The 20-second answer
Whisk 2 g of matcha (1 teaspoon) with a little hot water at 70–80 °C into a smooth paste, then top with 180–240 ml of steamed or frothed milk. That is one café-style latte in 3–5 minutes. Use 2 teaspoons if you like it strong, iced milk for an iced latte, and any milk you like — the recipe is the same.
A note on the numbers below: the amounts, temperature and timings here are standard barista convention, reviewed for accuracy by Erin Young — reliable starting ranges, not a single lab-measured rule. Adjust to taste once you know the method.
How do you make a matcha latte? (the basic method)
A matcha latte is matcha whisked into a smooth paste, then loosened with milk. The whole thing takes 3–5 minutes and makes one drink.
Matcha-to-water-to-milk ratio
| Component | Standard latte | Stronger latte |
|---|---|---|
| Matcha | 2 g (1 tsp) | 4 g (2 tsp) |
| Hot water (to make the paste) | 30–60 ml at 70–80 °C | 30–60 ml at 70–80 °C |
| Milk | 180–240 ml | 180–240 ml |
Standard barista convention (reviewer-confirmed), not a fixed spec.
The small splash of water first is the trick most people miss. Matcha will not dissolve straight into cold or hot milk without clumping. You make a concentrated paste, then add the milk.
Step by step
- Sift 1 teaspoon (2 g) of matcha into a cup or bowl. Sifting breaks up lumps so you get a smooth latte, not a grainy one.
- Add 30–60 ml of hot water at 70–80 °C — hot, never boiling. Boiling water scorches matcha and turns it bitter.
- Whisk into a smooth paste for 15–20 seconds, until glossy with a light foam. A bamboo whisk (chasen) works best, but a small electric frother or a jar with a lid both work (see below).
- Warm and froth 180–240 ml of milk and pour it over the paste.
- Stir once and serve. Start to finish: 3–5 minutes for one latte.
How do you make an iced matcha latte?
Same paste, cold finish. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) of matcha with 30–60 ml of hot water at 70–80 °C into a paste first — this is the step that stops it clumping — then pour it over a glass of ice and top with 180–240 ml of cold milk. Stir, and the layered green fades into a smooth iced latte.
If you want it iced without any hot water, shake the matcha and a little cold milk hard in a sealed jar for 20 seconds before pouring over ice — the shaking does the dissolving that a whisk usually does.
Can you make a matcha latte without a whisk?
Yes. A bamboo whisk gives the finest froth, but you have three good alternatives that all break up the powder just as well:
- A jar with a tight lid — add the matcha and hot water, seal, and shake hard for 20 seconds.
- Handheld electric frother — the cheapest tool that gets you truly café-smooth results.
- Blender or immersion blender — best when you are making two or more at once.
The only thing that does not work is a spoon: stirring alone leaves the powder floating in clumps. Whatever you use, make the paste with a little water first, then add milk.
If you make matcha often, a proper bamboo whisk (chasen) is still the tool that gives the smoothest, most even froth. Zen's long-handle bamboo whisk is made by a small family workshop and is the one upgrade that most changes the texture of the drink.
What's the best milk for a matcha latte?
There is no single best milk — it depends on whether you are optimising for froth, taste or calories. Here is how the common options compare.
Frothing and taste by milk type
- Whole dairy — the easiest to froth into a thick microfoam; creamy and rounds off matcha's edge.
- Oat milk — the best-frothing plant milk and the current café default; naturally sweet, pairs cleanly with matcha.
- Soy milk — froths well and adds body, though it can occasionally split with very hot matcha water.
- Almond milk — the lightest in both body and calories; froths thinner and lets the matcha flavour show through most.
Barista editions of oat and soy froth more reliably than the standard cartons. They also carry a little added protein or oil for stability.
Calories by milk
Milk supplies most of the calories in a matcha latte; the matcha powder itself (about 2 g) adds a small amount — roughly 5–6 kcal — which the figures below include. Here is a ~240 ml unsweetened latte, no syrup:
| Milk (unsweetened, ~240 ml) | Calories |
|---|---|
| Almond | ~52 kcal |
| Skim / nonfat dairy | ~88 kcal |
| Soy | ~98 kcal |
| Lowfat (1%) dairy | ~110 kcal |
| Oat | ~123 kcal |
| Whole dairy | ~154 kcal |
Calories from USDA FoodData Central (per-milk, unsweetened), scaled to a ~240 ml serving, with the ~2 g matcha dose (~5–6 kcal) included; flavoured syrups are not counted. Each pump of flavoured syrup adds roughly 20 kcal on top.
So an unsweetened matcha latte runs from about 52 kcal with almond milk to about 154 kcal with whole milk. Choose almond or skim to keep it light; whole or oat for a richer, more filling drink.
