This might just be the perfect springtime drink. In fact, it’s kind of like sipping on Spring itself. It’ll whisk you away on a lavender matcha cloud straight into summertime. If you’re into dreamy botanical beverages, learn how to make an iced lavender matcha latte without sugar. This recipe has only 3 ingredients and uses a simple DIY lavender simple syrup made with honey instead of cane sugar to sweeten it up just the right amount.
Move over, Starbucks. Not only is this homemade iced lavender matcha latte much healthier (without the 30+ grams of sugar per serving), but it’s so easy and much cheaper to make!
HERE YOU’LL FIND:
What Exactly is Matcha?
The Health Benefits of Matcha
The Health Benefits of Lavender
Other Lavender Recipes You’ll Love
How to Make an Iced Lavender Matcha Latte
Matcha Latte FAQs
More Botanical Beverages for You!
Iced Lavender Matcha Latte Recipe
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What Exactly is Matcha?
Matcha is green tea leaves that have been finely powdered. To make matcha, the tea plant Camellia senensis, the source of all true teas, is shade-grown for 3-4 weeks prior to harvest. This short period of shade growing serves to alter the chemical compounds in the leaves.
For example, this process increases the chlorophyll production, giving it a much brighter green color. And it also alters the levels of other plant compounds in the leaves. This results in a higher caffeine content, antioxidant capacity, and is largely responsible for the overall greater health benefits of matcha over other teas.
The origin and history of matcha is steeped in ritual and ceremony and is an important part of Japanese culture.
Types of Matcha Green Tea
You’ll typically see two types of matcha on the market, ceremonial grade and culinary grade. Matcha is graded based on its appearance, processing methods, and ingredients used.
Ceremonial grade is considered to be the highest quality matcha. It’s noted for its strikingly bright green color, delicate flavor, and its incredibly fine texture. This kind of matcha is meant to be mixed only with water and sipped on straight, with no sweeteners or milk added. These would only mask its delicate flavor.
Culinary grade, on the other hand, is a different product for different uses. You’ll see this grade most often used in cooking, baking, and latte-making. It typically has a much more robust flavor that can stand up against other flavors.
The Health Benefits of Matcha
Where do I even begin?! I’m a big green tea fan, like REAL big. I don’t go a day without it. But I’ll admit that matcha has never been my go-to choice of green teas. Nonetheless, the health benefits are impressive and matcha is a green tea totally worth working into your healthy beverage rotation.
One of the coolest things about matcha is that you consume the entire tea leaf. Whereas, because other teas are simply steeped, you’ll only really get the water-soluble beneficial plant compounds.
Here are some of the drool-worthy health benefits of matcha green tea:
- Higher in antioxidants than both green and black tea that help reduce damage done by free radicals and environmental toxins.
- Super anti-inflammatory activity
- Anti-carcinogenic properties due to its high EGCG content, a highly antioxidant plant compound that has been found to inhibit tumor growth and support other conventional anticancer therapies
- May be effective against viruses due to its beneficial effects on our immune systems
- Heart protective due to its incredible anti-inflammatory properties
- May help to lower blood glucose levels
- May help to prevent neurodegenerative disorders due to high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
The Health Benefits of Lavender
With the addition of lavender to this iced matcha latte, you’re getting a nice double whammy of beneficial plant medicines.
Lavender is often used to help:
- Improve sleep quality
- Ease inflammatory skin conditions such as sunburn, eczema, psoriasis, and even small scrapes and cuts
- Ease other painful inflammatory conditions such as menstrual cramps, migraine headaches, and muscle tension
- Support healthy digestion so that you absorb more nutrients from the food that you eat
- Manage stress, anxiety, and depression
For a deeper dive into the science-supported health benefits of lavender, check this out:
All About Lavender – 19 Science-Backed Health Benefits & More
Other Lavender Recipes You’ll Love
Strawberry Lavender Tart ✺ Lavender and Pink Peppercorn Popcorn Seasoning
✺ Mini Elderberry & Fig Galettes with Lavender-Tulsi Honey ✺
✺ 6 Lavender Teas to Sip On ✺
How to Make an Iced Lavender Matcha Latte
Equipment You’ll Need
- Matcha Whisk or Milk Frother* (I use a handheld battery-operated frother that’s versatile and makes quick work of frothing, but a more traditional matcha whisk is also effective and so fun to use!)
- 10-12 oz Glass
*Alternatively, you could make this recipe in a blender and skip the frothing.
Ingredients
- Non-Dairy Milk (I love oat milk for non-dairy lattes for its natural sweetness and creamy texture.)
