Matcha Cherry Blossom (Sakura) Latte Recipe
This matcha cherry blossom latte recipe is the perfect drink for spring. Simply add matcha and cherry blossom syrup to my easy strawberry milk recipe, and you’re all set!
What is a Cherry Blossom Latte?
In Asia, a “latte” refers to pretty much any drink where the base liquid is milk; no coffee needed. Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom, so this matcha sakura latte is a cherry blossom flavored milk drink with matcha.
Cherry Blossom Foods in Japan
Contrary to what you might see on social media, cherry blossom desserts and drinks are a fairly recent trend in Japan. While cherry blossom season has always been a really big deal in Japan, these sweet cherry blossom flavored treats are a new development. Most traditional cherry blossom foods are made with pickled cherry blossoms – like sakura gohan or sakura mochi. I’ve seen sakura teas and cookies also made with pickled cherry blossoms. But, as you might have guessed from the “pickled” label, these foods are often savory and not so much sweet and floral. When I talk about cherry blossom flavored desserts, my Japanese friends who are… *ahem* a little older in age always say they think cherry blossom desserts are not typical Japanese foods.
But in recent years, Starbucks Japan has been coming out with cherry blossom themed drinks every spring. And, of course, they always have some sort of sweet cherry blossom frappuccino. Vibrant pink drinks do very well on social media, and I’m guessing that a lot of the sweet cherry blossom desserts we see now are inspired by Starbucks. I actually just recently had a cherry blossom themed ice cream parfait in Seattle!
What Kind of Matcha is Best for Lattes?
You’re going to get all kinds of answers to this question on the internet, but the best answer is – whatever matcha flavor you enjoy drinking in lattes. Don’t worry about labels like ceremonial or culinary. Just go with your tastebuds.
If you’re brand new to matcha and haven’t tried many brands, I recommend trying Trader Joe’s if you’re in America. I actually quite like the flavor, and it’s not too expensive. My favorite brand, though, is Ippodo, which is from Kyoto. I’ve tried 5-6 different matcha blends from them, and they’ve all been great. Their website has recommendations based on how strong or bitter you like your matcha.
If you’re looking for even more in depth information about matcha and matcha blends, definitely check out my Ultimate Guide to Matcha post!
Tips for Layering Matcha Drinks
I learned how to layer my drinks from the Boba Guys’ boba cookbook. The trick is to fill the glass FULL with ice and pour your matcha as the last layer so that it hits the ice before spreading down the rest of the drink. If you miss the ice, it pours straight down to the bottom.
I completely missed the ice when filming this recipe, and therefore my pictures aren’t layered very nicely. Oops. Do as I say, not as I do.
More Matcha Recipes
Looking for more matcha recipes? I got you! Check these out:
- Matcha Horchata Latte
- My Perfect Iced Matcha Latte
- Matcha Crinkle Cookies
- Matcha Butter Mochi
- Matcha Chiffon Cake
Matcha Cherry Blossom Latte
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup milk of choice, 6oz
- 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries, about 4g
- 1 tbsp cherry blossom syrup, can add more to increase sweetness
- 1/4 cup room temperature water, optional
- ice
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 tsp matcha
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
- Blend milk, strawberries, cherry blossom syrup, and optional water until smooth. Without the optional water, your drink will be thicker, like a smoothie. Adjust to your texture preference.
- Fill a 12oz glass with ice and pour blended milk over it.
- Sift tsp of matcha into a bowl or cup for whisking. Pour hot (but not boiling) 1/4 cup water into bowl and whisk with a bamboo matcha whisk until frothy.
- Pour matcha over iced strawberry milk. Stir well before drinking.
