How Does The Starbucks Green Tea Latte Look And Taste Like
The answer to this question is there in the name. The Starbucks green tea latte looks bright green. I mean, its named green tea, what do you expect? The iced matcha latte has a grassy and smooth taste. Green tea also has a great umami taste. It also has some bitter notes, but the vanilla syrup adds a sweet taste and a great aroma to the latte.
Starbucks Iced Green Tea Latte
You just need 3 ingredients for this amazing Starbucks iced green tea latte recipe:
unsweetened almond milk
honey
When you think of green tea, you think of the little tea bags steeped in hot water. Thats not the kind of green tea Starbucks uses to make their Starbucks iced green tea lattes! And if youre hoping to make a green tea latte recipe with tea bag, please just spring for the real stuff. You just cant get the same taste if you use green tea bags for your matcha latte recipe.
Making an iced matcha green tea latte requires a special concentrated kind of finely ground green tea called matcha that gets mixed into your drink.
Matcha was life changing for me! Really! I drastically reduced my coffee consumption and switched to homemade healthy iced matcha tea lattes when I realized how easy they are to make and how many health benefits matcha contains.
Matcha is a special mild Japanese ceremonial green tea thats been around for thousands of years. Its caffeinated, but instead of making you jittery like coffee, you feel a calm alertness when drinking matcha tea. If youd like more info on the matcha tea benefits, Time Magazine wrote an excellent article about it.
Id gladly drink a homemade Starbucks iced green tea latte every day if I could!
Instead of $1 per serving, how about .30 per serving for organic matcha? Its sold in small and large sizes, so the cost depends on which size you get!
What Equipment Do I Need
At a minimum, youll need a jar, a saucepan, and a spoon.
However, for the best results I recommend investing in a bamboo matcha whisk , thermometer, and a milk frother.
I havent found anything that works better than a bamboo matcha whisk for whisking the matcha smooth without lumps. Ill show you a way to do it without one below, but it can be frustrating.
You can froth your milk using a jar or a regular whisk, but for the best results I recommend using an actual milk frother. This is the milk frother I use.
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Verdict: Matcha Latte Taste Test
Iced Matcha Latte benefits the mind, body, and soul. The kick of zen energy from matcha will enliven the most stir-crazed of spirits, and the potent antioxidants will keep health moving in the right direction during rough times.
Ultimately, this iced matcha latte recipe is empowering because it can be enjoyed whether daily, or every now and then. Remember, to get it right it does help to have the right tools.
Checkout all Matcha Tools if you need to see a helpful utensil or beautiful ceramic tumbler to help you prepare an iced matcha latte the right way!
-Team Matcha Kari
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Variations Of Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte To Try
- Maple syrup, honey or sugar are all delicious substitutes for the vanilla syrup.
- Give almond milk, oat milk, rice milk or coconut milk a try in place of the traditional whole milk.
- If you like to try different flavors in your matcha tea, try adding some peanut butter, bananas, almonds or blueberries.
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Normal people are made up of 60% water. Im make up of 60% matcha Real talk, I drink the stuff everyday. I love the gentle caffeine boost it has and that flavor.. Oh my!
You dont believe that Im obsessed? Check out my other Easy Keto Summer Matcha Lemonade with Chia Seeds and Virgin Matcha Moscow Mule recipe! Theyre amazing and will suit any matcha lover!
My sister and I actually always go to Starbucks and get a huge cup of iced matcha latte from there and split it. We always end up spending $4-$7 dollars every time we go there to get it. I know that sometimes you should jsut treat yourself but sometimes I just dont want to pay for something that expensive when I can just make it myself at home.
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Starbucks Green Tea Latte
- Glass and Long Spoon Make the delicious latte in a fancy glass and use a long icing spoon to mix everything.
- Small Bowl and Wooden Matcha Whisk Make your green tea mixture by mixing hot water and matcha powder in a small bowl. Use a matcha whisk for this purpose. This will help to make a smooth and strong-tasting green tea mixture. If you dont have a matcha whisk, you can use a metal whisk.
- Saucepan and Milk Frother Warm the milk in a saucepan and then froth it with a help of a milk frother. If you have a French press, thatll work too.
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Benefits Of Matcha Green Tea
If youre not familiar with matcha, well, where have you been?
While matcha green tea has been around for centuries, often used in Japanese tea ceremonies, its recently enjoyed a huge surge in popularity.
As a matter of fact, the global matcha tea market $was 1.63 billion for 2018. In large part, the popularity of matcha is due to increased awareness of its health benefits.
Did you know that matcha is grown in shade for a few weeks to increase chlorophyll? This is what gives it its distinct bright green color.
