How to Make a Matcha Latte with Dairy-Free Milk

Dairy-free matcha lattes are standard in speciality cafes and straightforward to make at home. The key is choosing the right plant milk and understanding how to work with it.

Which plant milk works best?

• Barista oat milk — the most popular choice. Froths well, neutral-to-sweet flavour, creamy texture. Standard oat milk is thinner and less suitable for steaming.
• Barista soy milk — foams well, neutral flavour. Reliable.
• Almond milk — lighter and less creamy. Better for iced lattes than hot.
• Cashew milk — naturally creamy, pleasant with matcha.
• Coconut milk (carton) — adds a slight coconut note. Works better cold.

Hot matcha latte

Sift 1.5–2g of matcha into a bowl. Add 50ml of water at 70–80°C. Whisk until smooth and frothy. Heat 180ml of barista oat milk and froth. Pour milk over the matcha, holding back the foam, then add foam on top.

Iced matcha latte

Prepare and cool the matcha base. Fill a glass with ice. Pour cold oat or almond milk over the ice. Add the cooled matcha and stir. For stronger flavour, use 2g of matcha dissolved in 40ml of water.

Adding sweetener

Ceremonial grade matcha has natural sweetness that often needs no sugar. If you want sweetness, maple syrup or agave blends more easily than granulated sugar. Add to the matcha-water mixture before adding milk.