- Matcha (THIS organic culinary-grade matcha powder is delicious and perfect for lattes!)
- Lavender Honey Simple Syrup (Use THIS simple recipe to make your own or if you’re okay with cane sugar, use store-bought.)
- Ice
Method
- Add non-dairy milk, matcha powder, and lavender honey simple syrup to a tall glass. Use your handheld milk frother to mix the ingredients throughly, about 45-60 seconds, making sure there are no clumps of matcha powder left.
*If using a bamboo matcha whisk, add matcha powder and a few tablespoons of milk in a small bowl or shallow tea cup. Vigorously whisk the matcha powder into the milk with a back and forth/zigzag motion for about 20 seconds. Then pour this into your glass, add the additional ingredients and stir together.
- Fill glass with ice and enjoy! It’s as simple as that!
Matcha Latte FAQs
What type of matcha should I choose?
It’s recommended to use a culinary grade matcha powder for lattes as the flavor is a bit bolder than ceremonial grade and can hold up against the flavors of the added ingredients. Jade Leaf makes a delicious, organic culinary grade matcha powder.
Is an iced matcha latte good for you?
Yes! Hands-down, yes! Check all the health benefits listed above. Although, be very careful of commercial versions like those from places like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. These tend to contains loads of sugar that turn this tasty beverage with tons of potential health benefits into a sugar bomb that’ll only leave you to crash and burn when that sugar high subsides.
Save yourself some money, inflammation, and a nasty sugar crash by making your own.
What does an iced lavender matcha latte taste like?
The floral taste and aroma of the lavender pairs so perfectly with the slightly sweet, slightly bitter, grassy-green taste of matcha. The kind of non-dairy milk you use can alter the taste significantly. You may already have a non-dairy milk preference. But if you’re looking for suggestions, try almond or oat (my personal fave).
Help! My matcha latte has clumps of matcha in it!
Vigorous whisking (or frothing) is your friend! There are many, many sub-par handheld frothers on the market that, frankly, just lack the power to sufficiently break up clumps of matcha, much less create any actual froth. Granted, they are not meant to mix heavy powders like protein powder into liquid, but they work just fine for a few teaspoons of matcha. And when that fails, there’s always the blender.
More Botanical Beverages for You!
Banana Milk with Ashwagandha & Chamomile ✺ Pink Paloma with Chamomile-Infused Tequila ✺ Fresh-Squeezed Calendula Lemonade
For more plant magic & herbal wellness in your life, be sure to follow along on ➡️ Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter, & snag my herbal 📚 eBooks Nourishing Herbal Gifts & Holiday Pies from the (Un)Bakery. 🌿 And please don’t forget to tag me in your snaps 📸 @_botanyculture_. I love to see all the plant magic you make happen!
Iced Lavender Matcha Latte
(without Sugar)
Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy1
servings5
minutesIngredients
3/4 cup (12 oz) non-dairy milk (I used oat milk, but I think coconut milk would be nice as well.)
2 teaspoons matcha powder
2 teaspoons lavender honey simple syrup, or lavender syrup of preference
ice
Directions
- Add non-dairy milk, matcha powder, and lavender honey simple syrup to a tall glass. Use your handheld milk frother to mix the ingredients throughly, about 45-60 seconds, making sure there are no clumps of matcha powder left.
*If using a bamboo matcha whisk, add matcha powder and a few tablespoons of milk in a small bowl or shallow tea cup. Us the whisk to vigorously whisk the matcha powder into the milk with a back and forth/zigzag motion for about 20 seconds. Then pour this into your glass, add the additional ingredients and stir together. - Fill glass with ice and enjoy! It’s as simple as that!
Notes
- HOT TIP! Make it in bulk! You can make a few servings of this latte at a time. For larger batches I recommend making it in the blender for ease. Just store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar for up to 3 days.
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DISCLAIMER: The information given in this article is intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your healthcare practitioner before consuming certain herbs & medicinal foods, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking any prescription medications.
Thanks for sharing! Does one milk work better than another?
Hey Vanessa,
I think it’s just a matter of taste preference. I enjoy organic oat & soy milk most. (I do recommend checking your ingredient labels when using processed nut/seed milks, as many of them contain lots of unnecessary and/or unpleasant ingredients.) Using coconut milk in this latte makes it feel like a luxurious treat! 🙂 I hope that helps!
🌸 Sass
This looks os good! What a great combination of flavors!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Of course! I always enjoy it right away. However, I’m sure you could make a larger batch & keep it for 3-5 days in a closed container in the fridge, Just make sure to give it a good shake before pouring or drinking. Enjoy!
🌸 Sass