What grade of matcha should you use for a latte?
For a latte you want a high-quality matcha that still holds its own against milk — but not necessarily the most expensive grade on the shelf. Matcha is sold along a spectrum from culinary grade (robust and more astringent, made for baking and smoothies) up to ceremonial grade (the most delicate, naturally sweet leaf, made to be whisked with water alone and sipped straight).
Each grade has its place. Ceremonial grade is prized as the finest leaf for drinking neat — but milk and any sweetener cover most of that delicacy, so for a latte you are usually paying for nuance you will not taste. A cheap culinary grade sits at the other extreme, and can stay bitter and dull even through milk. For most lattes a premium grade is the practical sweet spot: smooth enough to taste great, robust enough to stand up to milk.
Our pick. This is the grade we make. Zen's Premium Grade Matcha sits between culinary and ceremonial — smooth enough to taste great, robust enough to hold up in milk, without the ceremonial price premium. We source it direct from Japanese tea farms and cold-store it for freshness. body+soul, which named it a Best Value Matcha in 2026, called it "aromatic, very rich in flavour" and said it "makes a super smooth and delicious matcha latte." It works out from about $0.40 a cup on a 6-pack.
Why does a matcha latte taste bitter (and how to fix it)?
Three things make a matcha latte bitter, and all three are easy to fix:
- Water too hot. Boiling water scorches matcha. Let the kettle sit for a minute and use water at 70–80 °C.
- Not sifted. Clumps whisk unevenly and concentrate bitterness in patches — sift the powder first.
- The wrong grade. A harsh culinary grade tastes bitter no matter what; a smoother premium grade does not.
If it is still sharper than you like, add a touch more milk or a little honey — but fix the water temperature first, because that is the usual culprit.
Matcha latte FAQ
How much matcha do I use per latte? Use 2 g — one level teaspoon — for a standard latte, or 4 g (2 teaspoons) for a stronger one. This is the usual barista range, not a fixed rule; start at 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
What's the best milk for a matcha latte? Oat and whole milk froth best; almond is lightest at about 52 kcal a cup versus about 154 kcal for whole milk. Pick by whether you want the creamiest texture (whole, oat) or the fewest calories (almond, skim).
Can I make a matcha latte without a whisk? Yes — shake it in a sealed jar, use a handheld electric frother, or blend it. Make a paste with a little hot water first so it does not clump. A spoon alone will not dissolve the powder.
How much caffeine is in a matcha latte? Roughly 60–130 mg, depending on whether you use 1 or 2 teaspoons of matcha — this is an estimate computed from the powder dose, not a measured figure. For the full breakdown, see our guide to matcha caffeine.
How many calories are in a matcha latte? An unsweetened latte ranges from about 52 kcal (almond milk) to 154 kcal (whole milk) for a ~240 ml serving. That includes the ~2 g matcha dose (~5–6 kcal); flavoured syrups add roughly 20 kcal per pump on top.
What grade of matcha is best for lattes? A premium grade — not ceremonial (its delicacy is wasted under milk) and not a cheap culinary grade (which can taste bitter). You want smooth quality that still stands up to milk.
Why does my matcha latte taste bitter? Usually water that is too hot — use 70–80 °C, never boiling — plus not sifting the powder, or a harsh low grade. Fix the temperature first.
Can I make it iced? Yes — whisk the paste with hot water first, then pour over ice and top with cold milk, or shake matcha and cold milk in a jar for a no-hot-water version.
What water temperature should I use? 70–80 °C — hot but never boiling. Boiling water is the most common cause of a bitter latte; let a just-boiled kettle rest for about a minute.
About this recipe
Written and reviewed for accuracy by Erin Young, founder of Zen Green Tea, sourcing matcha directly from Japanese farms since 2012.
How we chose these amounts. The dose, water temperature, volumes and timings above are the working conventions we use and see across cafés and Japanese matcha practice — reviewed by Erin against a decade of preparing and selling matcha. They are reliable starting ranges rather than a single laboratory-fixed formula; matcha is forgiving, and taste should be your final guide.
Where the numbers come from. The calorie figures are calculated from USDA FoodData Central per-milk values, scaled to a ~240 ml serving. The caffeine range is estimated from the matcha powder dose, not directly measured — our dedicated matcha caffeine guide explains the basis in full.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — per-milk calorie values (almond, skim, soy, 1%, oat, whole), scaled to a ~240 ml serving
- PMC9792400 — per-gram matcha caffeine, used to estimate the latte caffeine from the powder dose
Method, dose and grade figures carry no external citation by design — no authoritative source fixes a single brewing convention. They are working conventions reviewed by Erin Young, and flagged as such wherever they appear.