How to Make a Matcha Latte, Hot or Iced
Sift 1 teaspoon (about 2 g) of matcha into a bowl or mug, add 60 ml of hot (not boiling) water at about 70–80°C (158–176°F) and whisk until smooth and frothy, then top up with about 180 ml of warm or cold milk. For an iced latte, shake the matcha with cold water in a jar and pour it over ice and milk.
Matcha is powdered whole tea leaf, so it has more caffeine than a cup of green tea: very roughly 40–90 mg a teaspoon, depending on the powder. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as generally fine for most adults, and the NHS advises no more than 200 mg a day in pregnancy.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp (about 2 g); up to 2 tsp for a stronger latte Matcha powderCeremonial grade is sweeter and brighter; culinary grade is cheaper and slightly more bitter, which milk covers well
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Hot waterAbout 70–80°C (158–176°F): boil the kettle and let it stand for 2–3 minutes, or add a splash of cold water
- 180 ml (¾ cup) Milk of your choiceWhole milk froths best; oat and soya are the creamiest plant milks. Use it cold for iced
- 1–2 tsp honey, maple syrup or sugar Sweetener (optional)Stir it into the matcha before adding the milk so it dissolves
- A glassful Ice (iced version)Only for the iced latte
Equipment
- Small fine sieve or tea strainer
- Bamboo whisk (chasen), milk frother, small whisk or a jar with a tight lid
- Wide mug or bowl
- Small pan or microwave-safe jug for warming milk
- Kettle and a thermometer (optional)
Method
Sift the matcha
Sift 1 teaspoon (about 2 g) of matcha through a small sieve into a wide mug or bowl, pressing it through with the back of a spoon. Matcha clumps easily, and sifting is the main thing that stops a lumpy latte.
Add hot, not boiling, water
Pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) of water at about 70–80°C (158–176°F). Boiling water scorches the flavour and makes it bitter; if you have no thermometer, let a just-boiled kettle stand for 2–3 minutes.
Whisk until smooth and frothy
With a bamboo whisk, flick it back and forth in a quick zigzag (an M or W shape) rather than stirring in circles, for 20–30 seconds, until there are no lumps and a fine foam covers the top. Stir in any sweetener now.
No chasen? Use a frother or a jar
A battery milk frother dipped into the matcha works almost as well as a bamboo whisk. Or put the sifted matcha and water in a clean jam jar, screw the lid on tightly and shake hard for 15–20 seconds. A small balloon whisk works too, with a bit more effort.
Hot latte: warm and froth the milk
Warm 180 ml (¾ cup) of milk in a small pan or the microwave until steaming but not boiling, about 60–65°C (140–150°F), then froth it with the frother or by whisking. Pour it onto the matcha, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top.
Iced latte: shake and pour over ice
Shake the matcha with 60 ml of cold water in a lidded jar until smooth (it mixes fine cold, it just takes a little longer). Fill a glass with ice, add 180 ml of cold milk, then pour the matcha over the top so it sits in a green layer. Stir before drinking.
Taste and adjust
If it tastes grassy or bitter, use less matcha, slightly cooler water or a little sweetener next time. If it is weak, go up to 1½–2 teaspoons, bearing in mind that each extra teaspoon adds more caffeine.3
Safety
- Matcha contains caffeine, roughly 40–90 mg a teaspoon. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as not generally linked to harm in most adults; count coffee and tea too1,3,4
- In pregnancy the NHS advises no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day; a matcha latte made with 2 teaspoons could use up much of that2,3
- US dietary guidelines, quoted by the FDA, say children under 2 should not have caffeinated drinks; it is not a drink for young children1
- Too much caffeine can cause a racing heart, jitters, sleep problems, upset stomach and headache. Cut back, or avoid matcha in the afternoon1
- A latte is not a supplement: liver injury linked to green tea has mostly involved concentrated extracts in pills, not the drink5
Variations
Add a few drops of vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of vanilla syrup to the whisked matcha before the milk.
Use chilled coconut drink or half coconut, half oat milk over ice. It is lighter and slightly sweet without added sugar.
Use ½ teaspoon of matcha and a little more milk. It is milder in flavour and roughly halves the caffeine.
Mash 3–4 ripe strawberries with a little sugar in the bottom of a glass, add ice and milk, then pour the shaken matcha on top.
Does it actually work?
A matcha latte is green tea in powdered form, so you drink the whole leaf. NCCIH says studies of green tea and cancer are inconsistent, its catechins and caffeine may have a modest effect on body weight, and lower heart disease risk has been seen in Asian but not Western populations. That is a long way from proof that a daily latte does anything for your health.
Matcha-specific trials are few, small and often industry-funded. In one, 2.7 g of matcha a day for four weeks (about 72 mg of caffeine) made no measurable difference to sleep on EEG, with only trends in questionnaires. Matcha is often sold on its antioxidant content, yet a lab comparison found cheaper culinary matcha had more total phenolics than ceremonial grade, and bagged green tea more than both.
NCCIH reports no safety concerns for green tea drunk as a beverage by adults, apart from its caffeine. Concentrated green tea extracts are a different exposure: see our green tea extract entry for what they can and can't do, and the liver warning that goes with them.5,6,4
Evidence ratings for what goes in: Green Tea Extract, Honey.
Questions people ask
How much caffeine is in a matcha latte?
It depends on the powder and how much you use. A review gives 18.9–44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of matcha, so a 2 g teaspoon has very roughly 40–90 mg. For comparison, the FDA puts a 12 fl oz (355 ml) cup of brewed green tea at about 37 mg.
Ceremonial or culinary matcha for a latte?
Either works. Ceremonial grade is made for drinking with water and tastes sweeter and less bitter; milk hides much of the difference, so many people use culinary grade for lattes. In one lab study, ceremonial matcha averaged a little more caffeine (31 mg/g against 26 mg/g).
How do I make a matcha latte without a whisk?
Shake sifted matcha with 60 ml of water in a tightly closed jar for 15–20 seconds, or use a handheld milk frother. Both give a smooth, lump-free base. Sifting the powder first matters more than the tool.
What is the best milk for a matcha latte?
Whole cow's milk froths best and is the most common. Oat and soya milk are the creamiest plant milks and froth reasonably well; almond and coconut drinks are thinner but fine iced. Barista versions of plant milks froth better.
Can I drink matcha when pregnant?
The NHS says to keep caffeine under 200 mg a day in pregnancy, counting tea, coffee, cola and chocolate. One small matcha latte can fit within that, but two strong ones may not. Ask your midwife if you are unsure.
Sources (6)
- Regulator U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
- Health service NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy.
- Review Kochman J, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, Mruk H, Janda K. Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review. Molecules. 2020.
- Laboratory study Meyer BR, White HM, McCormack JD, Niemeyer ED. Catechin Composition, Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Properties of Commercially-Available Bagged, Gunpowder, and Matcha Green Teas. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2023.
- Regulator/health agency NCCIH. Green Tea: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (last updated February 2025).
- Randomised trial Baba Y, Takihara T, Okamura N. Matcha Does Not Affect Electroencephalography during Sleep but May Enhance Mental Well-Being: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2024.
Educational only. Patch-test anything new on your skin, and stop if it irritates.
Reader notes
Experiences and questions from readers, read by an editor before they appear. They are personal accounts, not evidence, and are not medical advice.