Matcha Latte Macchiato Recipe: Vegan & Non-Vegan

This caffeinated warm and sweet drink doesn’t only look and taste great but also has the ability to give you a gentle energy boost in the morning.

On top of that, it’s quite easy to make, which is why I decided to include this matcha latte recipe.

By taking advantage of my ingredient recommendations and instructions on how to make this hot green tea beverage, you will be able to recreate your own vegan or non-vegan version at home.

If you’re a Starbucks matcha latte fan, you will undoubtedly love this homemade healthy drink.

For those interested in the calorie count, a non-vegan matcha latte macchiato contains 150 kcal, while a vegan one made with almond milk – around 120 kcal.

Of course, the number of calories that your homemade drink has depends on the exact ingredients you use.

The most calorie-dense ingredients are the sweeteners – maple syrup or honey.

If you want to significantly decrease the number of calories you consume by having this DIY matcha latte, you can use 4 to 6 drops of liquid stevia instead.

Why Macchiato?
‘Macchiato’ actually means stained or marked. I call this drink a Matcha Latte Macchiato, because the top milk foam layer of the latte is marked with matcha. You can check out my detailed post on what’s a macchiato to learn more about the traditional espresso-based drink, which carries this name.

Now that we’ve cleared that out, let’s continue.

Ingredients

  • Matcha powder – 1 teaspoon.

    If you have high-grade Japanese ceremonial Matcha powder, that’s great.

    Not only does it make a brighter neon-green-colored tea, but it also tastes better and may have more beneficial properties.

    That being said, I made the Matcha green tea latte that you see on the photos by using the culinary Matcha powder by Matcha Organics (click here to check it out on Amazon).

    So even if you use a lower grade one, I’m pretty sure that you’ll be more than happy with the final result.

    You may want to add more than a teaspoon to increase the caffeine content.

    In a teaspoon of matcha powder, you get around 60 milligrams of caffeine. As a comparison, a shot of espresso generally contains from 60 to 65 milligrams of caffeine.
  • Off-the-boil water: 1 fl. oz. or 30 ml.

    Instead of mixing the matcha powder with milk, you’ll have to dissolve it in heated water separately.

    This way you’ll achieve this aesthetically pleasing layered look.

    Think of it as a matcha shot. As we know a classic latte is made with a shot of espresso. Consequently, a green tea latte – with a shot of green tea. It makes sense, right?

    Related Post: Matcha vs. Coffee – The Ultimate Comparison
  • Warm milk: 4 fl.oz. or 120 ml.

    To make a vegan Matcha latte macchiato you can use unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk.

    My go-to is almond, as I prefer its taste compared to other plant-based options. It doesn’t froth quite well, but I use a hand drink mixer, which makes it quite easy for me to froth it.

    If you’re making a non-vegan matcha latte, feel free to use whole milk or even half-and-half.

    The latter will make your drink much creamier, but at the same time – more calorie-dense.

    No matter whether you go for a vegan or a dairy product – warm it up in advance.

    Not only because we’re making a hot, not an iced latte.

  • 1 tablespoon of Honey (non vegan)/ 1 to 2 tablespoons of Maple syrup (vegan).

    Have you tried making a matcha latte like the one made at Starbucks by simply mixing matcha powder and hot milk?

    If you haven’t, don’t waste your time, as you won’t be able to replicate the taste that way.

    The green tea Starbucks latte contains sugar. So you need to add some sort of a sweetener to your copycat Starbucks drink for it to taste as you’d expect.

    I recommend adding honey or maple syrup, as they’re generally considered a healthier alternative to white refined sugar.

    I also enjoy the flavor they add to the homemade matcha latte.

    If you want to make your non-vegan drink even healthier, use raw Manuka honey (like this one) instead of pasteurized one.

    If you’re interested in finding out more about using honey as a coffee or tea sweetener, check out this Woke Lark article.

    If you want to have a vegan Matcha Latte, another option would be to use Vanilla Syrup, such as this one by Monin. It’s 100% vegan and will add a nice vanilla flavor to your homemade drink.

Equipment

To make a homemade matcha latte macchiato like the one seen in all of the pictures throughout this post, you need a device that can foam your milk properly.

If you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand, or one of these milk heating and frothing devices, there is another quite affordable alternative.

You can get yourself a battery-operated drink mixer that does a perfect job at frothing milk.

I used such a gadget in the making of this particular matcha latte.

Check out the price and more photos of this Zulay hand mixer on Amazon by clicking here.

How to make a Matcha Latte Macchiato: Recipe Instructions.

Since we’ve covered the matcha latte ingredients, it’s time to dive into the directions that you need to follow. They are essential to achieve this cool look you see in the photos.

To make a Matcha latte macchiato, do the following:

  1. Pour the matcha powder in 1 fl. oz. (30 milliliters) of hot water. If possible, run the powder through a sifter.
  2. Mix well with a frother (drink mixer). If you have a matcha bowl and whisk, use them instead.
  3. Add honey or maple syrup to the warmed up milk.
  4. Mix well and froth the milk by using a drink mixer.
  5. Pour frothed milk in a glass.
  6. Gently pour the matcha green tea over the milk. Use a spoon by placing it upside down in the corner of the glass. By pouring the matcha tea on its surface the liquid will flow to the side and go down the glass under the foam, without staining the top white layer.

In case you pour the matcha shot directly onto the milk foam, the top milk layer will be marked with a green stain.

Lately, instead of staining the milk foam with matcha, I’ve been trying to keep the top layer clean and white by using the aforementioned pouring technique.

By doing so I get a clean and aesthetically pleasing layered look.

I like sprinkling my drink with a bit of matcha powder on top to make it look even better.

Have in mind though, that when you’re ready to take a sip from this delicious hot latte, you’ll have to stir it. You will ruin the layered aesthetic, and your drink will turn soft green.

By stirring you will combine all the flavors which will result in an extremely tasty and satisfying homemade beverage. So don’t feel sorry that your matcha latte doesn’t look as good as it did before the mixing of its layers.

Related Woke Lark recipes:

Yield: 1 serving

Matcha Latte (Macchiato): Vegan & Non-Vegan

Matcha Latte (Macchiato): Vegan & Non-Vegan

This is a delicious Matcha green tea latte with a cool aesthetically-pleasing look. In the ingredient section, you can see both vegan and non-vegan ingredient recommendations, so that you can adjust the recipe according to your diet. I call this green tea latte a 'Macchiato', as the top milk foam layer is marked with matcha.

Prep Time 4 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

  • Matcha Green Tea Powder - 1 teaspoon
  • Off-the-boil Water - 1 fl. oz. (30 milliliters)
  • Warmed-up milk - 4 fl. oz. (120 milliliters)
  • Honey - 1 tablespoon or Maple or Vanilla Syrup (vegan) - 1 to 2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Pour the matcha powder into the hot water. If you can, sift the matcha powder into your cup.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Add honey or syrup to the warmed-up milk.
  4. Mix and froth the milk with a whisk or a drink mixer/milk frother.
  5. Pour the frothed milk into a cup.
  6. Pour the matcha green tea on top.
  7. Decorate with a bit of matcha powder on top.

Over to you

I hope you liked my take on this green tea recipe.

No matter whether you make the vegan version or not, I’m sure that you’re going to love your DIY matcha latte macchiato.

Drop me a comment below to ask me a question or to share your thoughts and recommendations.

Leave a Comment

Skip to Recipe