Assembled · Tea
How to make a matcha latte
A matcha latte is matcha whisked into a small amount of hot water, then joined by hot milk.
- Matcha
- 2 g
- Cup
- 250 ml
- Temp
- 80 °C
- Time
- 2:40
The whisking step is the one that matters: matcha is a powder that floats in water and does not dissolve, so it needs to be sifted and beaten into a smooth paste before the milk goes in. This page gives a single bowl build, a 160-second sequence, and the reasons behind each number. It is not a ceremonial matcha guide, and it does not rank grades.
The spec
| Part | Amount |
|---|---|
| Matcha powder | 2 g |
| Water | 70 ml at 80 °C |
| Milk | 180 ml, heated to 60 to 65 °C |
| Cup | wide bowl, 350 ml |
| Total in cup | 250 ml |
| Total time | 160 seconds |
The cup is filled to about 71 percent, which leaves room to whisk and to carry it.
You need
- A scale that reads to 0.1 g.
- A fine sieve and a spoon.
- A bamboo whisk (chasen), or a small electric frother as a substitute.
- A kettle and a thermometer.
- A milk pitcher and a way to heat and froth milk, a steam wand or a small pan and a whisk.
- A wide bowl of about 350 ml.
Steps
- 0:00, Heat 180 ml milk to 60–65 °C.
Warm 180 ml of milk to 60 to 65 °C. Froth lightly if you like. Set it aside, covered.
- 1:30, Sift 2 g matcha into the bowl.
Press 2 g of matcha through the sieve into the bowl. This breaks up lumps that whisking will not.
- 1:50, Pour 70 ml water at 80 °C.
Pour in 70 ml of water at 80 °C.
- 2:00, Whisk in a W motion until foamy.
Whisk quickly in a W or M motion, wrist moving, not stirring in circles. Stop when the surface is covered with fine foam and no powder clumps remain.
- 2:20, Pour in the hot milk.
Pour the hot milk in slowly. Drink soon after.
My notes for this recipe
The water temperature
Matcha is commonly prepared with water below boiling, and tea sellers publish figures close to the ones used here. One Japanese retailer's guide, Hibiki-an, lists 2 g of matcha, 70 ml of water and 80 °C for thin matcha (usucha). We searched for a Japanese government, tea-association or academic source for these values and did not find one, so CupTune treats 2 g, 70 ml and 80 °C as authored starting points, not as a standard. The retailer's guide describes a bowl of plain matcha, not a latte, so it gives no milk amount.
If your water is hotter than 80 °C, let the kettle sit for a minute or two and measure again. A thermometer matters more than the clock here, since kettles and room temperatures differ. Cooler water, around 70 °C, is a reasonable move if you find the result harsh. CupTune has no controlled tasting data on that point.
Why these numbers
2 g, 70 ml, 80 °C. Authored. A retailer's guide lists the same figures for thin matcha, which is reassuring but is a seller's convention, not a standard or a measurement.
180 ml of milk. Authored. With the 70 ml of water it brings the drink to 250 ml. More milk makes the drink gentler and thinner on matcha flavour.
60 to 65 °C milk. Authored. Hot milk keeps the drink warm after it joins a bowl that has cooled the paste a little.
Times. Authored. They add up to 160 seconds, the total the timer will run. The whisking time is the one to adjust by looking: stop when the foam is fine and uniform.
If it looks or tastes wrong
- Lumps. The powder was not sifted, or the water was added before you began to whisk. Sift every time.
- Bitter. The water was too hot, or the dose was higher than 2 g. Cool the water and measure.
- Grassy and thin. The dose was low or the milk too much. Raise matcha to 2.5 g or cut the milk to 150 ml.
- No foam. Whisk faster, with the wrist loose, and use a wide, shallow bowl.
- Separates on standing. Matcha settles. Give it a stir and drink promptly.
These fixes are CupTune's judgement, not tasting results.
Evidence and limits
No number on this page comes from a primary source. We found no Japanese government, tea-association or academic page giving a preparation dose, water volume or temperature for matcha, so the 2 g, 70 ml and 80 °C are authored. A retailer's guide (Hibiki-an) lists the same figures for thin matcha, which supports them only as common trade practice. The milk volume, milk temperature, whisking technique, times and the idea of a latte built from these numbers are authored too. Matcha grades differ, and a cheaper culinary grade often needs a little more powder or sweetener to balance. CupTune does not recommend any brand.
Questions
Can I use cold milk for an iced version?
Yes, but that is a different drink. Whisk the paste as above, then pour over ice and cold milk. The timings here do not apply.
Do I need a bamboo whisk?
No. A small electric frother gives a similar foam. A fork does not.
Is matcha the same as green tea powder?
Matcha is a specific powdered tea. Products labelled green tea powder may differ. Check the label.