Are Matcha Lattes Sweetened
If you want to create the layered iced matcha look seen in the pictures, youll need to use sweetener. The sugar in the milk is what causes it to sink to the bottom. I also prefer the taste of sweetened lattes, and usually add slightly more sweetener to iced beverages than hot . However, if you prefer unsweetened matcha and the layering isnt important to you, feel free to omit it.
How To Make A Hot Matcha Latte At Home
Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.
Copycat Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
With the weather warming up if you are like me you are craving all kinds of iced drinks from Starbucks. These days I am craving theCotton Candy Frappuccino, the Starbucks Pink Drink, and of course this Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte.
If you have yet to have the Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte drink you are missing out. It is a delicious blend of matcha tea, milk, ice, and a little bit of sugar. This drink is so creamy and refreshing. It is the perfect drink to enjoy on your way to work or when you are on an afternoon break. And now lucky for you, you can make it right at home with this Copycat Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte recipe.
This recipe can even be doubled and made ahead of time so it is ready when you are!
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What Is Starbucks Matcha Latte
Matcha is finely ground green tea, which is popular in Asia, especially in Japan. Matcha latte drink is made with green tea powder and milk, with sweeteners sometimes added to counter the slightly bitter flavor of the tea itself. Starbucks introduced the matcha lattes in its North American stores in 2005 as a limited-edited drink. Now you can find a few Starbucks matcha drinks, but the most popular one is definitely the Matcha latte!
This beverage can be served iced or hot and offers a caffeine boost to those that need it. Besides the outstanding taste, one of the most significant benefits of this drink is its simplicity.
Limited ingredients mean shorter prep time and mixing, which means you can enjoy your latte quicker and with far less hassle. That makes the drink ideal for anyone looking for a tasty drink without worrying about having to worry about following overly complicated steps.
What Is In A Starbucks Matcha Latte
Starbucks matcha lattes are made with a matcha tea blend, a combination of sugar, ground green tea, and milk. Starbucks matcha is similar to instant coffee in that it dissolves in hot water, unlike regular matcha tea, which does not dissolve. This is a well-crafted blend that dissolves quickly. Starbucks has also presweetened the matcha latte, so you might not enjoy it if you dont have a sweet tooth.
The sugar also increases the calorie count, which would be a no-no for someone on a strict diet looking to lose weight. However, one of the benefits of matcha tea is that it can help with weight loss, and if you balance your daily calorie count, you will be able to enjoy your Starbucks matcha latte without feeling guilty. Vegans can always customize their drink to their liking by requesting a non-dairy milk option such as almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or rice milk.
Ice is an ingredient in iced matcha lattes. Starbucks used to add its classic syrup to its sweet matcha to make it sweeter, but they stopped. Because matcha has a raw, bitter vegetable flavor, you can sweeten it to your liking. Starbucks matcha also has unique blends like lemonade and pineapple, and customers can always request a unique blend if they want a twist on the standard Starbucks matcha latte.
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How Do I Know Which Matcha To Buy
There is an absolutely overwhelming range of matcha products on the market, and it can be tough to know what to look for when youre shopping. Here are a few things that can help you pick a high quality matcha.
- Made in Japan The highest quality matcha comes from one of three regions in Japan, where it has been cultivated for over 900 years.
- Bright green color Higher quality matcha has an incredibly saturated green color.
- Priced in the $20-$30 range for 1.5-2 ounces. I know, it sounds expensive, right? But for reference, you can make 15 matcha lattes with one bag of this Encha matcha which costs $20. Thats about a $1.50 per latte still vastly cheaper than Starbucks! Cheaper matchas tend to be dull in color and bitter tasting.
How To Make A Matcha Latte To Rival Starbucks
When making a matcha latte at home, you dont need to use the highest-grade ceremonial matcha. A good culinary or everyday grade works great. Its less expensive and the flavour is a little stronger so the matcha can still be tasted when mixed with other ingredients. Not sure how to pick out good quality matcha? We wrote a buyers guide to help. We also recommend using non-dairy milk such as almond milk. Research shows that dairy milk can block the absorption of some antioxidants, so its better to choose a non-dairy option so that you can get all the health benefits. If its just the caffeine you want, dairy milk is fine. Here’s how to make your own better-than-Starbucks matcha latte at home:
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Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe Notes And Tips
- Keep in mind that there are different grades of Matcha. There is Cooking Grade, Latte Grade and Ceremonial Grade options to choose from. For this recipe, I would suggest the Latte or Ceremonial Grade as the cooking grade has a more bitter taste and isnt the vibrant green that you will want for your drink.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and stored in a glass container with lid in the refrigerator for up 3 4 days.
