Matcha latte recipe in grams, how to make it hot or iced

For this matcha latte recipe, whisk 5g of matcha into 150ml of water at 80°C in a bowl and pour it over 150ml of milk that is already in the glass, warm or cold. A ratio of 1:1 is for matcha lovers and lets the matcha come through the milk. If matcha is new to you, use the same 5g with 100ml of water and 200ml of milk.

The same 5g works for any matcha drink with milk, from a dirty matcha to a hojicha latte.

How to make a matcha latte at home, step by step

Here is what you need for one serving. With everything to hand you are done in about 5 minutes.

1. SiftPush the 5g of matcha through the tea strainer into the bowl so no clumps are left.
2. Add the waterPour in 150ml of water at about 80°C. Boiled, then left for a minute, is close enough.
3. WhiskWhisk for 15 seconds in an M shape until the foam closes over the surface. The movement comes from the wrist, just as when you make matcha properly.
4. Milk in the glassPut 150ml of milk in the glass, warmed for a hot latte, cold for an iced one. If you want it sweet, stir a teaspoon of agave syrup into the milk now, because poured on top it breaks the foam.
5. Matcha on topPour the whisked matcha slowly from the bowl over the milk.

Why not mix everything in one go? Matcha spreads through water far more easily than through milk. Stir the powder straight into the milk and green clumps stay behind.

How much matcha for a latte, in grams?

For a latte, use 5g of matcha. For a straight bowl, 2g is enough. Japanese tea houses add matcha to a latte, Nakamura Tokichi in Uji (since 1854) uses 6g, and even its milder version still has 4g. Many Western recipes go the other way and cut it to 1 or 2g, for anyone who doesn't like the bitterness of matcha. The tea houses want the matcha to survive the milk, Western recipes tone it down.

Matcha to milk ratio, 1:1 or 1:2

The 5g of matcha and the 300ml total stay the same, you only shift water and milk. 1:1 (150ml and 150ml) is for matcha lovers, and the matcha stands up in the milk with its umami and texture. 1:2 (100ml and 200ml) is for beginners and anyone who likes it less bitter, and the milk comes forward. If matcha is new to you, begin at 1:2 and take a little less milk and a little more water with each latte until you reach 1:1. From 1:1 the umami and the edge come through clearly, and the taste of matcha moves to the front.

Milk or matcha first?

Milk goes in the glass first, then the matcha on top. There are three reasons. The whisked matcha sits on top, so foam and umami arrive with the first sip. You can see the amount of milk before the matcha goes in. And with ice you get two clean layers.

For the iced latte the tea houses work the same way, and in the iced matcha latte from Ippodo cold milk and ice go in the glass first, with the whisked matcha poured slowly over them from above so two layers form. Plenty of recipes online turn the order round and pour the milk onto the matcha, and the layers are lost.

Pour slowly from the bowl, ideally over the back of a spoon or onto the ice. A strong stream mixes the two layers at once.

Iced matcha latte recipe

Whisk an iced matcha latte in water at 80°C too, and only then pour it over cold milk and ice. The steps follow the same order as the hot latte.

1. SiftPush 5g of matcha through the tea strainer into the bowl.
2. Add the waterAdd 150ml of water at about 80°C.
3. WhiskWhisk for 15 seconds in an M shape.
4. Prepare the glassFill the glass with ice and add 150ml of cold milk, with a teaspoon of syrup if you like.
5. Matcha on topPour the whisked matcha slowly from the bowl over the milk and ice.

Does the latte turn watery as the ice melts? Whisk the 5g in just 100ml of water, let the matcha cool for a moment before it goes over the ice, and use a little more ice. Crushed strawberries under the cold milk turn it into a strawberry matcha latte.

Common matcha latte mistakes

Most problems have a simple cause, too little matcha, water that is too hot or pouring too fast.

A good latte tastes of umami with a light edge, even in the milk. If the foam won't form, it is almost always the movement, which comes loosely from the wrist.

Which matcha and milk for a latte?

Waterline is the first choice for a latte, because it is crisp and fresh and holds its presence in milk. Stillpoint is rounded with a long umami finish and shows best on its own, but it works as a latte too. Hojicha takes the same 5g and becomes a hojicha latte. For a latte, light to medium matcha suits best, as its edge balances the sweetness of the milk. Waterline holds its own next to flour, so the matcha recipes use it for baking too.

Milk decides the foam and the sweetness of a latte, and which milk suits a matcha latte shows most clearly in the foam.

FAQ

Can you stir matcha straight into the milk?

You can, but matcha spreads through water far better. Stirred straight into milk it leaves green clumps, so whisk the 5g in 150ml of water at 80°C first, then pour the matcha over the milk.

How much caffeine is in a matcha latte?

According to the Japanese food composition tables (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2020, 8th edition, MEXT), matcha contains 3.2g of caffeine per 100g. A latte with 5g of matcha comes to about 160mg of caffeine.

Can you make a matcha latte without a whisk?

Yes, with a MOKU-AN Matcha Shaker you can whisk matcha quickly and with no practice.

Can you make a matcha latte the day before?

Better not. Matcha doesn't dissolve, it settles, so whisk it fresh for each glass. You can put the milk in the glass and chill it ahead of time.

Does a matcha latte need sweetening?

Usually not, as the milk already brings a light sweetness, and more at 1:2. If you want it sweet, stir a teaspoon of agave syrup, honey or maple syrup into the milk beforehand.

MOKU-AN, Düsseldorf · Updated 7 October 2026