Iced Matcha Latte: 3 Recipes to Make at Home (Classic, Coconut & Dirty)

The base is the same across all three versions. Get these right and the rest is easy:

Ceremonial grade matcha. This is the one thing worth spending a little more on. Culinary grade matcha is fine for baking but tastes bitter and flat in a latte. Ceremonial grade is smoother, more umami, and that bright green colour comes from it too. Full guide to matcha grades here.

A small whisk or milk frother. Matcha doesn’t dissolve in cold liquid — it needs to be whisked with a small amount of hot water first to form a smooth paste before adding cold milk. Skipping this step = lumpy matcha. A small electric frother works perfectly.

Good ice. Sounds obvious, but large ice cubes melt slower than small ones, which means less dilution. If you’re making iced matcha regularly, a silicone large-cube ice tray is worth it.

Your milk of choice. Oat milk is the most popular pairing — its natural sweetness and creaminess complement matcha without overpowering it. Whole milk gives a richer result. Almond milk is lighter and slightly nutty. All three work. More on this in the tips section.

The original. Clean matcha flavour, creamy milk, a touch of sweetness. This is the one to master first — everything else builds on it.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• 1–2 tsp ceremonial grade matcha
• 60ml hot water (not boiling — around 70–80°C)
• 1 tsp sweetener (maple syrup, honey, or simple syrup)
• 200ml oat milk or whole milk, cold
• A generous handful of ice

Method:

1. Sift the matcha into a small bowl or directly into your cup to remove lumps.
2. Add the hot water and whisk vigorously in a zigzag motion (not circular) until smooth and slightly frothy — about 30 seconds. This is your matcha concentrate.
3. Add your sweetener to the warm matcha and stir to dissolve.
4. Fill your cup with ice.
5. Pour the cold milk over the ice first.
6. Pour the matcha concentrate slowly over the back of a spoon onto the milk — this creates the signature layered effect before you stir.
7. Stir, taste, adjust sweetness if needed. Drink immediately.

The result: Smooth, earthy, gently sweet. The classic for a reason.

Swap oat milk for coconut milk and the whole character of the drink shifts. Coconut adds a tropical creaminess that makes this feel like a summer drink in a way the classic doesn’t. It’s also naturally slightly sweet, which means you need less added sweetener.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• 1–2 tsp ceremonial grade matcha
• 60ml hot water (70–80°C)
• ½ tsp sweetener (less than the classic — coconut milk is already sweet)
• 150ml coconut milk (carton, not tin — tin is too thick for a latte)
• A generous handful of ice
• Optional: a pinch of sea salt (brings out the sweetness)

Method:

1. Prepare the matcha concentrate exactly as in Recipe 1 — sift, whisk with hot water, add sweetener.
2. Fill your cup with ice.
3. Pour the coconut milk over the ice.
4. Add the optional pinch of sea salt directly to the coconut milk and stir briefly.
5. Pour the matcha concentrate slowly over the back of a spoon for the layered effect.
6. Stir and serve immediately.

The result: Creamy, tropical, slightly exotic. The pinch of salt sounds strange but makes the sweetness pop in a way that’s hard to explain until you try it.

The dirty matcha is for the days when one source of caffeine isn’t enough — or when you want the calm focus of matcha and the quick kick of espresso in the same glass. The flavour combination is bolder than you might expect: slightly bitter espresso against earthy, grassy matcha, softened by cold milk. It’s a grown-up drink.

Matcha and coffee approach caffeine differently — matcha’s L-theanine creates a slower, steadier energy release, while espresso hits fast. Combined, many people find they get the best of both: alert but not jittery.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• 1 tsp ceremonial grade matcha
• 60ml hot water (70–80°C)
• 1 shot espresso (around 30ml), cooled slightly
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 150ml oat milk, cold
• A generous handful of ice

Method:

1. Prepare your espresso shot and let it cool for 2–3 minutes (pouring hot espresso directly onto ice causes excessive dilution).
2. Sift and whisk the matcha with hot water until smooth. Add sweetener.
3. Fill your cup with ice.
4. Pour the cold oat milk over the ice.
5. Pour the cooled espresso shot over the milk.
6. Finally, pour the matcha concentrate slowly over the back of a spoon on top — you’ll have three visible layers before stirring.
7. Stir gently, taste, and adjust. Drink immediately.

The result: Bold, complex, layered. The three-layer pour before stirring is also genuinely impressive to look at — worth taking a photo before you mix it.

A few things that make the difference between a good iced matcha and a great one:

Never use boiling water. Boiling water (100°C) burns matcha and makes it taste bitter. 70–80°C is ideal — if you don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle, bring water to the boil and let it sit for 3–4 minutes before using.

Sift your matcha. Matcha clumps easily. A small sieve before whisking takes ten seconds and makes the difference between a smooth drink and a lumpy one.

Oat milk is the best pairing. Its natural sweetness and creamy texture complement matcha better than most alternatives. Barista-edition oat milks froth better if you want a foam top. Whole milk gives a richer result; almond milk is lighter and slightly nutty.

Make it to-go. Iced matcha travels surprisingly well in a good insulated cup. The double-wall keeps it cold without the ice melting too fast. Everything you need to know about keeping cold drinks cold on the go.

Adjust the matcha ratio to taste. 1 tsp is a gentle, latte-forward flavour. 2 tsp is more intensely matcha. Start with 1 and go from there — ceremonial grade is stronger than you think.