Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Copycat

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!

What is matcha powder?

Matcha powder is finely ground green tea leaves, primarily from Japan. Because matcha powder is so fine, it's dissolved in hot water instead of steeped in hot water like other tea leaves.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Easy to make. You only need 4 simple ingredients to make a matcha latte: matcha powder, water, milk and sweetener.
• You can adjust the level of sweetness. What I love about making a matcha latte at home is that I can control the level of sweetness. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of simple syrup to closely replicate the matcha lattes at Starbucks (still not quite as sweet though), but you can adjust the sweetener to taste.
• Less caffeine than coffee. One teaspoon of matcha powder (enough to make one matcha latte) has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. Perfect way to start your morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up without the hard crash.

Is drinking a matcha latte good for you?

Matcha lattes can be healthy as long as you're mindful of how much sugar in the latte. I like to make my matcha lattes at home for this reason, so I can control the sweetness.

Match green tea powder itself is rich in antioxidants, substances that may protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases

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.
• Water.
• 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.

How to make an Iced Matcha Latte at home

Making a matcha latte at home is incredibly simple with just 4 ingredients! Here are some tips.

1. Dissolve the match powder. I like to mix the matcha powder with hot water to help it dissolve. I recommend using a handheld electric milk frother/whisk for this step because it helps to break up any clumps and makes the matcha frothy.
2. Pour in glass with ice, milk and simple syrup. Fill a glass with ice, then add cold milk, simple syrup and the matcha. It makes pretty layers.
3. Enjoy. Stir the matcha latte and enjoy!

Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.

How to make a hot matcha latte at home

1. Dissolve the match powder. Mix the matcha powder with hot water in a mug. I recommend using a handheld electric milk frother/whisk for this step because it helps to break up any clumps and makes the matcha frothy.
2. Pour in glass milk and simple syrup. Steam or heat milk until hot then pour the hot milk and simple syrup over the matcha. I like to use my electric milk frother to heat and steam the milk.
3. Enjoy. Stir the matcha latte and enjoy!

Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions.

What kind of matcha powder should I use?

There are two main matcha tea grades: ceremony grade and culinary grade.

Ceremony grade matcha is the highest quality matcha powder and is produced from the youngest tea leaves. Ceremony matcha is meant to be drank solely as a tea mixed with hot water. It has a bright, vibrant green color and fine texture.

Culinary grade matcha isn't necessarily lower quality, but it's made with green tea leaves that aren't quite as young as leaves that are used to make ceremony grade, making it more reasonably priced. Culinary grade matcha is meant to be used for cooking, baking and making lattes.

Compared to ceremony grade, culinary grade matcha is a little more gritty and bitter and its green color isn't as vibrant, hence why it's used for baking and lattes. But, culinary grade matcha actually has more antioxidants than ceremonial grade.

Is matcha healthier than coffee?

Both matcha powder and coffee have minimal calories; however, coffee does have about twice the amount of caffeine. The calories in a matcha latte or coffee latte come from the milk and sweetener.

Does a matcha latte taste good?

Matcha lattes have a very unique, earthy, slightly bitter taste (similar to coffee) that can take some getting used to. But when mixed with sweetener and milk, those earthy, bitter flavors are tamed, just like coffee latte.

What does Starbucks put in their matcha latte?

The Starbucks website lists milk and matcha green tea powder on the ingredient list for their Matcha Tea Latte. Their matcha green tea contains sugar and ground green tea.

Is Starbucks matcha real matcha?

Starbucks uses a sweetened green tea powder that is a mix of green tea and sugar.

Is Starbucks matcha latte healthy?

Matcha powder itself is filled with antioxidants and very minimal calories (under 10 calories per serving). When mixed with milk and sweetener, you add calories, fat and sugar.

Matcha lattes made at Starbucks are pretty sweet, making them less healthy. That's why I like to make copycat Starbucks matcha lattes at home, but with less sweetener!

What can I sweeten my matcha latte with?

Sweeten your matcha latte with simple syrup, honey or pure maple syrup. Simple syrup is made by heating together equal parts of water and granulated sugar.

If using a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup, I recommend adding the sweetener in with the hot water and matcha powder to properly dissolve the sweetener before mixing it with ice and cold milk.

Make ahead & Storage.

Matcha lattes can be made in advance, so it's ready to grab and go! The recipe card below is for one latte, but you can prepare as many servings as you would like and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend storing in a glass or plastic container.

To make the latte ahead of time, mix together the matcha and water as instructed in the recipe card below, then add milk and simple syrup. Store in a glass mason jar or container in the fridge. When you're ready for a matcha latte, simply pour your desired amount over ice!

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