How to Make a Matcha Latte (Hot & Iced): The Golden Ratio
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Use the Golden Matcha Ratio: a 4:40 base of 4g matcha to 40ml hot water at 70°C, whisked smooth before any milk is added.
- Hot latte (200ml): 4g matcha + 40ml hot water (70°C) + 160ml milk.
- Iced latte (300ml): 6g matcha + 60ml hot water (70°C) + 240ml cold milk over ice.
- Always whisk matcha with hot water first, then add milk. Never use boiling water.
A great matcha latte is not about expensive equipment or barista training. It comes down to one thing: the right ratio, prepared the right way. Get the proportions of matcha, water, and milk correct, use the right water temperature, and you will make a smoother, sweeter, more vibrant latte at home than most cafes serve.
This is the exact method we use, built on our Golden Matcha Ratio, for both hot and iced lattes.
Everything starts from one simple base ratio. Once you know it, every latte scales from here.
From that base, the two lattes below are simply a matter of scaling and adding milk. The rule that never changes: whisk the matcha with hot water first, then introduce the milk. This dissolves the powder fully and prevents the clumps that ruin a home latte.
- Ceremonial matcha. A latte needs a matcha bold enough to shine through milk. Culinary grade turns muddy and bitter. Our Ceremonial Latte Blend is made for exactly this.
- A whisk. A bamboo whisk (chasen) gives the best froth, though an electric frother works well too.
- A sieve. Sifting the matcha is the single easiest way to avoid clumps.
- Milk of choice. Barista oat is the cafe favourite; whole dairy is the classic. See our best milk for matcha lattes guide.
- Water at 70°C. Not boiling. This matters more than anything else.
- 4gceremonial matcha (2 tsp)
- 40mlhot water (70°C)
- 160mlmilk, steamed or warmed
- Sift 4g (2 tsp) of matcha into a warm cup or bowl to remove clumps.
- Add 40ml of hot water at 70°C and whisk briskly in a zig-zag motion until smooth and frothy.
- Warm or steam 160ml of your milk, then pour it slowly over the matcha base.
- Stir gently and serve straight away.
- 6gceremonial matcha (3 tsp)
- 60mlhot water (70°C)
- 240mlcold milk
- Iceto fill the glass
- Sift 6g (3 tsp) of matcha into a bowl or cup.
- Add 60ml of hot water at 70°C and whisk until smooth and frothy. Whisking with hot water first is what stops the matcha clumping in cold milk.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour in 240ml of cold milk.
- Pour the matcha base over the milk, stir, and serve immediately.
Matcha does not dissolve in cold liquid, it clumps. Whisking it with a little hot water at 70°C first fully disperses the powder into a smooth base, which then blends cleanly into cold milk over ice. It is the single most important step for a lump-free iced latte.
Every matcha is a little different, and so is every palate. The Golden Ratio is our proven starting point, refined over thousands of cups, but it is a benchmark, not a rigid rule. Different cultivars carry different strength and sweetness, milks vary in body, and your own taste is the final word.
Once you have made it our way, treat the ratio as a baseline and dial it in:
- Want it stronger or more vivid? Add another gram of matcha.
- Prefer it softer and creamier? Add a little more milk.
- Like a lighter body? A splash more water before the milk.
- Trying a bold single-cultivar like Okumidori? You may want slightly less, as its umami is more intense.
The perfect latte is not a fixed formula, it is the one you would happily order again. Use the Golden Ratio to get there fast, then make it unmistakably yours.
If you do not have a temperature-controlled kettle, there is an easy workaround: boil your water, then let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes. It will naturally cool to around 70°C. This one change transforms the flavour for most people. If your matcha still tastes harsh, our guide to why matcha tastes bitter covers the other causes.
- Always sift. Thirty seconds with a sieve is the difference between silky and lumpy.
- Whisk in a zig-zag, not a circle. A W or M motion aerates the matcha and builds a finer froth.
- Use fresh, quality matcha. Even a perfect ratio cannot rescue dull, old, or culinary-grade powder. Freshness and grade do most of the work.
- Pour milk slowly. For latte art or a clean layered look, pour cold milk gently and add the matcha base last.
- Sweeten after, if at all. Good ceremonial matcha is naturally sweet. Taste before reaching for syrup.
Want to go deeper on technique? See How to Whisk Matcha Like a Pro, and for traditional usucha and koicha ratios, our matcha to water ratio guide.
The Golden Ratio works best with a matcha bold enough to shine through milk. Our Ceremonial Latte Blend is finely blended for vivid colour, natural sweetness, and zero bitterness, hot or iced.
Shop the Ceremonial Latte Blend
