So you love matcha lattes but don’t love the dairy and sugar. This recipe has all the good stuff, plus it’s dairy-free and so much easier than you can imagine.

I make matcha lattes quite often, and have figured out a few ways to make it like they do in cafes.

In my tea cabinet I have culinary matcha (for cooking and baking), and other grades of matcha, such as the ceremonial grade, which is used for matcha lattes.

Traditionally, a bamboo whisk is used as a tea frother, but in a pinch, if you don’t possess a bamboo cha-sen whisk, you can use a handheld battery-operated frother and no one will ever know (unless you are making matcha during tea ceremony, of course, in which case that would be quite embarrassing or funny, depending).

Japanese tea ceremony has been practiced for centuries. The art — or way — of tea is an act of grace and beauty. It is a zen ritual of being in the moment, utilizing tea to connect with the spirit and to share the experience with others. The highest ceremonial grade matcha is used for tea ceremony, as the whole tea leaf contains intense flavor and color. The vibrant green color is grassy and fresh.

There are two kinds of matcha in preparation: usucha (thin tea) and koicha (thick tea). Usucha is made from the leaves of the tea bushes that are younger (30 years) and koicha is made from the first harvest of plants that are at least 30 years old and more. There is a natural sweetness to high-grade ceremonial matcha tea so you rarely want to add any sort of sweetener. A matcha latte (you can make this with frothed soy, almond or coconut milk) transforms into a finer experience than matcha lattes made at coffee houses that are usually made with a sugary powdered mix instead of real green tea powder (matcha). The taste of the tea itself stands out without being too sweet when made properly with a superior grade matcha.

Once you’ve tasted the pure quality over the processed mix stuff, you’ll understand why I am explaining this. Sort of like instant coffee with artificial sweetener versus a quality espresso made with perfectly frothy milk. There is no comparison. You can find a few of my favorite brands here and here.

I hope you enjoy this matcha latte recipe and start to create your own instead of buying it at a café. Besides, if you stay home and make matcha lattes, you’ll skip the long lines for the latest latte marketing craze (um, unicorn frappuccino?) and save enough to buy more high-quality matcha tea.

MATCHA LATTE

• 1 1/4 tsp ceremonial grade matcha powder 

• 1 tbsp sweetener (I use monkfruit or stevia to taste)

• 1 tbsp hot water

• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I like oat milk the best for froth, and recommend coconut, cashew or macadamia milk)

Instructions

1. Add matcha powder to cup with hot water.

2. Whisk with cha-sen (bamboo whisk) until completely blended into a paste. You can also use a small metal whisk or froth the latte in a mini blender — I’ve even used my bullet blender. Bamboo whisks are ideal for matcha making.

3. Heat milk. I use a frother but you could also heat in a small saucepan on the stovetop.

4. Pour milk into your cup, taste to see if you need more sweetener. Enjoy.