Strawberry Matcha Latte

I had my first strawberry matcha latte at Boba Guys when I visited San Francisco back in 2015. At that time, I thought fruit in bubble tea was a strange concept, but the fruit was a refreshing addition to a typically heavy drink. This strawberry matcha latte recipe is so easy to make at home and can be personalized by adding tapioca pearls or even chia seeds for more texture!

The great thing about making this drink at home is using fresh strawberries and controlling the amount of sweetness, which is great for those who find bubble tea shop drinks overwhelmingly sweet. You can also sub the sugar with honey.

What is matcha?

Matcha is finely ground green tea leaves. You'll find many matcha brands on the market, and they're all be different quality grades. Cheaper brands won't have as vibrant of a color and may actually be much more bitter than higher quality, ceremonial matcha. Matcha, on its own, might not be everyone's cup of tea, so first time drinkers might want to add a teaspoon of honey or sweetened dairy or plant-based milk to ease the bitterness.

Matcha also has caffeine and is a great substitute for those who are trying to wean themselves off coffee. The caffeine level is low enough that you can make yourself a nice steaming matcha latte right before bed without it interfering with sleep.

How to prepare matcha

There are traditional and non-traditional ways of preparing matcha-- it just depends on what you already have at home!

The non-traditional way is to use any whisk you have (such as the ones you typically use for whisking eggs) or an electric frother. Add the matcha into a deep, wide bowl, and add a tiny bit of hot water at first, just to wet the powder. Whisk for a couple of seconds until the powder and water have become a thick paste. Then, add the appropriate amount of water (usually around ⅓ cup for 1 teaspoon of matcha powder) and whisk until the powder has evenly dissolved into the liquid. You don't want to leave any grainy bits in your drink as they'll taste extremely bitter.

The more traditional method is to purchase a matcha whisk set which usually includes a bamboo whisk with a short handle and a deep bowl for whisking. The process is similar to the one mentioned above.

Ingredients for strawberry match latte

• Strawberries: I prefer using fresh strawberries, but you can also use frozen if that's all you have on hand. You'll have to let the frozen strawberries defrost on the counter or give it a quick spin in the microwave.
• Matcha powder: As I noted above, there are differing degrees of matcha quality. They can get quite expensive per ounce if you're eyeing the high quality brands. You can find small tins of matcha powder at Whole Foods or at any health store! Make sure you keep matcha in the fridge to maintain its quality.
• Sweetener: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to add into the strawberries. However, you can sub with honey (which I prefer) or even stevia if you're looking to reduce your sugar intake.
• Milk: Dairy or plant-based milk is up to your preference! We have always used plant-based milks such as cashew or oat milk with no problem for this recipe.

How to make strawberry matcha latte

1. Wash and de-stem strawberries. Slice into small pieces and place in a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Pulse lightly as you don't want the strawberries to become completely liquid. Note, you can also mash these in a blender or simply use a fork (it'll just take more arm work!)
2. Boil water and whisk with matcha powder.
3. Add strawberry mixture into the bottom of a cup. Next, add ice first, then your dairy or plant-based milk, and finally your matcha. This will give you the beautiful layers.
4. Mix and serve.