The green tea leaves are then ground into a fine powder. Therefore, when you drink matcha you are consuming the actual leaf as opposing to just steeping it in water like other green tea.
Among matchas benefits are its high antioxidant levels.
In fact, Matcha Source calls it, an antioxidant powerhouse. Additionally, matcha increases concentration, calms the mind, boosts metabolism, prevents disease and more.
Serving The Perfect Green Tea Latte
Add the ice to a glass and also pour the vanilla syrup into it. After preparing the green tea mixture and frothing the milk, pour them into the glass. See the two separate green and white layers? You can click the perfect pictures, and you can share them on Instagram .
Before you drink, mix the green tea and milk and enjoy a cold drink amidst a hot summer afternoon. To make it even more exciting, you can add a froth on top before serving this delicious iced latte.
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How To Make An Iced Vanilla Matcha Latte
STEP ONE
In a small mug, jug, or bowl, add the hot water, matcha powder, honey/maple syrup, matcha powder, and vanilla extract.
STEP TWO
Use a small whisk or hand frother to blend the ingredients together until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
Alternatively, you can also use a high-speed blender to combine the ingredients together along with the milk.
STEP THREE
Fill a serving glass or jar with ice cubes and add the milk.
STEP FOUR
Pour the matcha mixture over the milk and ice. Gently stir and enjoy immediately.
You can double or triple the recipe and store the matcha mixture in the fridge for later use for up to a week.
Best Matcha Drinks At Starbucks
From a warm and cozy hot matcha latte to ice cold creamy blended beverages, Starbucks has a matcha green tea for everyone.
There are four matcha drinks on the Starbucks menu. Of these drinks, I rank the hot or iced matcha latte as the best. Theyre both tasty, creamy and strong with a good kick of caffeine.
That being said, the matcha frappuccino is the most popular Starbucks matcha drink, according to customer demand.
Each Starbucks matcha drink is made by mixing matcha tea blend powder with another drink. For instance, lattes are a combination of sweetened matcha powder and milk.
Whereas, a matcha lemonade is a delicious mixture of matcha and lemonade.
Of course, additional sweeteners or flavored syrups can be mixed in upon request.
Hereâs a list of all the Starbucks matcha drinks. Additionally, see the caffeine and calorie content for each matcha drink and how to order matcha on the Starbucks app.
All nutrition information is based on a grande size, 16 oz drink.
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Copycat Starbucks Iced Green Tea Latte
Green tea lattes are my go-to drink to get at Starbucks, I love how they arent overly sweet and the flavor is just so awesome! Recently, I finally started making green tea lattes at home after I finally got a package of matcha powder and I have finally perfected the recipe! I think this recipe is as good or even better than Starbucks!
All you need is 2-3 minutes to make the recipe start to finish before you can be sipping an iced matcha latte. Easy enough, right? The only thing you might not already have sitting around in the kitchen is matcha powder but that is easy to get off of Amazon. You can use it for everything from iced matcha lattes, warm matcha lattes, green tea frappuccinos, etc or you can even bake with it! The color may vary in shades of green depending on the matcha you get. Mine was on the browner side than others.
Can You Put A Tea Bag In Cold Water
The math: She recommends using between one and two teaspoons of tea leaves for every cup of water and four to five teaspoons for a liter carafe or bottle. The same goes for making cold -brewed iced tea with tea bags. Putting one tea bag in a whole liter-sized pitcher of water and letting it sit overnight isnt enough.
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Tiktok Told Me This Starbucks Drink Would Taste Like The Moon Herself Here’s The Truth
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Karenna Meredith
Just when I thought I’d broken my bond with Starbucks, something pulls me back in. I pretty much curbed my tea habit during the pandemic, opting for sparkling water over my go-to iced chai on slow afternoons. I can’t tell you the last time I visited a coffee shop , but after seeing a recent matcha trend go viral on TikTok, I decided I needed to get into gear and find a Starbucks drive-through location. My order? An iced matcha latte with two pumps of chai.
The iced matcha order heard round TikTok can be traced back to @swanmuse , who called the latte the “best drink in the world” and vowed it tastes “like the moon herself.” Is anyone’s palate really prepared for that kind of wonder? As it turns out, yes. Several creators vouched for Robin’s recommendation, including Lizzo! A similar drink has actually been quietly chilling on the Starbucks secret menu for ages, under the moniker Cha Cha Latte I might be late to the party but thrilled to be here all the same.
What Is A Chai Tea Latte Made Of
Starbucks and other coffee houses use a mix of chai concentrate and milk. Chai concentrate is made by combining black tea with spices, usually ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and peppercorns, along with some form of sweetener.
If you want to give this a try and make an authentic cup of Indian Masala Chai, go check out this recipe.
