Strawberry Matcha Latte

17 hours ago 3

A glass with a clear straw contains a layered drink of red puree at the bottom, white cream in the middle, and green matcha on top, sitting on a wooden board lined with printed paper.

My daughter and I love strawberry matcha lattes in the afternoon for a refreshing pick-me-up. This iced beverage has the perfect balance of ripe, aromatic berries and bright, rich green tea powder. I created our best version in this Strawberry Matcha Latte recipe using generous layers of sweet strawberry purée and smooth, savory matcha. We think you’ll agree that it’s better than the cafe version!

If you love matcha and strawberries, try my Matcha Cookies, Japanese Strawberry Shortcake, and Matcha Ice Cream recipes next!

Table of Contents

A glass of iced matcha latte with green, white, and red layers, served with a clear straw on a wooden tray. Next to it is a small dessert on a plate with a wooden pick. A matcha whisk and bowl are in the background.

Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Recipe

Fresh strawberry flavor – A luxurious layer of my easy strawberry purée adds a natural and nostalgic taste that I love.
Rich and aromatic matcha layer – I share the perfect water temperature to bring out the matcha’s umami and aroma and my whisking tips for a smooth texture.
Ready in 5 minutes – It’s so quick and easy to make this fun and colorful cafe-style beverage at home.

A glass filled with layers of red fruit puree, white milk, and green matcha sits on a wooden tray. Another similar glass and matcha preparation tools are in the background on a light-colored surface.

A top view of a glass filled with iced green matcha tea, surrounded by fresh strawberries on a wooden tray. A plate with a dark chocolate square is partially visible in the background.

Ingredients for Strawberry Matcha Latte

Frozen strawberries – or use fresh if ripe and in season
Sugar and water – for the strawberry purée
Matcha (green tea powder) and hot water (never boiling water)
Milk – I used whole milk; you can also use plant-based milk
Ice cubes

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

Key Equipment

stick blender, classic blender, or small food processor – for the strawberry purée
instant-read thermometer – for the hot water

Two tall glasses filled with layers of crushed strawberries, milk, and ice are shown as a hand pours a stream of vibrant green matcha into one glass. The drinks sit on a wooden tray with a decorative background.

How to Make Strawberry Matcha Latte

Preparation

Make the strawberry purée. Combine frozen strawberries, sugar, and water, then blend until smooth.

A hand holds a metal tablespoon over a glass Pyrex measuring cup containing several frozen strawberries, on a wooden surface.

A hand holds a glass measuring cup filled with a red frozen mixture while blending it with an immersion blender on a wooden surface.

Add strawberry layer and ice. Spoon one serving of the purée into the bottom of a tall glass and level. Gently add ice cubes on top.

An empty glass jar with a small amount of crushed tomatoes at the bottom, sitting on a wooden surface.

A clear glass jar with ice cubes and a layer of red fruit puree at the bottom, placed on a wooden surface.

Whisk the matcha tea. Sift the green tea powder over a matcha bowl or small bowl, then blend with hot water with a whisk until smooth and frothy.

A hand holds a spoon over a fine mesh strainer with vibrant green matcha powder, sifting it into a light-colored mixing bowl on a wooden surface.

A person uses a bamboo whisk to mix frothy green matcha tea in a ceramic bowl on a wooden surface.

Assemble

Pour milk and top with matcha layer. Slowly pour in a thin stream directly onto the ice. Slowly pour a thin stream of matcha tea all around the surface of the milk.

A glass with strawberry puree at the bottom is placed on a digital kitchen scale while milk is being poured in from a carton.

A hand pours vibrant green matcha over a glass with layered red, white, and green drinks, creating a colorful iced matcha latte on a digital kitchen scale.

Serve. Add a straw and enjoy!

A glass of iced matcha latte with swirls of red bean and milk, served with a clear straw on a wooden tray next to a dessert and a wooden spoon.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

When in doubt, use frozen – Harvested at peak ripeness, frozen strawberries are often sweeter than fresh ones in the supermarket that were picked unripe for transport and shelf life.
Skip the sugar with in-season, fresh strawberries – You won’t need sweetener if you use super-ripe berries from your farmer’s market or strawberry stand.
Add water to frozen berries – A splash of water in the blender will help get things started. Skip it if you use fresh strawberries.
Use less water for the best flavor – I don’t want to dilute the high-quality matcha taste, so I use less water compared to other recipes. If you don’t like the strong matcha taste, feel free to add more water.
Sift the matcha powder – To avoid lumps, pass the green tea powder through a fine-mesh strainer before whisking.
Use hot water for the matcha – Green tea powder is sensitive to temperature. Please whisk it with hot water at around 176°F or 80°C. If the water is too hot (194ºF/90°C or higher), the matcha may burn and taste bitter and overly astringent. If too cool, it won’t whisk well or fully bring out the matcha’s umami and aroma.
Pour the layers in a thin stream – Add the milk and matcha tea slowly and gently to keep the beautiful layers separate.

red strawberry puree at the bottom, white milk in the middle, and green matcha tea on top, served with ice on a wooden tray. A matcha whisk and bowl are in the background.

