A basket of matcha muffins in brown parchment wrappers, some topped with white icing drizzle and others plain, arranged neatly on a table next to plates and a pot of coffee.

Why I Love This Recipe

These light and fluffy Matcha Muffins are a lovely treat for any green tea lover. The batter comes together easily and bakes into tender, moist muffins with a gentle matcha fragrance.

  • Vibrant green color – The lovely matcha hue makes these muffins perfect for tea time, gifting, or green holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Earth Day, or Christmas!
  • Easy to make – No special tools beyond a mixer and muffin pan.
  • Soft and fluffy – The texture is light and moist, never dry.
  • Perfect balance of flavor – The slight bitterness of matcha pairs beautifully with the sweet, buttery muffin base.
  • A little boost of antioxidants – Matcha is rich in antioxidants like catechins, plus vitamin C and fiber—so you can enjoy a treat with a few natural benefits!

I love them fresh out of the oven with a cup of tea or coffee—they make your kitchen smell wonderful!

Love matcha sweets? Try my Matcha Cookies, Matcha Mille Crepe Cake, and Matcha Basque Cheesecake recipes next!

Ingredients for Matcha Muffins

  • matcha (green tea powder) – see my Matcha page to learn about different “grades” of matcha powder like so-called ceremonial grade matcha
  • all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • baking powder
  • whole milk + lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) – for the buttermilk substitute; Using full-fat milk produces a thicker, richer buttermilk substitute that adds moisture to the muffins. While you can use low-fat or skim milk, the muffins may not be as moist.
  • unsalted butter
  • sugar
  • large eggs
  • optional white icing – confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract (optional)

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe
Eight green muffins, some drizzled with white icing, are arranged on a round marble stand with parchment wrappers. Greenery and coffee pots are visible in the background, creating a cozy setting.
A sliced matcha muffin with white icing drizzle sits on brown parchment paper atop a pink plate. A gold fork rests beside the muffin.

How to Make Matcha Muffins

  1. Prep milk and mix dry ingredients. Stir lemon juice into milk and let it sit for a few minutes until slightly curdled. Sift and whisk together flour, baking powder, and matcha in a large bowl.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar in three parts, beating well after each addition until pale and creamy.
A hand holds a measuring spoon with liquid above a glass measuring cup filled with milk, preparing to add the liquid. Another hand holds a small bowl with more liquid next to the cup.
A hand uses a whisk to sift green matcha powder, flour, and other dry ingredients through a mesh sieve into a glass bowl on a wooden surface.
A person pours granulated sugar from a bowl into a stand mixer with creamed butter, preparing a baking mixture.
A stand mixer blends creamed butter and sugar in a metal mixing bowl, creating a light and fluffy mixture. The whisk attachment is partially covered with the mixture.
  1. Add eggs. Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add them to the butter mixture one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition.
  2. Combine the wet mixture and dry mixture. Add the flour mixture and milk in three parts, mixing on low speed until just combined and gently folding the final addition by hand. Do not overmix.
A close-up of a stand mixer beating a creamy mixture in its metal bowl while a person pours beaten eggs from a measuring spoon into the bowl.
A hand holds a measuring cup filled with green matcha powder above a mixing bowl with batter and a whisk attachment coated in the same green mixture.
A person pours milk from a measuring cup into a mixing bowl filled with green matcha powder, preparing a batter with a green spatula on a wooden surface.
A person uses a spatula to mix thick green matcha batter in a large metal mixing bowl on a wooden surface.
  1. Bake. Scoop batter into muffin cups prepped with paper liners. Tap the muffin tin lightly to release air bubbles. Bake in a preheated 340°F (170°C) oven for 30–35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
A hand uses an ice cream scoop to fill parchment-lined muffin cups in a baking tray with green matcha muffin batter.
A baking tray holds twelve freshly baked green muffins in brown paper liners, arranged neatly in three rows of four. The muffins have slightly cracked tops and a soft texture.
A wicker tray holds nine green muffins in brown parchment wrappers. Some muffins are drizzled with white icing, while others are plain. Plates, coffee cups, and a coffee pot surround the tray on a white table.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

  • Use room temp butter and eggs – This helps create a smooth, fluffy batter. See how to speed up the process in my Recipe Notes below.
  • Sift flour and matcha – This step aerates and removes lumps to keep the muffins light and even.
  • Don’t overmix – Overmixing can make the muffins dense and tough.
  • Fold gently – When combining at the end, fold softly with a spatula to keep the air in the batter.
  • Preserve the beautiful green color – Bake at a low temperature of 340°F (170°C) and use the buttermilk substitute to maintain matcha’s bright hue.
  • Don’t overbake – They’re ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Every oven bakes differently, so keep an eye on yours!
  • Measure flour accurately – Too much makes muffins dense. Weigh it with a kitchen scale for accuracy, or see how to measure flour so you don’t scoop too much.

