This refreshing layered green tea latte is surprisingly easy to make. I’ll show you, step-by-step, how to create a pretty (and delicious) layered iced matcha latte at home.
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Iced Matcha Lattes
All I drink in the summer are cold brew iced teas and iced matcha lattes.
If you thought iced matcha (green tea) lattes were hard to make, I’m going to be the one to break it to you that you’re wrong.
My iced matcha lattes are made from three ingredients: matcha green tea powder, milk, and honey.
You can take out the honey if you prefer, or replace it with another sweetener like brown sugar.
With my iced matcha latte method you don’t need any traditional matcha tools, like a bamboo whisk or a special bowl.
All you need is an air-tight container: like a jar with a tight lid, a hydro flask, or a cocktail shaker.
RELATED: Matcha (Green Tea) Latte
What I Used to Make This Layered Iced Matcha Latte
- Matcha
Find the brightest green without going over $30. - Cocktail shaker
Or any wide-mouth container with an air-tight lid. - Milk of any kind
- Cold water and honey
- Measuring cups
- Ice cube tray
Since you need a lot of ice. - Glass cup
To show off the layers.
How to Make a Layered Drink
I love the look of layered drinks and there is just one trick to getting that effect.
It’s SUGAR. The sugar content keeps the layers separated. The liquid that has the most sugar will sink to the bottom.
In this drink, I added honey into the milk, but not to the matcha, so that’s why the milk was added first. If you want to have the matcha at the bottom and the milk on top, add the sweetener in with the matcha instead of the milk.
Got it? Good.
I’ll walk you through the drink, step by step.
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How to Make a Layered Iced Matcha Latte
For this drink, it’s a two part shaking process.
Add the milk in to the cocktail shaker. I’m using almond milk but you can use any milk you like.
Next, add in the honey.
Make sure to add the honey after the milk so that it’s not sticking to the sides of the container.
Shake, shake, shake. Vigorously shake for 10-15 seconds. You want to make sure the milk and the honey are well mixed.
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Pour the milk into a glass cup.
Add ice.
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Give the cocktail shaker a quick rinse with cold water and let’s make the matcha.
For the longest time, I would make matcha traditionally with a bamboo whisk and a matcha bowl, but I was making things harder for myself.
It’s actually easier to shake it than to whisk it when using cold water.
No need to use a sifter either! No clumps with this shaking method.
In the clean cocktail shaker, add cold water. (Filtered water tastes best.)
Next goes the matcha, the powdered green tea. Make sure to add the water first, then the matcha.
Shake, shake shake. 10-15 seconds of vigorous shaking once again.
The more expensive the matcha, the brighter green it will be. If you want a pretty green, spend between $20-$30 a tin. Anything less and your matcha will be a dull green color.
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Pour the matcha into the glass cup.
Don’t dump in the matcha all at once. It’s best to pour it slowly.
Because of the sugar content in the milk, the matcha (without any sugar) won’t immediately sink to the bottom and you’ll see the layering of the milk and matcha.
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See? So pretty!
Stir it up a bit before drinking to combine the milk and the matcha.
Iced Matcha Latte Tips
- The color of the matcha indicates the quality. If you pay around $15, the matcha will be a dull, brownish green color. If you spend $50, the matcha will be a bright, vibrant green. You don’t need to spend $50 for this recipe. Something in the $25 – $30 range will have a nice green color.
- Matcha tends to clump so it’s important to shake the matcha green tea powder with water vigorously.
- You can make this recipe vegan by using oat milk and replacing the honey with maple syrup.
RELATED: Matcha (Green Tea) Soda
Layered Iced Matcha Latte
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Shake milk and honey for 10-15 seconds in a cocktail shaker or any airtight container.
- Pour sweetened milk into a glass cup and add ice.
- Rinse the cocktail shaker and shake cold water and matcha for 10-15 seconds.
- Pour matcha into the glass cup slowly. Add more ice if necessary.
Hi, I’m very interested in learning more about layering drinks. I run a small Tea shop in Jamaica and I love how layered drinks look! Would love if you could give me a bit more insight, the layering isn’t going so well even when I follow the recipe.
Hope to hear back soon
Thanks
Alex
Hi Alex, the layer effect works best when the bottom layer has sugar and the top layer doesn’t. Try adding more sugar to the milk and making sure there’s no sugar in the matcha.
Does this work with a different tea other than matcha? I would love to try this, but don’t have any macha. Thanks for your time!
Hi Mercedes, this would only work with powdered tea.
I tried this recipe this morning and loved it!!! I used a combo of oat and hemp milk and it turned out perfectly! I usually drink my matcha hot because I hadn’t been able to master the iced ratio, but I think this has solved that problem. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Hi Chelsea, iced matcha latte is so much easier to make than hot so I’m glad you found this recipe!
Impressed with the layered matcha drink. Do you mix the honey with the milk? Or just pour the honey in the milk without mixing them together?
Hi Queenie, yup, I mix the honey with the milk since the milk needs to be sweetened so that it settles to the bottom of the drink.
This is great! I love this! Super easy and tasty! New daily drink indeed. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂 yay go Matcha
Hi Jee! Your recipe is easy to follow and you’re right, the separation happens immediately and the drink looks picturesque before mixed. Tastes yummy and the drink is very light – I like the “shaker” approach as opposed to a blender.
hello! I was wondering if the quality of matcha powder from Vahdam teas is good? it was $14. thank you! 😀
Hi, judging by the price, I wouldn’t consider that good quality matcha. Good quality matcha is in the $20-$30 range and the higher quality is $40+.
I love matcha! Here is how I made you mathca drink:
I used almond milk and whisked with agave.
Poured over ice.
Then I whisked my matcha and ice water and poured it over.
The layering was lovely.
Thank you Jee!
Hi Lily, sounds delicious!