Iced Strawberry Oat Matcha Latte

Ingredients

• Matcha powder - You can use any matcha powder you have, just make sure it's 100% matcha. I like ceremonial grade. It can be pricier than others but I find it to be less bitter. Starbucks uses matcha mixed with sugar so they add a much bigger amount into their drinks than you would at home. For a grande-sized drink you only need 1 teaspoon of 100% matcha power.
• Strawberry syrup - All you need for the syrup is fresh strawberries, cane sugar, and water. You can also add a little bit of vanilla extract but it's optional. If you prefer, you can use maple syrup instead of cane sugar.
• Oat milk - The original calls for oat milk but you can use any milk you prefer in your matcha. For oat milk lattes, I like using Earth's Own or Elmhurst Barista. I often use almond milk instead of oat milk and Elhurst is my all-time favorite.
• Strawberries - Starbucks uses freeze-dried strawberries in their drinks but you can add chopped strawberries instead. Frozen chopped strawberries are also great because they'll look pretty and cool down your drink without watering it down!

Variations and Substitutions

• Almond milk - Matcha is really delicious with almond milk. Coconut milk is also a great option but I recommend using the boxed kind, not canned coconut milk.
• Different berries - If you don't have strawberries or not enough, you can use raspberries or blackberries, or a mix of the three. Frozen strawberries also work in a pinch but fresh strawberries will always give the syrup more flavor.
• Store-bought syrup - If you don't have time to make your own syrup at home, you can totally use store-bought! Monin is the most readily available and a great choice.
• Make it hot - Skip the ice and warm up your milk along with the matcha to make it into a hot drink instead of iced. I like to use a milk frother that also warms up the milk to make the latte extra creamy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Strawberry Syrup

1. Start by making the syrup. You can do this ahead of time. The syrup will last two weeks in the fridge.
2. Add chopped strawberries, cane sugar, and water into a small saucepan. Bring everything to a boil stirring often to make sure the sugar dissolves.
3. Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will help the syrup absorb even more strawberry flavor.
4. Strain the syrup into a large measuring cup through a fine mesh strainer and stir in the vanilla extract if using. Pour the syrup into an airtight glass jar and store the syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

1. Fill a tall glass with ice and diced strawberries or frozen strawberries. Pour strawberry syrup over the ice.
2. Froth your oat milk if desired and pour it over the syrup.
3. Sift your matcha into a cup or a bowl and pour hot water over it. Whisk the two using a matcha whisk or a handheld milk frother.
4. Pour the matcha over the milk and garnish with a strawberry if desired.

Serving and Storing

This drink, just like any other latte, is best served right away. To speed things up in the morning, I highly recommend making the strawberry syrup ahead. That way, it should take you only about 5 minutes to make the matcha latte! The syrup will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and it's enough for 8-12 servings.

Other Starbucks-Inspired Matcha Recipes

Starbucks has lots of coffee-based drinks to choose from but some of my favorite drinks to recreate are the ones that don't have coffee like matcha drinks or various iced teas. Below are three matcha drinks you need to try if you like this strawberry matcha! Head over to the Starbucks Drinks category to see all the latest ones.

• Iced Matcha Lemonade
• Iced Matcha Chai Latte (personal favorite!)
• Iced Pineapple Matcha Drink