Variations and Customizations

  • Citrus twist. Add lemon zest for a refreshing note.
  • White chocolate chips. Sprinkle these mix-ins before baking for extra sweetness in each bite.
  • A different drizzle. Drizzle with melted white chocolate or make matcha icing by sifting 2 tsp matcha into the confectioners’ sugar before mixing with the milk.
  • Mini muffins. Use a mini tin and mini muffin liners and bake 18–20 minutes.
Seven matcha muffins in brown paper wrappers are arranged on a white plate. Four muffins have white icing drizzled on top, while the other three are plain. The scene is bright and inviting, with a hint of a coffee cup and utensils nearby.

What to Serve with Matcha Muffins

These muffins pair beautifully with:

White cups containing Hojicha Latte topped with roasted green tea powder.
Tall glass cups containing Iced Matcha Latte.
Two tall glasses filled with layers of crushed strawberries, milk, and ice are shown as a hand pours a stream of vibrant green matcha into one glass. The drinks sit on a wooden tray with a decorative background.
Japanese Fruit Sandwiches on a wooden board.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds before serving. To freeze, wrap individually and store in the freezer up to 2 weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm briefly before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use plant-based milk and vegan butter?

While the flavor of the muffins will change, soy or oat milk works as long as it’s unsweetened. We have not tested this recipe with vegan butter, so please let us know how it turns out if you try it!

Why did my muffins turn out brown instead of green?

The oven may be too hot. Lower the temperature to 340°F (170°C) and avoid overbaking to preserve the color. The buttermilk substitute also protects the vibrant green color, so please don’t skip it.

Can I add a pinch of salt to the batter?

Yes, if you’d like.

Can I use gluten-free flour?

I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but you can check the comments to see if other JOC readers have had success with it. Many have had success using King Arthur’s Measure for Measure (One-to-One) Gluten Free Flour in other baking recipes.

I’d love to hear how your green tea muffins turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

Seven matcha muffins in brown paper wrappers are arranged on a white plate. Four muffins have white icing drizzled on top, while the other three are plain. The scene is bright and inviting, with a hint of a coffee cup and utensils nearby.
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Matcha Muffins

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
These Matcha Muffins are soft, fluffy, and vibrant green with the earthy aroma of green tea powder. They’re lightly sweet, perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea. Drizzle them with icing or enjoy them plain—their delicate flavor shines either way.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients 
 

For the Dry Ingredients

For the Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk (at room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon; or use apple cider vinegar)
  • 14 Tbsp unsalted butter (¾ cup + 2 Tbsp; at room temperature—it takes about 30–60 minutes)
  • 1⅓ cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (at room temperature—it takes about 30 minutes)

For the White Icing (optional)

  • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • 2 drops pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Before You Start: Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale. Click the Metric button above for weights. If you don't have a scale, here's how to measure flour with a measuring cup so you don't scoop too much: Fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into the measuring cup, and level it off.
    Now, gather all the ingredients. The butter and eggs must be at room temperature so the butter is soft enough to leave a finger imprint when pressed. See Notes below on how to speed up the process.
    Two panels showing baking ingredients on a wooden surface: left side has sugar, milk, butter, lemon, matcha, flour, and eggs; right side has vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk.
  • Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
    Nami's Tip: We bake at a lower temperature to preserve the matcha's bright green color.
    A gold muffin pan holds twelve empty brown parchment paper muffin liners, arranged neatly in each cup, set on a light wooden surface.
  • Mix 1 tbsp lemon juice into 1 cup whole milk at room temperature and stir well. Let it sit for a few minutes until it slightly curdles, like buttermilk. Set aside.
    Nami's Tip: This buttermilk substitute prevents the matcha from reacting too strongly with the baking powder, keeping the green color vibrant.
    Three photos: squeezing lemon juice into a bowl, adding spoonful of lemon juice to a measuring cup of milk, and stirring the milk with a butter knife in a glass measuring cup.
  • Add 3 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) and 1½ tsp baking powder into a fine-mesh strainer set inside a large bowl. Sift to aerate. Then, add 6 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) into the same strainer and sift.
    Left: A hand pours baking powder into a sieve over a bowl of flour. Right: Green matcha powder is added to the sieve with the flour mixture. Both scenes are set on a wooden surface.
  • Mix the dry ingredients with a hand whisk until evenly combined. Set aside.
    Two side-by-side images show matcha green tea powder being whisked into flour through a sifter, then the dry ingredients being whisked together in a glass bowl on a wooden surface.

