This creamy vegan matcha latte is delicious both hot and iced and is a great coffee alternative if you’re trying to cut back on caffeine!
I don’t always like caffeinated drinks, but since becoming a mom, I look forward to a hot cup of coffee or a latte every day. During the warmer months I will make a vegan iced mocha or mocha smoothie. But when the weather is cooler, I’ll often opt for a vegan PSL or vegan bulletproof coffee. However, one of my favorite caffeinated drinks to enjoy in both hot and cold weather is the Vegan Matcha Latte! Matcha has about ⅓ the caffeine as coffee so I can still enjoy it in the afternoon without keeping me up all night. Plus, this vegan matcha latte is delicious iced or hot so basically it’s the perfect drink any time of day or year!
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❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe!
- Matcha has a unique, subtly earthy flavor that tastes amazing when paired with creamy non-dairy milk and homemade simple syrup. it is The perfect afternoon pick-me-up That won’t give you any caffeine jitters!
- If you can’t handle a lot of caffeine or are hoping to cut down on the amount of coffee you drink in a day, matcha is a great option because it has ⅓ the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
- Although I prefer only oat milk in my coffee, I found this Most non-dairy milks taste good with matcha. Cashews, almonds, and soy all pair beautifully with matcha!
- Simple syrup, non-dairy milk and matcha powder can last for ages if stored properly You can always have the ingredients you need For a fresh, vibrant cup of matcha in hand.
📃 materials
- Matcha powder – There are many types of matcha powder available. I’ll talk about some ways to choose the best matcha below, but some basic tips are that you want the color of your matcha to be a vibrant green and the texture to be silky and smooth, like baby powder.
- simple syrup – I usually use homemade vanilla simple syrup in my vegan matcha lattes. To make simple syrup, you combine 1 part sugar with 1 part water in a sauce pan and heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, turn off the heat and add a splash of pure vanilla extract. Allow the simple syrup to cool completely before transferring the syrup to an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator.
- Non-dairy milk – My personal favorite non-dairy milk with matcha is oat milk, especially Barista Oat Milk. Any type of barista non-dairy milk is best. Choose your favorite!
- hot water – Whether you’re making an iced or hot vegan matcha latte, you’ll need a little hot water to dissolve the matcha powder.
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
What is matcha?
Matcha is a green tea powder made by finely grinding the leaves of certain green tea plants. Matcha is often described as having a mild, grassy flavor with sweet, nutty and bitter undertones. To prepare matcha, you stir matcha powder with hot water until it is completely dissolved and smooth. You can then add more water for plain matcha tea or add milk for a matcha latte.
How to choose the best matcha powder?
The first step when choosing matcha powder is to pay close attention to the color. You want to select one with a vibrant, deep, green color. If the color is yellow-ish, brown-ish or dark green, that indicates matcha is low quality, made from old leaves that have grown on the lower side of the plant or leaves that have not been properly shaded.
The second quality is the texture and feel of your matcha powder. High quality matcha should have a fine, silky feel while low quality matcha will be coarse in texture.
Another experiment you can do if you have two or more brands of matcha on hand is to place a small spoonful on each table. Use your finger to drag some matcha into a line on the table. If the line is continuous and smooth, it indicates that your matcha is of high quality. If the line is broken and sandy in texture, the matcha is probably low quality or even fake.
🔀 Variations and substitutions
🥥 Coconut Matcha Latte – Use coconut milk (hello full fat!) for a rich, decadent latte!
🍓 Strawberry Matcha Latte – Crush some fresh strawberries into a paste and add to the bottom of your matcha latte for a fun, textured, fruity drink.
🧋 Dumb Matcha Latte – Add some brown sugar boba to your vegan matcha latte for that chewy boba texture that everyone loves!
☕️ Matcha Espresso Fusion Latte – Copy Starbucks and combine espresso and matcha, a caffeine rich drink!
