Here’s how to make a Matcha Green Tea Latte at home! You can make it hot or iced, and since you have control over the ingredients, this Starbucks copycat green tea latte is much cheaper and healthier than the coffee shop version.
There’s nothing creamier and more delicious than a Green Tea Latte. You can make it hot or iced, just like Starbucks, or change up the ingredients for a much healthier recipe. Even better, this drink can be whipped up in just a few minutes for a fraction of what it costs at the coffee shop.
Start with the Right Matcha Green Tea Powder
Starbucks Green Tea Latte uses a “Japanese green tea powder,” with added sugar and other ingredients. For me, matcha green tea is the most important ingredient in this drink, so it should pure and fresh, without “stuff” added to it.
When it comes to choosing the best matcha green tea powder, you really do get what you pay for. There are huge variations in the quality, taste, and health benefits of cheap matcha powder and pure, fresh matcha powder, so spend a few extra pennies to get the good stuff.
When choosing your matcha green tea powder, purchase it from a reputable tea company, not your local grocery store. For the best quality, choose a matcha powder that has a beautiful, bright green color. Don’t buy anything that’s darker olive green or brownish because that indicates that it’s stale and poor quality.
Here is the pure matcha green tea powder we use and recommend in this recipe for the most health benefits and the best taste.
How to Adjust the Fat Content of Your Matcha Green Tea Latte
The fat in a Green Tea Latte at Starbucks comes from the milk. They use 2% cow’s milk unless you request something different. If you want to lower the fat content in your homemade green tea latte, use skim milk or your favorite low-fat milk alternative instead. Or, if you want to increase the fat content to make a Keto-Friendly Green Tea Latte, use whole milk or cream.
Reducing the Sugar Content and Calories in Your Matcha Green Tea Latte
According to the Starbucks website, they use a “Japanese green tea powder” to make their Matcha Green Tea Lattes, and it lists sugar as the first ingredient. Since we’re using pure matcha tea powder in our green tea latte recipe, you can choose to change the sugar up for a healthier option, leave out the sweetener altogether, or use a calorie-free sugar substitute.
I’ve used stevia, honey, agave syrup, and Swerve keto-friendly sweetener to make this drink and they’re all great, depending on your taste. It should be noted that cow’s milk and milk alternatives all contain varying amounts of sugar, so be sure to account for that when you make your drink.
Making a Vegan Matcha Green Tea Latte
Making your homemade Green Tea Latte vegan-friendly is really simple. Once again, it all comes down to the milk you use. Instead of using cow’s milk, replace it with almond, coconut, soy, or another vegan milk alternative.
Using Vanilla Syrup in Your Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe
The Green Tea Latte at Starbucks does not list vanilla syrup as an ingredient; however, you can order it as an add-in. I’ve tried adding it to my homemade matcha green tea latte recipe and it’s a super tasty way to switch things up. If you want to give it a try, simply substitute 1-2 tablespoons of regular or sugar-free vanilla syrup for the sweetener in the recipe.
How to Make a Hot Matcha Green Tea Latte
Ingredients:
- 1 or 2 tablespoons pure matcha green tea powder (Adjust it to your taste. The more you use, the stronger your drink and the higher the caffeine content.)
- 1 cup milk or your favorite milk alternative
- 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite sweetener to taste (You can leave it out completely if you want.)
- Whipped cream (This is totally optional, and you can use low-fat, sugar-free, or vegan whipped cream as desired.)
Making Your Hot Matcha Green Tea Latte:
To make your hot Matcha Green Tea Latte at home, start by steaming and lightly frothing your milk. I use this stand-alone milk steamer/frother, but it can also be done with the wand on your espresso machine or you can heat the milk on the stove and then froth it lightly in your French Press or with a handheld milk frother. A cocktail shaker also works in a pinch.
Once your milk is steamed and frothed, add in your matcha tea powder and sweetener and combine well using your chosen frothing method or a whisk. Pour into your serving mug and top whipped cream as desired.
How to Make an Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 tablespoons pure matcha green tea powder (Use more or less to suit your taste. The more you use, the stronger your drink and the higher the caffeine content.)
- 1 ½ cups ice-cold milk or your favorite milk alternative
- 2-3 teaspoons of your favorite sweetener to taste (Or, leave it out if you prefer an unsweetened green tea latte.)
- 1 cup of ice
- Whipped cream (Once again, this is totally optional. Feel free to substitute low-fat, sugar-free, or vegan whipped cream according to your preference.)
Making Your Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte:
We recommend making this recipe in a Ninja Personal blender to ensure that everything combines completely. Simply place the milk, matcha green tea powder, and sweetener in your blender and blend well. Pour it over the ice in a serving glass and top with whipped cream as desired.
Conclusion
As you can see, the options for changing up your Matcha Green Tea Latte recipe are virtually endless. However, the techniques are basically the same no matter which ingredients you use. Feel free to play around with this Green Tea Latte recipe and let us know what you like best in the comments below!
As always, I would love to see pictures of your creations, so please share them on Instagram and tag @Be_Your_Own_Barista!
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