.
    BTW, I used a tiny bit of Manuka honey as my sweetener. I have been using that since I started making your Golden Milk recipe!
    Thanks
    Peg Allen

    Reply
    • Dani says

      October 6, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      It should just be 2-4 tablespoons! Sorry for the confusion. I just corrected that.

      Reply
  3. sofia says

    February 10, 2018 at 7:14 am

    5 stars
    Hi there, just got into matcha recently but a Momma friend of mine said nursing mothers are to avoid it, moreso than coffee. She read somewhere that it dehydrates the baby, worse than coffee. Would you have any knowledge how matcha effects breastmilk nutrients and quantity? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      March 7, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve never heard that before but I would definitely do a little extra research on it!

      Reply
  4. Sherry says

    March 20, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    5 stars
    Came out awsome .. added a pinch cinnamon too..
    Thank u

    Reply

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