- I would recommend using Whole or 2% milk for your latte since they have the right balance of fats, proteins, sugar, and water to make the latte smooth yet not too creamy.
- A blender is the best tool to use for blending your latte but you can also use a frother or hand mixer or immersion blender to mix up your latte. Another option is to place the ingredients in a glass jar or container with lid and shake vigorously.
- If you are using matcha in your beverage for the first time, reducing the amount of powder slightly and increasing the sweetener just a bit might be a good idea. Matcha can be a little overpowering if you are not accustom to it.
Starbucks Matcha Latte Faq
Is matcha good for you?
Yes. It is believed that matcha has the same benefits as green tea, which means it may support brain function, concentration, mood, and relaxation. Of course, it is essential to monitor your intake should you be less tolerant of caffeine, but the good news is that the caffeine content in matcha will likely not give you the jitters.
How to make matcha without lumps?
Traditionally people use a Chasen, a specially designed bamboo whisk to mix matcha. If you dont have one, the best way to avoid clumps is to mix well with a small amount of hot water, using a milk frother or whisk. Or use a fine strainer to sift through the matcha before mixing it with water gently.
Is the matcha latte at Starbucks sweetened?
The Starbucks matcha latte recipe has sugar added to it. Due to this, the drink will be naturally sweetened.
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Ingredients You Will Need
- Hot water. This will help to dissolve the matcha powder and sweetener.
- Honey or maple syrup. The amount of sweetener you use can be adjusted according to your preference.
- Matcha powder. Use good quality matcha for this recipe for the best flavor results.
- Vanilla extract. An easy way to add delicious vanilla flavor to your iced matcha latte.
- Milk. Any dairy or non-dairy milk will work for this recipe.
- Ice cubes. Keeps the drink chilled and refreshing!
What Is Iced Matcha Made Of
Matcha powder is made up of ground up green tea leaves. Instead of brewing a cup of tea with tea leaves, this is ground up leaves that are dissolved into the warm/hot water. If you ever have the privilege of visiting Kyoto, Japan, be sure to go to a tea house and buy some beautiful matcha green tea powder for the road.
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What Matcha Powder Does Starbucks Use
Many people doubt which sweetened matcha powder is used in making the Starbucks iced matcha latte and where they get it. This question has been rolling out on all the social media pages, and everybody wants to hear the answer for the same.
So here, we will be disclosing the secret sweetened powder that adds to its great taste, and it is nothing other than the only Matchas loved sweetened powder.
Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make a matcha latte at home!
- Matcha powder. This is my go-to organic matcha powder from Amazon.
- Milk. I like to use 2% or whole milk for a creamier latte, but feel free to use your favorite cow’s milk or milk alternative.
- Simple syrup. Simple syrup is perfect for iced lattes because it mixes nicely with cold liquid. I like to make a batch of simple syrup and keep it in my fridge for when I need it. It’s just a mix of water and sugar. Recipe is provided in the the recipe card below.
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Why Is Matcha Good For You
Matcha is said to be the purest form of green tea. It generally comes in a powdered form and can be mixed into teas, cakes, and even chocolate recipes. It has more antioxidant properties than drinking green tea alone because you consume the whole leaf when you drink the powdered form.
Matcha offers the following benefits:
- Powerful antioxidants
- Can reduce blood sugar and cholesterol
If you’d like more information, the U.S. National Library of Medicine has an in-depth literature review where you can read about the health benefits of matcha.
How To Make Starbucks Matcha Green Tea Latte
As much as we all love Starbucks, we know that some of their drinks spike up our calorie count by a ton. We may feel a little guilty as we take the last sip of our Caramel Dolce Mochas, because we know we might not be making the absolutely best decisions for our bodies. But its sooo freakin good! How can we stay away? Well, fortunately for you, there are ways to enjoy a beautiful Starbucks drink and be slightly healthy while doing it. So, what is this magical healthy drink we speak of? One word: Matcha.
What is matcha?
