This gorgeous, colourful, layered iced strawberry matcha latte is a refreshing spring/summer beverage that you can easily make at home in 5 minutes. Sweet juicy strawberries, rich matcha tea and creamy milk create a delicious, refreshing drink that’s perfect for hot summer days.
As the temperature soars, it’s important to keep on hydrating. Plain chilled water isn’t enough; you need detox-infused water (vitamin infused water).
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This pick-me-up latte transported me to a sweet little café in Tokyo, Japan, from my recent holiday in Japan. Sitting on a bench in this cute little café amidst greenery all around, in the middle of nature and sipping this beverage and enjoying nature.
This latte may not be an authentic Japanese drink; it’s popularised by Western tourists who travel to Japan. Drinking Matcha is somewhat reserved for tea ceremonies or special occasions; it’s a ritual that involves etiquette for sitting and picking up the bowl to drink matcha. Typically, ceremonial grade matcha tea powder is whisked in hot water (not boiling) using a bamboo whisk until frothy and consumed straight away. No milk or sugar is added. It’s usually served with a sweet confection to balance the strong flavor of matcha.
Talking about refreshing summer drinks, have you tried Orange julius recipe and horchata?
Why Should You Try This Strawberry Matcha Latte
- Strawberry and matcha make a popular, delicious pairing. Macerating juicy strawberries with sugar brings out their natural sweetness and brightness, and ceremonial matcha adds a slightly earthy, slightly grassy taste.
- Great pick-me-up drink to serve on spring and summer days.
- Easy to switch it up with flavors and ingredients that you like. Switch strawberries with raspberry, blueberries, or mango.
Ingredients
- Matcha – For a better drinking experience, I recommend using ceremonial-grade matcha tea powder. I’m using a premium-grade matcha that I bought from Japan. If you can’t get matcha that’s made in Japan, go for everyday matcha; it’s cheaper. Avoid using culinary matcha; it’s harsh and aggressively bitter, and you’ll get a duller, muddy green color.
- Hot Water – Use hot water to dilute matcha powder. Avoid using boiling water as it can make matcha bitter. Make sure the water temperature is around 175 °C.
- Strawberries – For the best taste, use fully ripe, red, fresh strawberries.
- White Granular Sugar – Use white granular sugar. Macerating diced strawberries with sugar brings out the juices of the berries and makes them soft.
- Chilled Milk – I use chilled almond milk. Plain oat milk, coconut milk, and soy milk work too. It’s crucial to use chilled milk so it doesn’t curdle with the macerated strawberries. If using dairy milk, make sure it’s chilled and avoid letting the latte sit for long so it doesn’t curdle.
- Ice
Ingredients Additions & Substitutions
- If you can’t get ceremonial grade matcha product from Japan, use everyday matcha, but avoid culinary matcha.
- If you don’t have fresh strawberries in season, substitute them with thawed frozen strawberries.
- Switch strawberries with raspberry, blueberries, or mango.
- Substitute chilled almond milk with chilled plain oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk, which works too.
- Add a tablespoon of tapioca pearls to the milk. It gives a chewy texture to the matcha latte.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat water to around 175 °C. Do not let it boil. Sieve matcha powder into a ceramic bowl. Using a matcha whisk, whisk the powder and then gradually pour hot water.
Step 2: Whisk vigorously until the matcha is blended and turns foamy on top.
Step 3: Add diced strawberries and white granular sugar to a tall drinking glass or large bowl.
Step 4: Using a muddler, crush strawberries with sugar until juices are released and strawberries turn soft and mushy. Add macerated strawberries (or strawberry puree) to the bottom of a tall drinking glass.
Note: If you don’t have a muddler, you can puree diced strawberries in a blender.
Step 5: Add lots of ice.
Step 6: Pour ice-cold milk over. Slowly pour foamy whisked matcha tea over the milk layer.
Garnish with fresh diced strawberries if required.
Serve immediately.
Variations
- Make it sweeter. Add more sugar to the strawberries depending on the ripeness of the berries. You can also sweeten milk with sugar if you like a sweeter latte.
- Different version. Switch strawberries with raspberry, blueberries, or mango.
- Frothy Milk. Aerate milk using a frother, and add it to the glass.
- Add Boba. Add a tablespoon of tapioca pearls to the milk. It gives a chewy texture to the matcha latte.
Expert Tips
- For a better drinking experience, I recommend using ceremonial-grade matcha tea powder. Every day, matcha works too; avoid culinary matcha.
- Fully ripe, fresh, sweet strawberries add the best taste.
- Dice strawberries so it’s easy to macerate. Crush strawberries into a smooth puree for the best texture.
- Sift matcha powder before adding hot water to avoid clumps. Or whisk dry matcha powder using a matcha whisk before pouring hot water.
- Avoid using boiling water as it can make matcha bitter. Make sure the water temperature is around 175 °C.
- Whisking using matcha powder enhances its flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Not all matcha has the same taste. While some matcha is smooth and slightly sweet, others are harsh and aggressively bitter and taste grassy. Always use ceremonial grade matcha for the best drinking experience.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha – Made from young, first and second harvest leaves. It’s premium quality, smooth and less bitter and grassy. The best choice for making a strawberry matcha latte.
Everyday Grade Matcha – Made from subsequent second harvest leaves. Cheaper than premium grade. It has a stronger, slightly more robust flavor with a hint of bitterness.
Culinary Grade Matcha – Made from older, later harvest leaves. It features a duller, yellowish-green color and has a robust, slightly astringent, and distinctively bitter and grassy flavor profile. It’s a more affordable grade and is strictly used for baking, cooking, or heavy milk-based beverages.
You can make it ahead of time. Store matcha tea, strawberry puree, and milk in separate containers. When ready to drink, assemble the drink and serve.
For the best taste and texture, I recommend you make them fresh right before drinking. It takes only 5 minutes to make.
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📋5 Minutes Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons matcha ceremonial grade matcha, product of Japan
- 2 ounces of hot water not boiling water. Water temperature around 175 °C
- 5-8 strawberries fully ripe, red and sweet berries
- 2.5 teaspoons white granular sugar adjust as per taste preference
- 1 cup chilled almond milk or oat milk, soy milk or ice cold diary milk
- Ice
Instructions
- Prepare the matcha.
- Heat water to around 175 °C. Do not let it boil. Sieve matcha powder into a ceramic bowl. Using a matcha whisk, whisk the powder and then gradually pour hot water. Whisk vigorously until the matcha is blended and turns foamy on the top.
- Macerate Strawberries.
- Add diced strawberries and white granular sugar to a tall drinking glass or large bowl. Using a muddler, crush strawberries with sugar until juices are released and strawberries turn soft and mushy.
- Note: If you don’t have a muddler, you can puree diced strawberries in a blender.
- Assemble the Latte.
- Add macerated strawberries (or strawberry puree) to the bottom of a tall drinking glass.
- Add lots of ice. Pour ice-cold milk over.
- Slowly pour foamy whisked matcha tea over the milk layer.
- Garnish with fresh diced strawberries if required. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- For a better drinking experience, I recommend using ceremonial-grade matcha tea powder. Every day, matcha works too; avoid culinary matcha.
- Fully ripe, fresh, sweet strawberries add the best taste.
- Dice strawberries so it’s easy to macerate. Crush strawberries into a smooth puree for the best texture.
- Sift matcha powder before adding hot water to avoid clumps. Or whisk dry matcha powder using a matcha whisk before pouring hot water.
- Avoid using boiling water as it can make matcha bitter. Make sure the water temperature is around 175 °C.
- Whisking using matcha powder enhances its flavor.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and I’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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