Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte

Creamy, refreshing, and the perfect afternoon (or morning) pick-me-up! For when you don’t want any more coffee (iced or otherwise), try this iced matcha latte recipe. Prepared with Farm Boy™ Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix, it’s a convenient, energizing drink to add to your day. This recipe is for an iced latte, but you can have yours warm instead. Simply froth your milk or milk alternative of choice, add to your already-whisked matcha, and enjoy! 

 

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder made from dried tea leaves. It’s incredibly important in Japanese culture, having been used in tea ceremonies for centuries, and has become popular in North America over the last decade or so, in part due to the health benefits it provides. Matcha has a bright green colour and an earthy, slightly bitter, grassy taste. Matcha is used most commonly in beverage recipes, like this iced matcha green tea latte, but it’s also seen in baked goods, like cookies, cakes, macarons, brownies, and more. Since this iced matcha latte is made with our Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix, it is not pure matcha. Instead, this powder is designed to make your matcha-making even more convenient, thanks to a blend of skim milk powder, sugar, and other ingredients. It’s your one-stop matcha latte shop! 

 

Matcha vs. Green Tea

As we just mentioned, matcha is a Japanese green tea powder. Regular green tea is made with tea leaves that are steeped in hot water and then discarded. While green tea has nutritional benefits similar to matcha, matcha actually has more of them. This is because matcha uses the whole leaf, whereas in your standard green tea, the leaf gets tossed after steeping. This also means that matcha has more caffeine than regular green tea, so your morning matcha might keep you going longer than your regular cup of tea. 

 

Health Benefits of Matcha

When it comes to superfoods—or foods worth adding to your diet for the health benefits—matcha does pretty well! Here some of the potential advantages that can come from adding matcha to your daily routine: 

High in antioxidants: Matcha is rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins, a class of plant compounds. The consumption of antioxidants can help stabilize compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease.  

Contains vitamins: Matcha green tea is a source of vitamins, which can help your body’s function and overall wellbeing. Matcha also contains small amounts of vitamin C, selenium, zinc, magnesium, fibre, and more! 

May promote brain health: Consumption of matcha can help increase brain function. Enjoying matcha, whether in a tea or a bar form, has been linked to increased alertness, focus, attention, reaction time, and memory recall. Swapping out your afternoon candy habit or energy drink for something with matcha may be the answer you’re looking for to power through the rest of the day. 

Can increase alertness: Like coffee, matcha contains caffeine. However, matcha also contains the amino acid L-Theanine, which helps regulate your nervous system and provides a sense of calm as well as alertness. While caffeine may make you jittery, when combined with L-Theanine, you won’t experience the afternoon slump or crash you might normally get after consuming a cup of regular java. 

Can help decrease inflammation: The antioxidants found in matcha that can help protect your body’s cells are also thought to help lower inflammation and prevent some chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. 

Learn more about the potential health benefits of matcha here. 

 

Milk Alternatives

If you’re trying to cut down on your dairy consumption, you may not want to use cow’s milk or half-and-half in this recipe. While our Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix does contain skim milk powder and therefore is not suitable for vegans or those with dairy allergies or sensitivities, you can still adjust your dairy intake by opting for a plant-based beverage like any of the ones below. At Farm Boy, we’re proud to offer our own line of plant-based beverages, including Almond, Oat, and Oat Barista. 

Almond: Made from soaking raw almonds in water, almond plant-based milk is a great alternative for those who don’t drink dairy (and don’t have a nut allergy). It is slightly thinner, waterier, and with a mild nutty flavour. In terms of viscosity, it’s closer to skim milk than whole milk. While not ideal for frothing, this milk alternative can be poured into this iced matcha latte recipe and still enjoyed. 

Coconut: Harvested from the liquid inside a coconut, coconut plant-based milk is rich, sweet, and creamy. For lattes and beverages, you’ll want to opt for the version sold in cartons, rather than cans, which is preferred for cooking and baking. Coconut plant-based milk sold in cartons are thinner and milder—ideal when you don’t want it overpowering your beverage. Because of its inherent sweetness, this dairy alternative pairs well with umami-rich matcha. 

Hazelnut: Hazelnut plant-based milk is made from soaking raw hazelnuts, and is another delicious alternative for those looking to decrease their dairy consumption. Richer and creamier than almond plant-based milks, with a slightly nutty flavour, it’s a popular choice for drinks like this one and even for enjoying a cold glass of on its own. If using this milk alternative in this iced matcha latte, consider adding a dash of vanilla extract to further enhance both flavours. 

Oat: Prepared by soaking oats, oat plant-based milk is a popular choice among at-home baristas and those working in coffee shops. Why? Because it has a naturally thick, creamy flavour that froths well for lattes and specialty coffee drinks. Like all the other milk alternatives mentioned, oat plant-based milk is available in both sweetened and unsweetened versions in our stores, and tastes very close to dairy milk. 

Soy: One of the originals in the world of plant-based beverages has to be soy. Soy plant-based milk is made by soaking soybeans before grinding and filtering them. It has a stronger taste when used in unsweetened or plain varieties. For this iced matcha latte recipe, we suggest using a vanilla soy milk plant-based beverage for the most harmonious flavour. 

 

What You’ll Need for This Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte 

Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix: Unlike regular matcha, our Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix is pre-sweetened, making it more convenient for you to enjoy without having to add extra ingredients. While other matcha lattes may call for maple syrup, honey, sugar, or agave nectar to sweeten, our latte mix is sweet enough already. As a result, this matcha latte mix may have a milder taste than a drink prepared with traditional matcha. However, it still provides a beautifully creamy, rich flavour that appeals to matcha drinkers and non-matcha drinkers alike! Our Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix also contains powdered skim milk, meaning that it’s not suitable for vegans or those with dairy allergies or sensitivities. To make this recipe fully plant-based, you will need to use traditional matcha powder, a sweetener, and your milk or milk alternative of choice. 

Milk: We’ve used Farm Boy™ Organic Whole Milk in this recipe for a richer, more indulgent taste and texture. If you’re looking to decrease your dairy consumption, you can opt for a plant-based alternative beverage instead. For a version of this recipe that contains less dairy, we like oat, as it blends nicely with the creaminess of the latte mix. Other dairy alternatives like coconut, hazelnut, or soy would also be delicious options. Since frothing this latte isn’t a requirement, you can even use almond, which is often thinner in viscosity. 

Ice: For an iced matcha latte, naturally you need ice! Cubed ice stacked high in a tall glass is the best way to enjoy this refreshing green tea beverage. If you’d prefer to enjoy this latte hot, you can omit the ice and use boiling water instead. 

 

More Beverage Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more beverage recipes? Check out any of the drinks below! 

Strawberry Mojito Kombucha Mocktail 

Blueberry Fizz 

Strawberry Frosé 

Pomegranate Fruit Punch 

Sparkling Watermelon Drink 

Lemon Strawberry Rosé Spritzer 

Summertime Shandy 

Cold Brew-tini Mocktail 

Citrus Lemonade 

 

More Breakfast Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out any of the dishes below! 

Wild Blueberry Baked Oatmeal 

Cheesy Breakfast Egg Bites with Prosciutto and Pesto 

Saucy Skillet Eggs 

Banana Pancakes with Banana Caramel Sauce 

Coconut Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowls 

Rainbow Fruit Salad with Honey Orange Yogurt Sauce