This Strawberry Matcha Latte is a delightful drink made with fresh strawberries, matcha powder, your milk of choice, and sweetened with a touch of sugar. It has a mild green tea taste combined with bright, sweeten strawberry flavors.
What I love about iced strawberry matcha is that it’s refreshing, delish, and (a silly reason but still) it’s so pretty. Stop buying it at the store and learn how to make homemade strawberry matcha latte in under 5 minutes!
strawberry + matcha = ❤️
Strawberry Matcha Lattes are beginning to make its round in the trendiest coffee shops and tea houses. Even Starbucks carry it today!
It is truly gorgeous to look at and so very delicious. Strawberry brings sweetness and a hint of tangy flavors to the more earthy and grassy flavors of matcha. The combination of the two is simply magical.
I first had iced strawberry matcha latte many years ago at a bubble tea place in California – it was balanced in flavors, not overly sweet, not grassy in taste, not bitter (more about how to prevent that later!)…truly pure perfection.
I have to admit I have since compared all my matcha’s to that perfect first matcha. I like to think it set me up with a high standard for all things matcha. 😉
I started making my own strawberry matcha because let’s face it, $8 per cup can get pricey over a period of time.
After much trial and error, I’ve perfected that perfect cup of iced strawberry matcha latte…and I decided my little corner of the internet needs a piece of this goodness. You’re welcome. ☺️
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a finely ground powdered green tea made from green tea leaves, originating in China but deeply associated with Japanese culture. The matcha powder is commonly used to create a variety of drinks and desserts.
Unlike regular green tea where leaves are steeped and discarded, matcha involves consuming the whole leaf in powdered form. This makes it far more potent in flavor, color, and nutrition.
Matcha has a complex taste: grassy and vegetal, with natural sweetness, umami depth, and a pleasant bitterness. High-quality matcha should not be harsh or overly astringent.
Here are the two types of matcha available:
- Ceremonial grade — the highest quality, meant for drinking on its own with hot water. Bright green, smooth, slightly sweet.
- Culinary grade — more affordable, slightly more bitter, perfect for baking, cooking.
You don’t have to use the more expensive, high grade “ceremonial” matcha powder, when making strawberry matcha latte, especially since we are combining it with strawberries and milk, but it does taste better among the two and is my preferred option if I have a choice.
This is a high quality matcha powder that I love and use in all my homemade strawberry matcha lattes.
Kitchen Tools
To make matcha, you can use a traditional matcha whisk set, which comprise of a ceramic matcha bowl, bamboo whisk (sometimes called chasen), a sifter, and bamboo scoop (chasaku).
However, you don’t have to splurge on one if you don’t have it or if you’re just trying it out for the first time. For a while, I was just using a small mixing bowl, small whisk and a spoon, mini colander, and it works perfectly fine as well!
In other words, you do not need any fancy equipment to make your Strawberry Matcha Latte at home!
Ingredient Notes
In addition to equipment, here are the 4 simple ingredients used to make Strawberry Matcha Latte:
- matcha powder – matcha powder has a very complex taste profile where it is sweet, grassy with an umami flavor. It contains caffeine and can give you that boost! You can use the premium ceremonial grade or the more cost effective culinary grade. This is my go-to matcha powder.
- strawberries – we are real strawberry puree made from real strawberries to flavor our strawberry matcha latte. Because it’s just better this way. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries that are thawed.
- sugar – white granulated sugar works great, but you can also substitute with other sweetener of choice, such as honey, stevia, agave etc.
- milk – in addition to regular cow’s milk, you can substitute with non-dairy alternative such as oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk etc.
- Ice cubes
- hot water – NOT boiling – keep it around 175ºF so that it doesn’t burn the matcha and create a bitter taste.
How to Make Strawberry Matcha Latte
Let’s make some iced strawberry matcha! This recipe will yield 2 servings of strawberry matcha latte.
Step 1: Make the Strawberry Puree
Bring a handful of strawberries (fresh or frozen strawberries that are thawed), dice them up, and add them to a small mixing bowl. I like to add some sugar to further sweeten the strawberries. If your strawberries are already very sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar added.
Using a wooden spoon, smash strawberries until it is soft and we get somewhat of a puree. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.
Step 2: Prepare Matcha
Add 7 oz. hot water to a ceramic matcha bowl. Place a small sieve over the ceramic matcha bowl. Add matcha powder to the sieve.
Using a bamboo scoop, press the matcha powder through the sieve.
Once all of the matcha powder is in the bowl with the water, use a bamboo whisk to fully combine.
This is the “proper way” to prepare matcha. If you don’t have all the specific equipment, use a small spoon to sieve it through a mini colander, then whisk the hot water and the matcha powder together using a regular whisk.
Step 3: Put everything together!
To put together your Strawberry Matcha Latte, grab two tall glasses and divide the strawberry puree equally to both glasses.
With the strawberry puree at the bottom, add ice cubes and milk (your preferred dairy alternative works fine as well!).
Lastly, divide and pour the matcha into the 2 glass.
Stir everything up for a lovely Strawberry Matcha Latte concoction!
It is refreshing, earthy with hints of sweetness and fruitiness. I have been enjoying it as a pick-me-up in the middle of warm summer afternoons!
Fair warning: it is highly addictive. Enjoy responsibly.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few things to note when making Strawberry Matcha Latte:
- Sweetness of strawberries: Strawberries do vary in sweetness so if you are using in season ripe strawberries from the farmer’s market, you may not need to add as much sugar as this recipe calls for. Adjust accordingly.
- Sift Matcha Powder: Always sift matcha powder before whisking to avoid clumps. It makes a smoother drink.
- Adjust Matcha Powder: Use more matcha powder if you like your matcha latte stronger, and less if you don’t.
- DO NOT use boiling water: Make sure the water temperature does not go above 175-180°F. Higher temperatures will burn the matcha and create a bitter taste.
- Make a large batch: You can easily scale the recipe up to make a big batch. The Strawberry Matcha Latte recipe should scale very well!
- Adjust ratio: Play around with the ratio of strawberry puree to milk to matcha as this will be different based on your preferences. Keep in mind that milk will dilute the rich grassy flavor of matcha. If you are an avid matcha drinker and like stronger matcha flavors, adjust accordingly by adding more matcha powder to your Strawberry Matcha Latte
Frequently Asked Questions
Matcha is loaded with antioxidants and contains caffeine which gives you that pick-me-up without the aftereffects that coffee can cause. Win-win in my books!
Yes! Soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or any other dairy-free milk works just as great for this recipe!
Most likely you are using water that is too hot and it burned the matcha. Make sure water is not boiling hot or higher than 175℉.
Using high quality matcha will also ensure a smoother, less bitter taste.
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More Drinks
Strawberry Matcha Latte
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries cubed
- ~3 tbsp sugar or to taste
- 1 cup milk or preferred dairy alternative
- 3 tsp matcha powder
- 1/2 cup cup hot water
Instructions
- Place cubed strawberries and sugar in a small bowl. Using a wooden spoon or an immersion blender, smash strawberries until a puree is made.
- Divide evenly among two tall glasses.
- Add ice and milk to the glass.
- Place 1/4 cup of hot water into a ceramic matcha bowl or a small mixing bowl. Place a small sieve over the ceramic matcha bowl. Add matcha powder to the sieve. Using a bamboo scoop or a small spoon, press the matcha powder through the sieve. Once all of the matcha powder is in the bowl with the water, use a bamboo whisk or a small whisk to fully combine. Add a few more tablespoons of hot water to dilute it further, stir to combine.
- Even split matcha among the two glasses.
- Stir, serve and enjoy!