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Common Questions About Making An Iced Green Tea Latte
Do green tea lattes have caffeine?
Yes, green tea lattes are made with matcha powder which has caffeine.
Is matcha green tea good for you?
Yes, matcha has many health benefits including boosting metabolism and being jam-packed with antioxidants.
How do you make a green tea latte at home?
To make a a green tea latte at home, you simply combine matcha powder, milk, vanilla extract, and honey before pouring over ice.
Can you make a green tea latte with tea bags?
No, green tea in tea bags is processed differently than matcha so you cannot just grind up the contents of a tea bag and use it instead of matcha powder.
What else can I make with matcha powder?
Some of my favorite recipes include
Homemade Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte Ingredients
Lets take a quick look at each matcha latte ingredient.
Milk
Starbucks uses 2% milk to make iced green tea lattes, unless you request otherwise. Keep in mind, substituting another milk for 2% changes the drinks fat content, sugar content, flavor and overall creaminess.
Ice
Did you know that Starbucks uses triple-filtered water and ice for all its drinks?
Since ice is a big part of any iced tea latte, using filtered water to make the ice is ideal. Otherwise, it can really ruin the lattes flavor.
My new refrigerator has a built-in water filter . However, a Brita water filter pitcher works great, too.
Sweetened Matcha Powder
Starbucks uses a sweetened matcha powder for all their matcha drinks. The matcha powder has two ingredients, sugar and Japanese green tea powder.
Therefore, in order to make a true copycat Starbucks matcha green tea latte, you should use sweetened matcha powder.
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Latte Ingredients And Notes
Matcha Powder: When you buy matcha powder there are two types youll find. Ones that include added sugars and other ingredients, and ones that are purely matcha powder. Get the type that is pure matcha powder, no extra stuff! You can find it online, at Whole Foods, or in Asian markets.
Dairy-Free Milk: I used unsweetened almond milk for my recipe, but I also recommend oat milk, soy milk, or light coconut milk. Oat milk and soy milk will allow the flavor of the matcha to shine through. Whereas youll taste an undertone of coconut if you choose to go with coconut milk.
Maple Syrup: You can add more or less than one tablespoon of maple syrup in the recipe. However, I recommend starting with one, tasting, and adding more if you think it needs more sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract gives a slight hint of vanilla flavor that youll find in the Starbucks version.
Emperors Cloud And Mist
This gently smoky, softly sweet green teacultivated at 3,500 feet and shrouded in ethereal clouds and mistis tasty no matter what language you say it in. ~starbucks.com
Calories: 0 / Caffeine: 16 mg
Ingredients: Water and Green Tea
Worth Noting: Emperors Cloud & Mist is simply green tea and does not contain any other flavors in the tea sachet. It is one of two hot brewed green teas on the menu. Furthermore, this tea drink has zero calories.
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Starbucks Matcha Drinks: Quick Facts
- All Starbucks matcha drinks are made using matcha powder which is a blend of ground Japanese green tea and sugar. Since the powder is sweetened, matcha drinks are not available sugar-free.
- Every Starbucks matcha contains caffeine and the amount of caffeine depends on the size drink you order.
- Low-fat is the standard milk used in matcha lattes, but it can be substituted.
- The Starbucks menu lists four matcha drinks .
- The hot matcha latte is available in 4 sizes . Iced matcha drinks and the matcha frappuccino are available in 3 sizes .
- Starbucks hot and iced matcha lattes are among Starbucks most popular tea drinks.
Questions You May Have
Whats the difference between matcha and sweetened matcha?
Matcha is just ground green tea and sweetened matcha is ground green tea mixed with sugar.
Why wasnt sweetened matcha used in this recipe?
Many tests were done using different brands of sweetened matcha but none created a drink that had the same shade of green as using regular matcha.
Whats in Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte?
A grande Iced Matcha Latte is made with ice, 2% milk, and 3 scoops of Starbucks matcha blend .
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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.
This Is A Money Saving Starbucks Copycat Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
I have actually tried the Dunkin Donut iced matcha latte before but it was a little off. It was a tad bit too sweet and didnt have enough matcha flavor to balance out the sweetness for I decided to stick with Starbucks
Until I realized that I can make the exact same Starbucks matcha drink in the comfort of my own home and save a few dollars too! This drink recipe, not only saves you money but also saves you time.
it takes me about 1 minute to make this green tea latte from start to finish because I have made it so many times. Ok lets say itll take you 2 minutes if youve never made it at home before. But thats still a whole lot faster than going to that horrible Starbucks Drive through line.
Every time I drive by it its longer and longer!! Especially now that people cant go in and sit, no one want to leave their car. I got a better one for you, how about you dont leave your house at all and get the same quality drink in 1-2 minutes!
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