This easy iced strawberry matcha latte recipe is inspired by the famous Boba Guys drink and is the perfect iced matcha latte variation for summer. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Living in Seattle, we don’t have a Boba Guys near us, but you bet I try to stop by when I’m in California. This is not the official recipe from the Boba Guys cookbook, which I own and highly recommend, so it’s not exactly the same as the one they sell. This matcha latte is made more to my tastes – less sugar and less milk. Use coconut milk or almond milk, and this strawberry matcha latte is also vegan! Edit: I’ve decided I actually like oat milk or soy milk the best for this recipe.

How to Make Strawberry Matcha Latte

You can make this matcha latte in three layers: first you’ll make a loose strawberry jam, then you’ll layer your milk of choice, and lastly your matcha mixture. I know it’s annoying to have to cook the strawberries to make this drink, but it really creates a more concentrated strawberry flavor with nice chunks that you can slurp up your straw. If you’re really against cooking strawberries, you can blend the berries into a fresh strawberry puree. But again, the flavor will not be as strong.

You also don’t have to create a layered drink. After all, you need to stir everything together before you consume it anyway. If you’re not going to show off your pretty home cafe aesthetic, feel free to simplify this recipe by dumping the jam, milk, and whisked matcha all together, either before or after adding the ice.

Help! How to Make Matcha Less Bitter?

If your matcha is super bitter, you may need to try a different blend. Just like coffee, matcha powder comes in different blends and flavor profiles. They range in bitterness and strength of flavor. Most importantly, the flavor of the blend has nothing to do with whether it’s labeled as ceremonial matcha powder or culinary matcha powder. Those labels don’t even exist in Japan. They were created for the Western market.

My advice is to go to the website of a reputable matcha company, such as Ippodo Tea, and see their descriptions of their different blends. They even have a quiz to hep you select the best matcha for you.

Looking for less work? I got you. For drinking, I highly recommend Ippodo Tea’s Sayaka or Ikuyo blends. For more information, check out my Ultimate Guide to Matcha post!

How Much Sugar in Matcha Lattes?

Alternatively, if you really like your matcha flavor but it’s just too bitter to drink, try adding more sugar. My original recipe used 2.5 tbsp sugar for two servings, which I now think is ABSOLUTELY BONKERS and would decimate my old Asian grandma constitution. My revised version uses only 2 tsp of sugar across two servings, which is STILL a little too much in my opinion but is somewhat necessary to bring out the strawberry flavor.

If you’re trying to avoid granulated sugar, you can also use other sweeteners like maple syrup or honey. 

Matcha Latte Texture – Thick or Thin?

To be honest, I’m a little picky about my tea lattes. I don’t like them too thick or creamy. A lot of milk tea places use half and half, but I just can’t bring myself to drink that much dairy when I’m at home. I seriously don’t know how other people’s stomachs can handle it. Even the Starbucks matcha latte is too creamy for me. I prefer a thinner consistency, similar to the tea lattes from 7 Leaves Cafe. Have you tried theirs?

Anyway, all this to say that if you want a thicker, creamier latte you will need to make some adjustments to my recipe. Try reducing the water by half and using half and half instead of the milk or a mixture of both. 

More Tea Latte Recipes

Looking for more ways to get your tea fix? Try these:

strawberry matcha latte in glass cup
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Strawberry Matcha Latte

Inspired by the famous Boba Guys drink, this strawberry matcha latte uses minimal sugar. Use a plant based milk to keep it vegan.
Servings: 2 12 oz glasses
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen strawberries, about 140g
  • 2 tsp sugar, 8g
  • 2 tsp high quality drinking matcha, 4g
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • ice

Instructions
 

  • Put strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until strawberries have softened and a syrup has formed. Mash any remaining large strawberry chunks with a fork.
  • Meanwhile, heat water on stovetop until just about to boil. Strain matcha into a bowl and add water. Whisk or use a frother to completely suspend the matcha in water.
  • Divide the strawberry syrup between two glasses. Add ice cubes on top, filling almost to the rim.
  • Pour 1/2 cup milk into each glass.
  • Divide the dissolved matcha in two portions and pour over the milk in each glass. To create a layered effect, aim the matcha to hit the ice cubes rather than falling directly into the liquid.
  • Stir to mix before drinking.

Notes

  • As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more like an old Asian grandma, preferring bitterness to sweetness. My previous version of this recipe used almost 3 tbsp of sugar split between two glasses, which is now MUCH to sweet for me. If you’ve got a sweet tooth or an extremely bitter blend of matcha, you may want to increase the sugar.
  • With that said, I recommend using a lighter or medium blend matcha for this recipe, since I don’t add much sugar. I recommend sayaka or ikuyo from Ippodo Tea.
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