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What Flavors Go Well With Matcha? A Guide For The Tastebuds
Matcha is ever-popular. Powdered green tea has gone beyond being exclusively Japanese and is everywhere now. From Starbucks to local grocery stores, matcha has a strong presence and millions of enthusiastic buyers.
With a drink so popular, it’s only natural that we look for flavors that go along with it. Matcha is a very healthy drink, so when finding a flavor pairing, choose one that adds to the goodness of this beverage.
Let’s forge ahead and discover a matcha made in heaven (pun intended).
Top Flavors And Pairings For Your Cup Of Matcha
1. Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt is a very familiar flavor for matcha. Dairy goes well with matcha. Yogurt, milk, and cream all make good companions for green tea. However, as we notice, yogurt is the healthiest choice here. Frozen yogurt works even better, helping not only with the taste but also with the texture.
The combination is sweet without letting the sweetness overwhelm the taste or flavors. Using store-bought yogurt will work just fine if you’re looking for a quick treat. Those who also have health on their minds should skip any yogurt with added sugar.
2. Matcha Latte, The Starbucks Way
Matcha is famous, and the matcha latte is now a staple at Starbucks. Getting this wonderful treat at Starbucks is easy and convenient. In case you’d prefer to save some bucks rather than spend them, make this latte at home.
It’s not a difficult recipe, and its refreshing flavor and taste sure do work well. Making a latte at home requires the skill of foaming or frothing milk. Those who enjoy cappuccinos or lattes at home already know how to steam milk. Simply go about the same process and add matcha tea to the steamed milk.
3. Cocoa Powder
Match up some matcha with cocoa powder to enjoy a refreshing and delicious taste. The earthy flavors of matcha and cocoa complement each other. While not a traditional companion to matcha, cocoa powder is finding more and more takers for a combo.
Besides, the familiar flavor of cocoa powder also provides a welcome introduction to those who are new to matcha. You can also try cocoa powder substitutes like dark chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, or chocolate chips to go along with matcha tea.
4. Wagashi – The Traditional Japanese Pairing For Matcha
Wagashi is the traditional pairing for matcha in Japan. These confections generally use ingredients like rice flour and beans, though some seasonal delicacies could be added as well. The traditional Wagashi utilizes exclusively plant-based ingredients, thus making these confections somewhat unique and vegan-friendly.
The confections are sweet, so you can skip adding sweeteners to matcha tea. In this sense, the pairing of the slightly bitter taste of matcha with the sweet taste of wagashi forms a very desirable setup.
There are several types of wagashi, including mochi and anko. Of these, mochi is the preferred companion for matcha tea.
5. White Chocolate And Wafers For A Matcha KitKat
When KitKat launched the matcha-flavored offering in Japan, it seemed like a rather weird combo. It turns out, it’s an excellent combination, and the Matcha KitKat is a huge hit. For those of us living outside Japan, getting a hold of a Matcha KitKat isn’t easy. But the recipe is easy enough.
To make your own copycat recipe, you’ll need sugar wafer cookies, white chocolate chips, and matcha powder. Put the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring often to melt all the chips. Mix it well with the matcha powder, then dip the sugar wafer cookies into the mix.
Let the wafers dry on wax paper or put them in a freezer to speed up the process. The delicious results await your taste buds!
How’s white chocolate different from the cocoa powder (or chocolate) we suggested earlier? For one, white chocolate doesn’t use any cocoa solids. Instead, it’s made from cocoa butter, which gives it a very different taste and texture.
6. Pocky
Pocky is a tasty snack on its own and gets even better when you add matcha tea to the mix. These snack sticks have icings of various flavors, like chocolate and banana. Even matcha is a popular flavor at Pocky.
Nibble on your choice of Pocky with the matcha, and you’ll find that the taste and flavors blend well. Or, just make it all simpler and get matcha-flavored pocky.
While Pocky is popular in Japan, it’s a rarer find stateside. Yet, it is readily available and worth a try for some matcha pairing. It’s available in many online and big-box stores, including Amazon and Walmart.
7. Citrus Is A Wonder – Add Some Lemon
As it turns out, there are plenty of reasons to love some citrus, particularly lemon juice, in your matcha. The flavor pairing is remarkable, and you’ll find many who swear by the lemon-tea combo. In case you’re enjoying matcha as a healthy drink, lemon makes it even better.
Citrus fruits like lemon boost the body’s absorption of antioxidants from green tea. A study by Purdue University is the scientific cornerstone of this belief. Green tea, like matcha tea, is an excellent source of antioxidants (catechins).
However, the non-acidic environment of the intestines can only absorb 20% of these catechins. Including some lemon juice with the tea provides an acidic environment where the body can absorb up to 80% of the catechins in green tea.
Healthy and tasty, just the way we like it.
8. Matcha Smoothie
Bright flavors with a touch of tartness make great companions for matcha in a smoothie. Classic smoothie flavors like vanilla and banana welcome the taste of matcha. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, give other flavors like almond, spinach, and ripe blueberries a try. Even a peanut butter smoothie will fit right in with matcha.
Or, just go plain with an iced matcha smoothie with some lemon juice added. The overall flavor is pleasant and refreshing.
Conclusion
The strong taste of matcha with bitter undertones can get better when paired with the right flavors. This list includes some of the best choices and options to make the flavors pop. If you’re looking for sweeteners, try honey, agave, or maple syrup. These natural sweeteners are healthier than sugar, and their tastes line up well with matcha tea.
This post about What Flavors Go Well With Matcha? A Guide For The Tastebuds was first published in January 2022. We added the audio of this blog in 2022 just for you.
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• Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my
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- Kei and Team at Dream of Japan
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a Japanese green tea enthusiast, a writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company. His passion for introducing America to the tea of his homeland was the catalyst for creating the only company that brings high-quality tea from Arahataen Green Tea Farms to the rest of the world. Learn more about Kei
