Amazing Matcha Ice Cream Recipe (No Eggs!)
This easy matcha ice cream recipe has a pure matcha flavor. It uses only six basic ingredients and no eggs! Enjoy this sweet treat in parfaits, sundaes, or on its own.
This recipe has been a long time coming. I’ve loved matcha ice cream since the only one I could find was the Haagen-Dazs tub in Little Tokyo, and my love only grew after becoming a matcha parfait addict. While I’m lucky enough to have multiple matcha cafes near where I live in Seattle, many of you have asked me for a homemade matcha ice cream recipe, so here it is! You can make your own matcha parfait at home with this and my matcha jelly recipe, or just enjoy a bowl of homemade ice cream on a hot day. I am a little bit picky with my ice cream and go for a very specific texture, so please read through the description below before you jump into the recipe to make sure it’s what you are looking for in ice cream as well.
Matcha Ice Cream Taste and Texture
I have to confess that I am not a huge fan of American ice cream texture. I don’t actually like my ice cream TOO creamy. Instead, I prefer ice milk – the slight crunch of ice crystals trick my brain into thinking I’m eating fresher ingredients. When the texture is too smooth, it feels fake to me. Don’t ask me why! It just is what it is.
So I developed this matcha ice cream recipe to be a little less smooth and creamy and just ever so slightly icy. That’s your warning. I also made this egg-less because 1) eggs are still expensive and 2) I didn’t want the yolks to mess with the color or flavor of the matcha. To replace the eggs, I used gelatin powder instead, which is clear and flavorless but still prevents large ice crystals from forming. I also find that this method is much easier, as you don’t have to make a custard and worry about egg yolks curdling.
This ice cream will give you a very pure matcha latte flavor (just matcha, sugar, and milk, basically), and while it is still soft and creamy, there will be the tiniest ice crystal crunch. If that appeals to you, please give this recipe a try!
Do I Need an Ice Cream Maker? Other Special Equipment
Yes, this recipe calls for an ice cream maker to churn the ice cream. I did a poll on my Instagram thinking no one would want a recipe that uses special equipment, but I was wrong! So this is for all of you who voted in that poll.
I’m using the Cuisinart ice cream maker that I bought 8 years ago, and it still works great. I also use a 1.5 Qt ice cream container for easy scooping. This recipe makes only a pint of ice cream (2 cups) instead of a quart (4 cups), so feel free to double it if you’d like!
What Matcha to Use for Ice Cream?
As always with my sweet matcha recipes, I recommend using a very strong and even fairly bitter blend of matcha. Like coffee, matcha powder can come in different blends from different origins. That means each blend may have its own distinct flavor profile and variations in color. If you don’t want to test out a bunch of different brands yourself, the one I used for this recipe is the Maeda-en Universal Quality matcha. Please note: you don’t have to worry about labels like ceremonial grade or culinary grade – just go by flavor and color. For more information on selecting types of matcha, you can read my Ultimate Guide to Matcha post!
By the way, please note that green tea powder and matcha powder are not the same! I like to buy instant green tea powder when I’m in Japan. You mix it with water to create an instant tea, but this is NOT the same as matcha. Green tea and matcha are from the same tea plant but have very different growing conditions.
More Ice Cream Recipes
Do you want to see more ice cream recipes on Mochi Mommy? Check these two out and let me know what other flavors you want to see!
Amazing Matcha Ice Cream (No Eggs!)
Ingredients
- 1 tsp 3.5g powdered gelatin, see notes
- 1-2 tbsp matcha, see notes
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- The night before, make sure your ice cream maker bowl is in the freezer.
- In a small bowl, whisk gelatin, matcha (see notes below on how much to add), and sugar.
- Add the 1/2 cup cold water and mix well. Set aside.
- In a large pot, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is boiling.
- Turn off the heat and add the matcha gelatin mixture. Stir until everything is dissolved. It's okay if there are a few tiny clumps of matcha. Strain the warm mixture into a large bowl to catch any clumps of gelatin or matcha. Put mixture, covered, in the fridge until cool to the touch, at least an hour. This step can also be done overnight to churn the ice cream the next day.
- Prep your ice cream churner, removing your bowl from the freezer. Pour the cooled matcha cream mixture into the machine and churn for 20 minutes or until your ice cream reaches soft serve consistency.
- You can eat immediately at this consistency, or put in a container and let harden in the freezer. Before serving, let ice cream thaw for 10 minutes on the countertop.
