Best Vanilla Matcha Latte Recipe (Iced or Hot)
A sweet and creamy vanilla matcha latte is the kind of thing great mornings are made of. It’s simple to make and so yummy!
When energy levels are low in the morning or mid-afternoon, a delicious matcha latte always does the trick for me. I’ve made them so many different ways (with rose, lavender, etc.) but a creamy vanilla matcha latte recipe never crossed my mind. I don’t know why it took me so long to think of sweetening my matcha with one of the most basic (dare I say vanilla?) syrups around. But I’m so glad I did! I love the pairing of vanilla and a matcha green tea latte. You can make your own latte by making (or buying) vanilla syrup or steeping the vanilla in your matcha tea. I’ll cover both ways so you have options. I’ll also show you how to make a hot latte or an iced latte for hot summer days like these. Let’s make it!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase any of the items linked in this post, I should earn a small commission. This creates no additional cost to you and helps support the work that goes into running The Fig Jar. Thank you! -Becky
Ingredients
VANILLA MATCHA LATTE
- matcha green tea powder – There are different grades of matcha that can be found in some grocery stores and online. For drinks, ceremonial matcha is ideal but culinary grade matcha will work too. Whichever you choose, matcha is a fine powder that can easily be used in all kinds of goodies like popsicles, truffles and more.
- vanilla simple syrup and/or vanilla bean pods – I’m saying ‘and/or’ because you will need vanilla bean pods whether you choose to make my vanilla syrup recipe or steep the beans straight in your cup
- milk – I typically use whole milk or oat milk for the best flavor, but you can use your milk of choice. Make this a vegan latte by using dairy-free milk such as almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, etc.
- ice cubes – for a cold drink
- hot water
SOME HELPFUL EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING MATCHA LATTES
Matcha whisk – this little bamboo whisk is my preferred method for removing matcha lumps! After all, it is the traditional way to make matcha. 🙂
Milk frother – not as necessary as a good tool for whisking up matcha but it’s fun to have frothed/foamy milk if you are making a hot matcha latte.
HOW TO MAKE A VANILLA MATCHA LATTE WITH SYRUP
First, make the vanilla syrup! If you’ve been a reader of my blog for even a short time, you’ve probably seen me publish a lot of simple syrup recipes. They are just so fun! And they are so easy. Just combine sugar, water and flavorings, cook, and boom: you have a fun syrup to sweeten coffee, tea and other things!
Place matcha in the bottom of your drinking vessel and heat a small amount of water until boiling. Add the water and whisk until smooth.
Add vanilla syrup and mix to combine. Warm milk in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove over medium heat just until it seems like it’s about to start bubbling. If you’re heating water in the microwave, you’ll warm water for less than 2 minutes. On the stove, reaching boiling will take a little longer but not much.
Froth your milk before pouring over the vanilla matcha mixture.
Enjoy!
TO MAKE THE LATTE WITH VANILLA PODS INSTEAD
The process is basically the same. What you’ll do differently: after whisking the matcha and hot water, cut a vanilla bean pod in half, scrape the vanilla beans into the matcha mixture, then cut the pod into small enough pieces to rest in the matcha mixture. Allow this to ‘steep’ while you heat the milk.
Once the milk is ready, pour the matcha mixture through a small mesh sieve to remove the pods and and large clumps of vanilla bean.
Add the milk to the matcha mixture and enjoy!
FOR AN ICED VANILLA MATCHA LATTE
To make this an iced matcha latte: for either method, simply don’t heat the milk but add it cold to the sweetened matcha mixture, then add a generous amount of ice and enjoy!
TRIED THIS RECIPE?
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More matcha recipes
Vanilla Matcha Latte
A sweet and creamy vanilla matcha latte is the kind of thing great mornings are made of. It’s simple to make and so yummy!
Instructions below are for a warm drink, see notes for an iced drink and a slightly different method of infusing vanilla flavor in your matcha.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 latte 1x
- Category: drinks
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 tsp matcha green tea powder
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1–2 tbsp vanilla bean simple syrup
- 3/4 warmed milk
Instructions
- Add matcha to drinking glass or mug. Pour in boiling water and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Add vanilla syrup and stir to combine.
- Add warmed + frothed milk and enjoy!
Notes
To make an iced latte: Simply add cold milk to the sweetened matcha mixture, then add lots of ice and enjoy!
To make the latte without syrup and infuse with vanilla beans, do the following:
After whisking the matcha and hot water, cut a vanilla bean pod in half, scrape the vanilla beans into the matcha mixture, then cut the pod into small enough pieces to rest in the matcha mixture. Allow this to ‘steep’ while you heat the milk.
Once the milk is ready, strain the matcha through a small mesh sieve to remove the pods and and large clumps of vanilla bean.
Add the milk to the matcha mixture and enjoy!
