I love recreating coffee shop drinks at home and this iced mint matcha latte is the latest in my foray into the barista life. It’s a super easy recipe that’s really more of a Trader Joe’s hack than anything else but, I’m telling you, it’s a game changer.
Side note: as you’ve probably heard me talk about before, I’m big on budgeting (I actually need to update this post now that our life looks much different!) and I disagree with some financial advice writers who discount the “latte factor.” So, that’s part of why I love to have the know-how and ingredients on hand to get my specialty coffee fix at home and avoid spending $5 a pop at a coffee shop. The other reason is that I love creating things that taste amazing and knowing that I made it myself. Of course, I also try to balance this with supporting local coffee shops because I DO love a cozy neighborhood spot. My thinking is that I’ll pay for coffee if I’m going to hang out there and use their space. If I’m just picking something up, I can make that home (unless I’m literally not at home).
What is Matcha?
I imagine most of you know what matcha is at this point in time but, for those who might not know: it’s a finely ground green tea powder. So, not surprisingly, it has a flavor similar to that of green tea, however it has a creamy, smooth texture when whisked into water.
You’ll often find it sweetened in hot and cold drinks, but it’s also a flavor profile that’s often featured in desserts and ice cream, as well.
Okay, let’s get into the iced matcha mint latte recipe…
Iced Mint Matcha Latte Recipe
While I love a matcha latte on its own, I also love mint mixed into any tea or coffee drink and matcha is no exception. It adds a refreshing spin on a classic.
2 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup cold milk
Boiling water
First, a note on the Trader Joe’s Matcha Green Latte Mix: this powder latte mix is an easy, ready-made option for making matcha lattes. It may not be for matcha purists, but it gets the job done and the taste is super smooth and not-too-sweet .
Mix 2 tablespoons (less than the recommended 3 tablespoons on the label!) of matcha latte mix with boiling water. The water needs to be hot to have the mix dissolve. Add in peppermint extract to taste (a little goes a long way!). At this point you could pour over ice, but I prefer to let it sit out and cool for a bit so that the drink doesn’t get diluted as the ice melts.
Once cool, stir in 1/4 cup cold milk to add the the creaminess. Add ice. Garnish with mint if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy!