🫖 equipment
- Matcha Whisk – Traditionally, matcha is prepared using a bamboo whisk that you move forward in a “W” shape to keep your matcha latte free of lumps. If you’re a matcha fanatic or just want to make your matcha latte the traditional way, this is a great tool to have on hand. However, you can use a hand-held milk frother, an immersion blender, or a small, round whisk.
- electric the kettle – Obviously you can choose to boil your water however you like best, but I’m a big fan of electric kettles. They heat water much faster than a stove-top kettle, making it even easier to prepare your dairy-free matcha latte.
🍵 How to make a vegan matcha latte
Step 1: Place your matcha powder and boiling water in a small bowl and stir them together until there are no lumps.
Step 2: Pour the matcha mixture over the non-dairy milk. For ice, use cold milk and add ice cubes. For a hot matcha latte, heat your milk before adding your matcha mixture (and the shrub if desired).
🫙 Storage
I’ve never refrigerated a matcha latte before because I personally like to enjoy mine fresh. However, if you enjoy iced vegan matcha lattes, you can make a double or triple batch and store in the fridge for an additional 1-2 days. Do not add ice until you are ready to enjoy your drink. If the matcha mixture and non-dairy milk separate while in the fridge, shake everything together well before enjoying.
✔️ Expert Tips
👉 If you are new to matcha, you can start with half a teaspoon of matcha powder instead of the full 1 teaspoon. At this point I like to use 1 ½ teaspoons of matcha, so you’ll probably like the taste even more when making this vegan matcha latte.
👉 If you’re lazy (or should we say efficient!) like my husband and I, we almost always add all the ingredients into a wide-mouthed liquid measuring cup and blend everything together using an immersion blender. It works great and cuts out a few steps!
👉 Before you add the matcha mixture to your non-dairy milk, make sure you get all the clamps out. Drinking sticky matcha lattes is not fun!
❓ Recipe FAQs
It all depends on what milk you are using and whether you are using matcha powder mixed with milk powder. If you make your matcha latte at home and use traditional matcha powder, you can make dairy-free lattes using non-dairy milk.
Barista Oat Milk works beautifully in non-dairy matcha lattes. If you don’t have barista oat milk, another type of barista non-dairy milk will work. You can even use regular non-dairy milk instead of the barista version, but your matcha latte won’t be as creamy and the milk won’t froth as well if you make a hot matcha latte.
It depends on where you are ordering your matcha latte from. If you order a matcha latte from Starbucks and ask for almond milk, your matcha latte will be dairy-free.
No, Starbucks Matcha does not contain dairy. So if you want to order a dairy-free matcha latte from Starbucks, be sure to ask for almond, oat, or coconut milk. If you don’t specify what milk you want, they will automatically use cow’s milk.
If you order almond, coconut, or oat milk when ordering a Starbucks matcha latte, your matcha latte will be completely dairy-free! Starbucks Matcha Powder contains no dairy.
👍🏼 More vegan latte recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below and a review in the comments section further down the page
📖 Recipe
Vegan Matcha Latte
This sweet and creamy vegan matcha latte is delicious both iced and hot and is a great alternative to coffee!
material
- 1 teaspoon Matcha Powder*
- ¼ the cup hot water
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla simple syrup or taste
- ¾ the cup Non-dairy milk Barista oat milk if possible
instructions
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In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha powder and hot water until the matcha is smooth and dissolved. Add the liquid sweetener and beat again to combine.
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Pour non-dairy milk into a glass cup and add a handful of ice. Pour the matcha mixture over the milk and stir well to combine.
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If you’re making a hot matcha latte, heat your milk in a saucepan first. Pour the hot milk into a mug and then pour in the matcha mixture. Stir if desired.
Comment
– To make homemade vanilla syrup, place 1 part sugar and 1 part water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, turn off the heat and add a splash of pure vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool before storing in an airtight container.
nutrition
Calories: 146kcalSugars: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSodium: 93mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 569IUCalcium: 261mgIron: 3mg