Variations and Customizations

Try different berries. Raspberries, blueberries, or mixed berries are delicious here.
Make it dairy-free. Skip the dairy milk and make it vegan with oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or cashew milk. You can even use coconut milk for a tropical twist.
Top with whipped cream and dust with matcha powder or crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
Froth the milk. Aerate it with a milk frother and dollop the foam on top.
Add boba. Try several tablespoons of tapioca pearls in your milk for a chewy sensation.
Adjust the sweetener. Use more or less sugar or try honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup.

What to Serve with Strawberry Matcha Latte

Brunch – Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes
Cake – Castella Cake
Japanese sweets (wagashi) – Strawberry Mochi (ichigo daifuku) and Mizu Yokan
Fresh fruit – Japanese Fruit Sandwich (fruit sando)

A white plate containing Japanese souffle pancakes dusted with powdered sugar, fresh mixed berries, and whipped cream.

An octagon plate containing two slices of Castella cake.

Storage Tips

To store: Store leftover strawberry purée in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. I don’t recommend refreezing previously frozen strawberries. However, if you used fresh strawberries, you can freeze the purée. For the best flavor, I recommend whisking the matcha tea just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use hot water for matcha tea?

Please use hot water around 176°F/80°C. Near-boiling to boiling water (194°F/90°C to 212°F/100°C) can burn the matcha and make it bitter and astringent.

Can I use bottled strawberry syrup or strawberry jam instead of the purée?

You can use syrup for convenience, but it won’t have the same fresh taste of frozen or fresh strawberries. Jam has high sugar content and I don’t recommend it.

Does it matter what type of matcha powder I use?

I believe it does for matcha drinks. You’ll often see ceremonial matcha powder and culinary matcha powder. Culinary grade matcha is fine for baked goods, but I recommend ceremonial grade matcha for beverages. You can read more about it on my Matcha page.

Can I crush the strawberries with a muddler instead?

You can, but it will be more chunky than smooth, puréed strawberry. In that case, you can serve the drink with a spoon or extra-wide straws.

1 serving strawberry purée (see below)
1 cup ice cubes (10 ice cubes)
1½–2 tsp matcha (green tea powder) (use more for a strong matcha flavor)
3 Tbsp hot water (176°F or 80°C)
¾ cup milk

For the Strawberry Purée (makes 2 servings)

1 cup strawberries (frozen; or use fresh if they are sweet and in season)
2 tsp sugar (skip for fresh berries)
1 Tbsp water (skip for fresh berries)

To Make the Strawberry Purée

Measure 1 cup strawberries (frozen). I weighed them (120 g) for accuracy using a digital kitchen scale. Next, add 2 tsp sugar.
Add 1 Tbsp water. Then, purée in a blender or small food processor; I used a stick blender. Blend until smooth and no chunks remain.
You will have 2 servings of purée. Add 1 serving strawberry purée to the bottom of one tall serving glass.
Level the strawberry layer. For one glass, gently add about 1 cup ice cubes (10 ice cubes) on top of the purée.

To Whisk the Matcha Tea

Sift 1½–2 tsp matcha (green tea powder) through a fine-mesh strainer over a matcha tea bowl or small bowl. Nami's Tip: Sifting helps to prevent clumps for a smooth texture.
Gently add 3 Tbsp hot water that's 176°F or 80°C; I weighed it (45 ml) for convenience. If using a bamboo matcha whisk (chasen), soak the tines briefly in warm water to soften.
Briskly whisk the powder and water using your wrist in a quick, back-and-forth W (or M) pattern. When small bubbles appear, start whisking the surface of the tea until you have a thick froth with many tiny bubbles.

To Build the Strawberry Matcha Latte

For one glass, slowly pour ¾ cup milk in a thin stream directly onto the ice cubes. I weighed it (180 ml). Nami's Tip: Pouring slowly keeps the strawberry and milk from mixing together for a thick, bright red strawberry layer.
Slowly pour a thin stream of matcha tea into the glass all around the surface to create an even matcha layer. Serve with a straw and enjoy.

To Store

Store leftover strawberry purée in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. I don't recommend refreezing previously frozen strawberries. However, if you used fresh strawberries, you can freeze the purée. For the best flavor, I recommend whisking the matcha tea just before serving.