You are probably wondering, what the heck is matcha anyways? Whats so great about this weird looking substance? Matcha is a fine powder ground from green tea. But, it isnt just any green tea. It comes from a specially grown and processed type of green tea. Making matcha one of the best and most pure types of green tea there is out there. Usually you can find matcha in a powder form and it can be used for several different things. Its been blowing up lately because people are discovering how beneficial matcha is and just how tasty it can be. Its used in teas, mochas, lattes, cakes, ice creams and is even made into chocolate. How cool is that?
What are the benefits of matcha?
Remember we mentioned that matcha is super beneficial? We werent lying. Theres a few different reasons that this should be considered a power food.
Where can you find matcha?
Ingredients That You Will Need:
What You Will Need To Do To Make An Iced Latte:
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Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte Recipe
Published: Modified: Jun 19, 2022 by Alison Corey | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclaimer.
This cool and creamy Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte Recipe brings all the sweet and earthy flavor to the comfort of your own home! Its a super easy iced matcha latte recipe, you can make in less than 5 minutes!
I love a good latte whether its a classic almond milk latte, soy milk latte, or even a lavender tea latte. Matcha green tea lattes have become all the rage lately!
What is matcha? Matcha is a powder made from green tea. Unlike green tea, which comes in a tea bag, matcha is a powder you stir in hot water or milk.
Its a healthy alternative to coffee or other high caffeine drinks. It is earthy in flavor. Sweetened and served over ice, its a refreshing summer drink!
The Starbucks matcha latte has been on the menu for quite some time. Maybe youve enjoyed it yourself, or seen people walk out of Starbucks with an interesting bright green drink, and wondered what it was they were drinking.
Since a grande Matcha Latte at Starbucks can run you $4 or more, 200 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 28 grams of sugar, I thought I should try making my own healthier version at home.
This frothy drink recipe is so easy, and only requires a few simple pantry ingredients! Its also all-natural, lower in sugar, and lower in calories.
What Matcha Tea To Use For Your Latte
I will always advise you to leave on matcha tea of culinary grade for your latte. Choose a premium powder. This way you will keep all the benefits associated with matcha tea.
The matcha tea, which I recall, is very rich in antioxidants, amino acids and chlorophyll, responsible for its beautiful bright green color. Among the amino acids contained in matcha tea, L-theanine is the most widespread and is known to have a relaxing effect on the mind and body, hence the habit for monks to sip matcha tea to facilitate meditation.
In addition, the subtle caffeine content helps with concentration, which could be because theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, and glycine levels in the brain.
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How To Make Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte
As Starbucks drinks recipes go, this has to be one of the simplest there is. Starbucks iced matcha latte is a milk-based drink, no surprises there. We simply combine milk, Matcha powder, and flavored syrup before blending to perfection and adding ice.
This drink doesnt keep for too long, so youll want to drink it as soon as you have made it, and certainly, before the ice melts.
We find that the most authentic way to drink an iced matcha latte is with a straw. Because we are all about the environment, we tend to use washable metal straws. Aside from making your drink taste authentic, we really love it when the straw goes super cold, and you get beads of dew running down.
One important step that shouldnt be neglected is making sure that your matcha is fully incorporated into your milk. You will only suck up a lump of matcha once before swearing to mix it properly in the future. The best way to achieve this is with a milk frother. They are normally really cheap and very easy to use. If you havent got a milk frother, no problem. A small hand whisk or even a fork can do a reasonable job provided you are willing to put in the effort.
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Are Starbucks Matcha Lattes Safe For Vegans
Yes, vegans can drink Starbucks matcha lattes. Even though dairy milk is used to make matcha lattes, which is unfriendly to vegans, customers can ask for a specific blend prepared with plant-based milk. You can request that your matcha be made with your preferred plant-based milk, such as soy, almond, or coconut.
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High In Vitamins And Antioxidants
Matcha is rich in antioxidants and supplies a whole host of vitamins including A, B, C and K. WedMD explains that vitamin C is especially important for your immune system functions, and can help prevent health issues such as cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D is vital for promoting good bone health. So adding a matcha latte into your diet is an easy and delicious way to boost your vitamin intake.
Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Recipe
This Starbucks copycat matcha latte is the perfect balance of earthy, creamy, sweet flavor. It’s so simple to make, just lightly sweetened and costs only a fraction of the price to make.
If you like Starbucks matcha lattes, I promise you’ll love my recipe! In my opinion, this matcha latte recipe is even better than Starbucks, with a stronger matcha flavor and less sugar.
You can double or triple the recipe to make the latte ahead of time, then it’s ready to grab and go when you are! Store in the fridge, then just pour over ice and enjoy!
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