Matcha Recipes

What can you make with matcha powder?

Matcha is one of the most versatile ingredients in both drinks and baking. The most popular categories are lattes and iced drinks (matcha latte, iced matcha latte, strawberry matcha latte), smoothies (banana matcha, protein matcha), baked goods (matcha cookies, matcha cake, matcha muffins), and Japanese-inspired desserts (matcha mochi, matcha ice cream).

The grade of matcha matters for the recipe. Ceremonial grade is best for drinks where the matcha flavor is the star. Culinary grade is appropriate for baking and smoothies where the matcha competes with other strong flavors.

How do you choose the right matcha for a recipe?

The key decision is ceremonial vs culinary grade. Ceremonial grade matcha is shade-grown, first-flush, and ground to a finer powder. It has a sweeter, more umami flavor with lower bitterness. It is the right choice for drinks where matcha is the primary flavor.

Culinary grade matcha is made from older leaves, has a stronger, more robust flavor, and costs significantly less per gram. It holds up better to heat, sugar, and competing flavors in baking. Using ceremonial grade in baking is wasteful -- the delicate flavor notes are destroyed by heat.

For smoothies, any grade works. Organic is preferred since you are consuming the whole leaf.

What preparation equipment do you need for matcha recipes?

For drinks: a fine mesh sifter (essential -- prevents clumps), a matcha whisk (chasen) or electric frother, and a thermometer or kettle with temperature control (for 175F water).

For baking: a fine mesh sifter (to sift matcha with flour), standard baking equipment.

For smoothies: a standard blender. No special equipment needed.