Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte
Whisk up your own Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte for a delicious boost of energy using only four ingredients, all without leaving the house!
There’s no need to brave the long lines at the store when you can make your favorite Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte at home using only four easy ingredients! Sweet vanilla syrup, your choice of milk, a sprinkling of quality matcha, and a little ice are all you need to make a wonderful-tasting latte that is also the perfect pick-me-up!
Matcha Love
The fantastic combination of earthy matcha and sweet vanilla syrup is a great way to greet the day and the perfect afternoon energy drink! Drinks that are too sugary tasting can be a tad overwhelming, and when those sugary drinks are caffeinated, we can feel pretty jittery after drinking them, which brings me back to my love for matcha! Matcha lattes have the right sweetness and are great for perking me up and helping me focus, so making Copycat Starbucks Matcha Lattes at home is amazing!
Keep your barista skills sharp and your days filled with more outrageously delicious drinks, like Copycat Starbucks Paradise Drink and Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino!
Other Recipes to Serve with Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte
- Speaking of delicious greens, grab an easy breakfast with your latte like filling Spinach and Cheese Breakfast Egg Bites!
- Cinnamon Muffins always knows how to help you get through the day in a delicious way!
Ingredients
Vanilla Syrup: To make the vanilla syrup, you will need a vanilla bean, water, and granulated sugar. You can substitute pure vanilla extract for the vanilla bean.
Matcha Latte
Milk: To make this latte, you can use your favorite milk, and both dairy-based and plant-based milk works well in this drink.
Syrup: You will need a little of the vanilla syrup you already whipped up.
Matcha: For this drink, purchase a high-quality, ceremonial-grade matcha. Price does equate to quality, so it’s worth the extra money for a great-tasting drink!
Ice: Make sure you have ice on hand to finish this drink.
How to Make Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte
STEP ONE: Place a halved vanilla bean, water, and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil. Cook the syrup to boil on low for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.
STEP TWO: Once cooled, remove the vanilla bean from the syrup (or stir in the vanilla extract). Pour the syrup into a container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
STEP THREE: Add the milk and matcha powder to a 16-ounce glass and mix well using a milk frother (or a spoon).
STEP FOUR: Add one tablespoon of vanilla syrup to the matcha and stir to combine. Then, fill the glass with ice and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- When making vanilla syrup with vanilla beans, small black flecks will appear in the syrup. These dots are the tiny vanilla seeds from the bean and do not add any texture to the syrup.
- If you use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, remember to wait to add the extract until the syrup has cooled to prevent it from cooking.
- Use a tall glass to make this drink, as frothing the milk will cause the liquid to rise due to foam and bubbles. Mix half the milk and matcha, use the frother, and then add the other half and foam again to let the bubble dissipate and prevent the drink from overflowing.
What kind of matcha should I pick?
When it comes to picking the right matcha, there are a few things you can look for. The first is the grade of matcha, which ranges from culinary grade to latte (also known as “premium grade”) to ceremonial grade. Each has their use, but spending more on higher quality tea for your drink is well worth the cost. Besides, you need so little to make this latte that’ll last you a long time.
- The most bitter culinary-grade matcha comes in brown or dull green colors. This type of matcha is great for use with stronger flavors, like fruit drinks, or in baked goods where matcha is not the show’s star.
- Latte grade matcha is a nice in-between grade with its less bitter notes and full-bodied flavor.
- Ceremonial matcha is by far the favorite of the three, with its bright color, rich and slightly sweet taste, smooth texture, and caffeine content. Typically, the brighter green the matcha, the better the product. When making matcha drinks, it is well worth the extra money that ceremonial matcha costs to achieve the amazing matcha flavor!
What does Starbucks use for matcha?
The first time you make a homemade matcha latte, you may be blown away by the rich flavors you don’t usually taste in a Starbucks latte. The matcha latte by Starbucks is known to use a pretty low-grade powder, and the drink is full of sugar. This blend doesn’t give you the full experience of what matcha can taste like. You also don’t get all of the lovely antioxidants and health goodies in ceremonial matcha when you pick up a Starbucks Matcha Latte. It’s fun to swing by and pick up a delicious matcha latte from time to time, so enjoy both versions of this fantastic drink!
More Drinks to Mix and Love!
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Irish Coffee
- Espresso Bailey’s Cocktail
- Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink
- Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte
Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract)
Matcha Latte
- 1 cup milk (and fat %)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder (ceremonial grade)
- Ice
Instructions
Vanilla Syrup
- Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Cut a vanilla bean in half (lengthwise) and place it into the pot. (If you are using vanilla extract instead, add it to the syrup once cooled.)
- Bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high. Then reduce to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, remove the vanilla bean from the pot and pour the syrup into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Matcha Latte
- Add the milk and matcha powder to a 16-ounce glass. Mix with a milk frother (or a spoon) until completely combined. (see note)
- Add 1 tablespoon of the vanilla syrup (or more to your taste) and mix again. Fill the glass with ice cubes and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- When frothing your milk, it can significantly rise in the cup, so you want to use a bigger glass than needed. Alternatively, you can mix the matcha with ½ the amount of milk and mix. Then add the rest of the milk and gently mix again. The bubbles/foam that rise to the top will dissipate as you stir your drink.
- This vanilla simple syrup recipe makes about 2/3 cups of syrup, which is a little over 10 tablespoons.
- Nutritional information is for the latte part of the recipe only and uses 2% milk for reference.
