Matcha Frappé
A creamy and energizing blended drink made with matcha green tea and milk.
What is this drink?
The Matcha Frappé is a creamy, blended non-alcoholic Japanese-inspired drink that combines ceremonial-grade matcha powder with milk and honey, blended with ice into a smooth, vibrant green frozen beverage that is both energizing and indulgent.
Why you'll love it
Matcha's unique earthy-grassy flavor and striking vivid green color combined with the creamy, sweet richness of a frappé creates a drink that feels simultaneously wellness-forward and genuinely indulgent — a coffee shop favorite you can make at home.
When to serve
Perfect for morning energy boosts, afternoon treat breaks, study sessions, yoga and wellness occasions, or any time you want a visually beautiful, moderately caffeinating mocktail that also happens to be genuinely delicious.
Pro tip
Sift the matcha powder through a fine tea strainer before blending — matcha clumps easily and any lumps will produce a grainy texture in the final frappé instead of the silky smooth consistency that defines a great matcha drink.
Matcha Powder
Stone-ground Japanese green tea leaves produce this brilliantly green powder — its earthy, umami-rich, subtly grassy flavor is the drink's defining characteristic and its natural caffeine and L-theanine provide calm, focused energy.
Milk
Creamy milk blended with matcha and ice creates the smooth, frappé-like texture — whole milk produces the richest, most indulgent result, while oat or almond milk offers excellent dairy-free alternatives.
Honey
Natural honey provides a gentle, floral sweetness that complements matcha's bitterness beautifully — its delicate flavor does not compete with the matcha but rather softens its edges and brings out its natural sweetness.
Swap Options
Use sweetened condensed milk instead of honey and regular milk for an ultra-rich, dessert-style matcha frappé. Add a shot of espresso for a matcha-espresso dirty frappé. Replace honey with vanilla syrup for a classic café-style matcha frappé flavor.
Blend ingredients
Blend matcha, milk, honey, and ice until smooth.
Tips:
- •Sift matcha to prevent clumps.
Serve and garnish
Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream.
Tips:
- •Dust with extra matcha powder if desired.
- Use ceremonial-grade matcha for vibrant color.
- Add vanilla extract for sweetness.
Different ways to make this drink your own
Matcha Espresso Frappé
Add a single shot of chilled espresso to the blender alongside the matcha, milk, honey, and ice for a caffeinated, energizing hybrid that satisfies both coffee and matcha lovers. The espresso's roasted bitterness contrasts beautifully with matcha's earthy, grassy notes.
Condensed Milk Matcha Frappé
Replace honey and regular milk with sweetened condensed milk for an ultra-rich, indulgently creamy dessert-style frappé. Condensed milk creates a thicker, sweeter, more decadent result — similar to a Vietnamese iced coffee but with matcha's distinctive earthy depth.
Vanilla Matcha Frappé
Replace honey with vanilla syrup and add a small splash of vanilla extract for a fragrant, café-style variation. Vanilla's sweet floral aroma softens matcha's earthiness into a more accessible, crowd-pleasing flavor that works beautifully for matcha newcomers.
Tools that make this drink come together
Blender
A powerful blender is the essential tool for this drink — it pulverizes ice, emulsifies the matcha powder completely into the milk, and creates the smooth, thick, shake-like texture that defines a proper frappé. A weak blender will leave ice chunks and clumped matcha.
Matcha Whisk (Chasen) or Small Whisk
Whisking matcha powder with a small amount of warm water into a smooth paste before adding it to the blender eliminates clumping and ensures the matcha is fully dissolved and evenly distributed throughout the drink — this step is the difference between a great frappé and a gritty one.
Fine Mesh Sifter
Sifting matcha powder before use breaks up any clumps and ensures the powder blends evenly. Unsifted matcha often clumps in the blender, creating bitter pockets of concentrated matcha that make for an inconsistent, less enjoyable drink.
Can't Find These?
Any blender works — even an immersion blender in a tall jar. Dissolve matcha in warm water and stir vigorously with a fork before blending if you lack a whisk or sifter. Crush ice in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin if your blender struggles with whole ice cubes.
The right glass makes a real difference
Tall Glass or Frappé Cup
A tall, clear glass is the ideal vessel for a Matcha Frappé — it showcases the drink's stunning, vibrant green color and allows the whipped cream garnish and matcha dusting on top to be fully visible. The height of the glass also accommodates the blended ice's initial volume before it settles into a smooth, creamy consistency.
Alternatives
A wide-mouthed smoothie cup or takeaway cold cup with a domed lid works perfectly for an on-the-go café-style experience. A Mason jar creates a charming, rustic presentation. Any clear tall vessel that can hold the blended mixture comfortably is ideal.
Perfect food pairings to complete the experience
Mochi Ice Cream
Soft, chewy mochi with ice cream filling shares the Japanese-inspired character of the matcha frappé, creating a cohesive, East Asian dessert experience. Matcha or red bean mochi flavors are especially harmonious with the frappé's earthy matcha notes.
Butter Cookies or Shortbread
Simple, buttery cookies provide a subtle richness that pairs wonderfully with the frappé's creamy, earthy sweetness. The cookies' mild flavor does not compete with the matcha but rather amplifies its gentle sweetness and provides a satisfying textural contrast.
Almond Croissant
A buttery, flaky almond croissant with frangipane filling creates an indulgent, café-style pairing with the matcha frappé. The pastry's rich, nutty almond character complements the earthiness of the matcha in a satisfying, sophisticated combination.
Sesame Snaps or Tahini Cookies
Nutty, aromatic sesame-based snacks echo the earthy, slightly bitter character of the matcha in a cohesive way — both the drink and the snack have similar earthy, subtly bitter notes that complement rather than clash, creating a naturally harmonious pairing.
Prep in advance for effortless serving
Pre-Mix Matcha Paste
Whisk matcha powder with a small amount of warm water into a smooth, lump-free paste and store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Having paste ready eliminates the most time-consuming step and allows instant, effortless frappé assembly on demand.
Pre-Measure Ingredients
Measure honey, matcha paste, and milk into a single container and refrigerate the night before for a faster blending process. In the morning, simply pour the pre-measured mixture into a blender with ice and blend — a particularly practical approach for daily routines.
Make a Matcha Simple Syrup
Dissolve two tablespoons of matcha powder into one cup of simple syrup over low heat, whisk until smooth, and cool. This concentrated syrup keeps refrigerated for two weeks and makes a perfectly sweet, pre-dissolved matcha base that requires no additional whisking.
Do Not Blend Ahead
Blend the frappé immediately before serving — blended ice drinks separate and lose their texture within 15 minutes as the ice melts and the emulsion breaks. All preparation can be done in advance, but the final blending with ice should always happen at the last moment.
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