To Make the Batter

  • Add 14 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or to a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Beat on high speed (Speed 8 or 10) until light and fluffy. Reduce to medium (Speed 6) and add 1⅓ cups sugar in three portions, beating well after each addition.
    A three-step collage shows a stand mixer creaming butter, adding sugar, and then mixing the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  • After you beat in the final portion, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Continue to beat well until creamy and pale.
    Three photos show stages of mixing butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl. The mixture goes from coarse and grainy to a light, creamy texture as it is gradually blended with a whisk attachment.
  • Crack 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into a separate bowl and beat well with a hand whisk.
    Side-by-side images: on the left, four raw eggs in a glass bowl; on the right, a hand whisking the eggs in the bowl with a fork, mixing the yolks and whites together.
  • Add the eggs to the butter mixture one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition on low ("Stir" or Speed 2) just until the egg is incorporated and disappears. Do not overmix.
    Nami's Tip: Don’t add the egg all at once, as this may cause curdling and a coarse texture.
    A stand mixer whipping butter and sugar in a metal bowl, with a hand pouring beaten eggs in from a spoon, then showing the mixture fully blended and creamy.
  • Add one-third of the dry mixture and one-third of the milk into the butter-egg mixture. Stir on low ("Stir" or Speed 2) until just combined. Do not overmix.
    A step-by-step collage showing matcha powder being added to a mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar, then mixed, followed by milk being poured into the green batter with a whisk.
  • Repeat with a second addition of dry mixture and milk, stirring until just combined. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer.
    A collage of three images showing the process of mixing bright green matcha cake batter in a metal bowl with an electric mixer and spatula.
  • Add the final addition and gently fold with a rubber spatula without deflating the air in the batter. Do not overmix.
    Three photos show a mixing bowl with green batter. First, dry ingredients are partially mixed. Second, a hand pours milk from a measuring cup. Third, the mixture is being stirred with a spatula.

To Bake

  • Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin liners (I used a large cookie scoop here).
    A metal scoop is used to portion green muffin batter into brown parchment paper liners in a muffin tin. The batter is in a large metal mixing bowl, and muffin liners are arranged in a baking tray.
  • Wipe off any batter that gets on the paper liners. Tap the muffin pan on the counter from about 3 inches high to release any large air bubbles.
    A hand places green batter into brown parchment muffin cups; next to it, a tray holds 12 muffin cups filled with the same green batter, ready for baking.
  • Bake in a preheated 340°F (170°C) oven for 30–35 minutes (mine was 32 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Every oven bakes differently, so keep an eye on yours!
    Side-by-side images of a muffin tray in an oven: on the left, empty brown cupcake liners; on the right, the liners are filled with baked green cupcakes.
  • Take out the pan and let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins to a wire rack and cool completely.
    Twelve green matcha muffins in brown paper liners sit in a baking tray on the left; on the right, hands lift one muffin from the tray onto a cooling rack.

To Decorate (optional)

  • Add ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tbsp milk, and 2 drops pure vanilla extract (optional) to a medium bowl.
    Two images side by side show hands whisking a white powder and liquid mixture in a glass bowl on a wooden surface; a bottle of vanilla extract is visible in the second image.
  • Mix well. Drizzle the icing with a fork or pipe it onto the muffins. To make a piping bag, set a zip-top bag inside a cup, pour in the icing, and push it to one corner.
    Two images: Left, hands whisking white icing in a glass bowl; right, red spatula transferring icing from a bowl into a piping bag over a wooden surface.
  • Snip a small corner (about 1 mm) and drizzle on the muffins.
    Nami's Tip: Other toppings include melted white chocolate, matcha powder, powdered sugar, or matcha icing made by sifting 2 tsp matcha into the confectioners' sugar before mixing with the milk.
    A hand cuts the tip off a piping bag filled with white icing (left), then pipes icing onto a green muffin in a brown paper liner on a wooden surface (right).

To Serve

To Store

  • Store in an airtight container and consume within 2–3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds. You can also store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Notes

How can I quickly bring butter or eggs to room temperature?
Butter:
  1. Fill a tall glass (that fits the butter) with hot tap water.
  2. Wait 30 seconds and dump the water.
  3. Cover the butter with the warm glass. The butter will soften in a few minutes.
Eggs:
  1. Submerge cold eggs in lukewarm water (not hot) for 10–15 minutes. Change the water once if it cools.

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