Hallo there ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ My name is Adrian and I work on the team at OMOI. I hope this blog entry is a relaxing read and afterwards you feel excited to make yourself matcha at home. I had been a coffee drinker my whole life, but had to give it up last year because of the caffeine. Not that matcha is an alternative to coffee, I would literally NEVER make that claim. A standard serving of matcha does have less caffeine than a standard cup of coffee though, and I find the tactile process of making both to be really relaxing and rewarding.
I can't exactly remember my first introduction to matcha. It was more than 6 years ago, but I remember, like a lot of others, my first encounter made me wonder if the flavor profile was too earthy to me or if I enjoyed how unique the flavor was. Hmmm. I was really intrigued. Fast forward to 2026, matcha is popular to order in cafes globally and is used as the key ingredient in 'trendy' food items. Food trends are a really weird concept to me. That's besides the point right now though! Today, I'm excited to share with you my own tried-and-tested recipe for a matcha latte at home.
When I began drinking matcha out and about around Philly, it became obvious to me how crafting matcha-based drinks was technical and tool-oriented. Sign me up. I like to engage with something that's new to me and outside of my own culture by learning about the origin and history, watching how others engage with the item (both present day and throughout history), and then trying my own hand at it. Exploring matcha was the same. I did a lot of research through reading articles, watching video tutorials, and reading the instructions on the back of almost every matcha powder I came across in stores. I didn't buy any matcha powder for a while, but just kept researching and drinking it at different cafes to compare and learn more. The price is a reason I held back on buying any matcha powder sooner as well. It isn't cheap. It shouldn't be. The detailed process of its growth, harvest, and production prior to ending up on a shelf to buy are very precise. I didn't want to waste anything by being underprepared!
The first matcha powder I tried was the Jugetsudo Fuji no Haru Ceremonial Grade Matcha. It comes in a nice tin with colorful packaging, and I found the price to be a great value; 50g of Ceremonial Grade matcha powder for $28. Deal. Then began my journey of matcha making at home! The first cup was okay. Wasn't great. The texture was off. After that it's been a lot of slight tweaking since that first flop-of-a-cup. I found that the order to pour ingredients together in my cup made a huge difference on the final result. For example, I found pouring the matcha directly over ice lead to my tea tasting very watered down. I changed the order to putting ice in the cup first, then milk, then lastly my matcha on top and slightly swirl all three together. I was elated that the taste of the matcha was preserved and not watered down by just switching that order.
A Simple Matcha Latte Recipe
*use your preferred matcha or houjicha powder
Step 1) Gather all your tools and materials! We'll be using a chashaku matcha scoop, tea strainer, bamboo whisk, chawan, mug, an electric tea kettle, choice of milk, and matcha.
Step 2) Heat up 75 mL of water to 175°F. Try to use an electric kettle that can measure the temperature of the water. Too hot of water will change the taste of the matcha.
Step 3) Prep your milk. Add a 1 to 1.5 cups of your choice of milk to a glass over ice and set to the side. Or if you'd like a hot latte, heat your milk to the desired temperature and set to slightly cool while you whisk your matcha in the next steps.
Step 4) Measure and sift your matcha powder. Use 3 grams of matcha powder (3 scoops with the chashaku scoop or approximately 1.5 teaspoons). Sift the matcha through the tea strainer into the chawan.
Step 5) Pour the hot water onto the matcha powder, and whisk vigorously in a W shape! It takes time and attention when whisking to make sure you've done it properly, normally around 20 to 30 seconds of constant whisking and agitation. You'll know you're done when you see frothy small bubbles all over the surface.
Step 6) Combine and enjoy! Pour the matcha over your ice and milk, swirl gently, and take a sip ♡
