Matcha Recipes: Baking, Frozen, Savoury and Cocktails, Teas.co.uk

Matcha Recipes: Baking, Frozen, Savoury and Cocktails

Matcha works far beyond the cup, baking, ice cream, savoury salts, pasta and cocktails, with shortbread the easy gateway; always use culinary grade for cooking.

Published 9 Feb 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Matcha recipes, in summary: Matcha works far beyond the cup, baking, ice cream, savoury salts, pasta and cocktails, with shortbread the easy gateway; always use culinary grade for cooking.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in May 2026.

Matcha goes far beyond the cup. The vivid green powder works in baking, ice cream, smoothies, cocktails, dressings, savoury sauces, and even pasta dough. The whole leaf consumption that makes matcha distinctive in tea also makes it useful in cooking, you get the full flavour and colour without straining anything.

Quick reference: cooking with matcha

Use	Note
Gateway bake	Matcha shortbread, ~20 min, dramatic colour
Frozen	No-churn ice cream, vivid and distinctive
Savoury	Finishing salt, green pasta dough, matcha rice
Cocktails	Whisk into warm water first (martini, mojito)
Grade	Culinary only, heat wastes ceremonial
Not a substitute	Matcha is whole-leaf, not steeped green tea

Matcha latte (the foundation)

Whisked matcha + steamed milk + sweetener. Detailed recipe here.

Matcha smoothie

1 tsp culinary matcha
200ml cold milk (or oat milk)
1 banana
1 tbsp honey
Handful of spinach (optional, for green smoothie boost)
Ice

Blend until smooth. Vivid green colour, energising, healthy feeling.

Matcha shortbread

225g butter
100g sugar
350g flour
2 tbsp culinary matcha
Pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar.
Sift in flour, matcha, salt. Mix to dough.
Form into a log; refrigerate 1 hour.
Slice into rounds; bake 160°C for 12-15 minutes.
The vivid green biscuits are striking. Pair with white chocolate chunks.

Matcha ice cream

500ml double cream
200g condensed milk
2 tbsp culinary matcha (sifted)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip cream to soft peaks.
Whisk condensed milk + matcha + vanilla in a separate bowl.
Fold cream into matcha mixture.
Freeze 4-6 hours.

No churn matcha ice cream. Vivid colour, distinctive flavour.

Matcha cake

225g butter
225g sugar
4 eggs
225g self raising flour
2 tbsp matcha
1 tsp baking powder

Standard sponge cake method. The matcha provides green colour and slight bitterness that balances the sugar. Excellent with white chocolate ganache or lemon curd.

Matcha tiramisu

Replace coffee soak with strong brewed matcha + sugar syrup. Mascarpone layer flavoured with whisked matcha. Top with sifted matcha powder. Dramatic green tiramisu.

Matcha overnight oats

50g rolled oats
200ml milk (or yoghurt)
1 tsp matcha
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chia seeds

Combine in jar. Refrigerate overnight. Topping: berries, nuts, additional honey.

Matcha protein balls

200g dates (pitted)
100g cashews or almonds
2 tbsp matcha
1 tbsp coconut oil
Pinch of salt

Blend ingredients. Roll into balls. Coat with desiccated coconut or extra matcha. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Savoury matcha applications

Matcha salt

1 tbsp matcha + 100g sea salt flakes. Use as finishing salt on grilled fish, chicken, or vegetables.

Matcha pasta dough

Standard pasta dough + 1 tbsp matcha per 200g flour. Vivid green pasta. Pair with simple butter and Parmesan sauce.

Matcha rice

Cook rice in green tea coloured liquid: 1 tsp matcha dissolved in 600ml water for 200g rice. Slightly grassy, beautifully coloured rice.

Matcha vinaigrette

1 tsp matcha + 4 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tsp honey + pinch of salt. Whisk to emulsify. Salad dressing with subtle matcha character.

Matcha cocktails

Matcha martini

50ml gin + 1 tsp matcha (whisked into 30ml warm water first) + 15ml lemon juice + 15ml simple syrup. Shake hard. Strain into chilled coupe. Vivid green cocktail.

Matcha mojito

50ml white rum + 1 tsp matcha (whisked into 30ml water) + lime juice + mint + soda water. Long, refreshing.

Matcha gin and tonic

Standard G&T + ½ tsp dissolved matcha. Distinctive twist.

Choosing matcha for cooking

Use culinary grade. Don't waste ceremonial on cooking, the heat destroys the delicate qualities. Culinary matcha (£8-15 per 30g) works perfectly. Brands: Clearspring, Teapigs, Naoki, basic Chinese import culinary matcha.

Storage during cooking

Matcha oxidises rapidly when exposed. For baking, sift only what you need. For ice cream, mix into the base immediately before freezing. Don't pre mix matcha into liquids and leave for hours.

Caffeine in matcha recipes

Matcha shortbread (24 biscuits, 2 tbsp matcha): ~250mg caffeine total = ~10mg per biscuit. Negligible per serving.

Matcha latte: 120-160mg per cup.

Matcha ice cream (10 servings, 2 tbsp matcha): ~25mg per serving.

FAQ

Best matcha for cooking? Culinary grade. Don't waste ceremonial on heat applied recipes.

Does matcha lose benefits when cooked? Some heat sensitive compounds degrade. The colour and most flavour survive. Don't cook matcha specifically for traditional uses, drink it for that.

Can I substitute matcha for green tea in recipes? No, matcha is whole leaf consumption; green tea is steeped extract. Different products.

What pairs well with matcha? White chocolate, vanilla, lemon, honey, cream, cinnamon, sesame.

Cooking with matcha latte concentrate? Use brewed matcha (whisked then strained or just used powder dissolved in water) for cooking applications that need liquid matcha.

Curator's note: matcha shortbread is the gateway recipe, 20 minutes from cupboard to oven, dramatic colour, distinctive flavour, easy to make. Once you've baked with matcha you'll find more applications. Lee, Teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.