When it is warm out, this is the one. Same ceremonial matcha, same two minutes of effort, just poured long over ice. It is brighter and cleaner than anything from a bottle, there is no hidden sugar, and you decide exactly how sweet it goes. Make it a few times and you will stop buying the shop version entirely.
The recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Sift the matcha into a bowl.
- Add the cool water and whisk for 15 seconds, until smooth with no lumps.
- Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the cold milk.
- Pour the whisked matcha slowly over the top for that layered look.
- Stir before drinking, and add vanilla or sweetener if you like.
Tip Cool water, not iced, dissolves matcha far better. Whisk it first, chill it after.
Batch-making for a few of you, or want it stronger to survive the ice? The calculator does the scaling so the glass never comes out weak.
How much matcha?
Get the ratio right for whatever you are making.
Why cool water, not iced
It feels backwards on a hot day, but matcha dissolves far better in cool water than in ice-cold. Whisk it smooth first with a small splash, then build the glass with ice and cold milk. Pour the matcha over last and you get that clean two-tone layer before you stir.
Make it yours
A drop of vanilla softens the edges. A spoon of honey or maple, stirred into the matcha while it is still liquid, sweetens it evenly. For a thicker, creamier glass, reach for oat milk. And if you are making it to take out, skip the bowl entirely: matcha, cool water and a lid in a jar, shaken hard for ten seconds, does the same job.
Getting the strength right
Ice is the quiet enemy of an iced latte. As it melts it dilutes everything, so a matcha base mixed to normal strength ends up tasting thin by the time you reach the bottom. Whisk it one notch stronger than you would for a hot cup, or set the calculator to Strong, and it holds up. Frozen fruit or coffee ice cubes are another trick: they chill the glass without watering it down as they go.
Common questions
Can I make it the night before?
You can make the whisked matcha base ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for up to a day, then build the glass fresh over ice. Made-up glasses with the milk already in are best drunk within a couple of hours, as the layers separate and the froth drops.
Which milk works best iced?
Cold oat milk is the crowd favourite: it stays creamy and has a gentle sweetness that suits the fruit-free version. Almond keeps it light, and coconut leans it towards a holiday-in-a-glass sort of drink. Whole dairy works, it is just richer.
Do I need ceremonial grade for an iced latte?
Not strictly, but it helps. Cold mutes flavour and sharpens bitterness, so a cleaner ceremonial matcha tastes noticeably smoother over ice than a harsh culinary one. If you are unsure which to buy, the quiz sorts it in a minute.
Good to know
Iced matcha holds its colour and flavour for a couple of hours, so it travels well in a flask. Make the matcha base a little stronger than you think you want, because the ice waters it down as it melts.
Fancy it hot instead? The matcha latte is the cold-weather version of the same thing. Want the pretty pink one everyone photographs? Try the strawberry matcha latte next.
