Whether you’re a Dunkin Donuts fan or a Starbucks loyalist, I think you’ll love this cool, creamy beverage that you can make at home. You could call it a dairy-free frozen matcha latte or top it with dairy-free whip for a Frappuccino Starbucks copycat. Either way, it skips the cross contamination risk of coffeehouses, and saves you a bundle every time those green tea cravings strike.
Dairy-Free Frozen Matcha Latte that Levels Up on Creaminess
My good friend Hannah shared this recipe with us over a decade ago. I was reminded of it when she wrote an article on ice that was far more in depth than I ever could have imagined. This dairy-free frozen matcha latte recipe has yet another icy twist from her creative arsenal. Hannah turns half of the matcha smoothie mixture into frozen cubes. She then whizzes them into a blended iced matcha latte with a creamier finish and richer sweet flavor than one made with water ice. In my update, I’ve made just a couple modifications and variations to her recipe, and have answers to some FAQ’s below.
What Milk Alternative Do You Recommend Using?
The classic plant based milks used in matcha lattes are soy milk and coconut milk. I think these compliment matcha best. Hannah uses plain soymilk, so we’ve used this for calculated nutrition facts. But you can use another type of milk alternative, like almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk, or oat milk, if preferred. They just don’t meld quite as well with the flavor, in my opinion. As for the type, you can use a plain or vanilla variety. I personally choose an unsweetened dairy version, since it gives you more control over the sweetness of this beverage.
Can I Use Honey for the Sweetener?
Hannah doesn’t use honey because she’s strictly vegan. But there’s another reason to choose agave nectar or maple syrup instead. Honey doesn’t dissolve readily in cold liquids. If you simply add it to the blender with the other ingredients, you might end up with clumps of honey in your finished frozen matcha latte. If you want to use honey, I would use milk alternative that’s at room temperature, and drizzle the honey in a thin stream into your blender as it’s blending the other ingredients. These measures will help to emulsify it.
How Can I Reduce the Sugars?
Feel free to add the sweetener to taste. You might like your dairy-free frozen matcha latte with a lesser amount of sweetener. If you are used to sugar-free sweeteners, likes stevia or erythritol, feel free to substitute them for part or all of the maple syrup agave nectar. This beverage has simple ingredients, which makes it easy to adapt.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is high-grade green tea leaves that have been ground into a powder. It’s whisked into drinks instead of steeped, providing a more intense flavor and color.
Where Can I Get Matcha Powder?
In the past decade or two, matcha powder has become a more common ingredient in households. Consequently you can’t find it at a lot of grocery stores, and of course at Asian markets. But I usually just buy it on Amazon. It can seem expensive, but you’re only using about one teaspoon per serving. In the long run, it’s far cheaper than buying matcha lattes at coffee shops.
Is Matcha Healthy?
Green tea has become famous for its antioxidants. Matcha comes from the same plant as green tea, but it’s got a slightly different growing process. That process, and the fact that matcha powder contains the entire tea leaf, leads to even more antioxidants and purported health benefits. But it also results in more caffeine. So the health aspect really depends on your personal health goals and needs.
Special Diet Notes: Frozen Matcha Latte
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, and generally top food allergy-friendly. Just be sure to choose the milk alternative that suits your dietary needs.
For a paleo matcha smoothie, use light canned coconut milk in place of the milk beverage and opt for maple syrup, to taste, as your sweetener.
Dairy-Free Frozen Matcha Latte
Ingredients
Method
- Put the milk alternative, sweetener, matcha powder, and vanilla extract in your blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour half of the matcha mixture into ice cube trays, and put the remaining mixture in the refrigerator.
- Put the ice cube tray in your freezer until the matcha cubes are completely frozen, about 3 to 4 hours.
- Once frozen, pop the matcha smoothie cubes out and put them in your blender with the refrigerated matcha mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Divide the dairy-free match a smoothie between two glasses and a joy.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!On a Green Tea Kick? Make Matcha Latte Mini Muffins Too!
