Matcha Ice Cream is the perfect refreshing sweet treat on a hot day. This recipe has a deep intensity and creamy texture that instantly takes me back to Japan. If you want to know what authentic Japanese green tea ice cream tastes like, this is for you.
Green tea is one of the most popular flavors for sweets in Japan, especially in the form of ice cream. I’ve been living in the U.S. for over 15 years now, and I admit that it’s been hard to find green tea ice cream that tastes authentic to what I enjoyed growing up. The majority of what I’ve tried is either way too sweet or overly creamy, masking the delicate flavor of the tea itself. Also, with matcha ice cream, there should never be a need for any artificial coloring or flavors.
If you want to know what true Matcha Ice Cream (抹茶アイスクリーム) tastes like, I have just the recipe for you. The flavors instantly bring me back to Japan whenever I have this ice cream.
What Does Matcha Ice Cream Taste Like?
The ideal flavor of this refreshing treat should be a perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and slightly bitter. Because matcha is much more concentrated than regular green tea, you often don’t need much to experience its robust profile.
This homemade ice cream recipe accentuates the deep intensity of matcha flavor and is rich in texture. That’s how matcha ice cream tastes in Japan! It should not be overly creamy or milky like what you’d expect from some commercial ice cream brands which downplay the distinct matcha character. In short, expect intense matcha in authentic Japanese ice cream. No weak matcha flavor here.
Since matcha ice cream contains caffeine, consider it the perfect hot weather pick-me-up!
Matcha vs. Green Tea
Yes, both types of traditional Japanese teas come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis). But what sets them apart?
You will find that matcha (抹茶) is more expensive and sold in small canisters as a finely ground powder. This is because matcha is made using only shade-grown tea leaves, meaning the leaves never encounter direct sunlight (resulting in a darker shade of green due to increased chlorophyll production). Only the finest buds are hand-picked, de-stemmed, and stone-ground to become the vibrant green powder that we find in stores.
Green tea (緑茶), on the other hand, is cultivated from leaves that have been left in the sun. This type of tea is often found in tea bags or sold as loose leaf. The flavor is lighter than matcha. It’s still earthy, but it is much less intense because it’s not as concentrated.
To learn more about matcha and how best to store it, please read this post.
Ingredients for Matcha Ice Cream
My Matcha Ice Cream recipe is super simple. It only takes 4 simple ingredients to make— and eggs are not necessary!
- Matcha (Green tea powder)
- Half-and-Half or Milk & Cream (more on this below)
- Sugar
- Salt
5 Tips for Making Matcha Ice Cream
Tip #1: Buy the right matcha
When purchasing matcha, you’ll notice there are often three types: ceremonial, premium, and culinary grade.
High-grade matcha (ceremonial and premium) is used for drinking and tends to have a bright, vibrant green hue. The “lower grades” are used mostly for culinary purposes, such as this recipe.
Premium quality matcha rarely goes on sale. Even if it does, do not buy in big volume because you need to use it in 2-3 weeks once you open the package. Matcha oxidizes and turns to yellow-green color as time passes. Unless you’re running a commercial bakery, I wouldn’t buy a big bag of matcha for home use.
Even in Japan, matcha is considered an expensive ingredient because of the care required for cultivation.
Tip #2: Half-and-Half vs. Milk & Cream
When I shared this original recipe in 2011, I used Half-and-Half (an American dairy product that is an equal blend of whole milk and light cream) to make the recipe.
Since then, I learned that many of you, who live outside of the U.S., don’t have access to this product, so I’ve included other options for you in this updated recipe. There are 4 options:
- Option 1: 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) whole milk + ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream – I used this for my video/recipe below
- Option 2: 3 cups (720 ml) Half-and-Half
- Option 3: 2 cups (480 ml) low-fat milk + 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- Option 4: 1 ½ cups (360 ml) whole milk + 1 ½ cups (360 ml) light cream
Reference: The Kitchn
Tip #3: Freeze your ice cream bowl
Before diving into making the ice cream, be sure to freeze your ice cream bowl for 24 hours beforehand. If it’s not cold enough, you may end up with liquid even after 30 minutes of churning. If you are not using an ice cream maker, please read this post for helpful tips.
After having this ice cream maker for several years, we invested on this ice cream maker and really love it. We don’t have to worry about reserving a space in the freezer to store the ice cream bowl before making ice cream any more. It’s much more convenient now to make homemade ice cream.
Tip #4: Make Matcha Paste
Matcha is a fine powder and you can’t add it to the large volume of liquid because the powder becomes lumps as soon as it absorbs moisture. Therefore, when you mix matcha with liquid (milk mixture in this recipe), you have to make matcha into the paste form before adding to the large volume of liquid.
Tip #5: Refrigerate the Matcha Milk Mixture
To facilitate the churring properly, you have to chill the ice cream mixture in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. I consider this the hardest part of ice cream making!
Other Ice Cream Recipes:
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Matcha Ice Cream
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 5 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) (1 Tbsp matcha is 6 g)
- 3 cups milk mixture (pick one option below)
For the Milk Mixture
Option 1 (I use this in the recipe and video):
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream
Option 2:
- 3 cups half-and-half (an American dairy product of equal parts whole milk and cream that contains 10.5–18% milkfat)
Option 3:
- 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Option 4:
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups light cream or coffee cream
Instructions
To Freeze the Ice Cream Bowl (at least 24 hours prior)
- If you‘re using an ice cream maker that requires you to pre-freeze the bowl (like this one), make sure to freeze it for at least 24 hours. If it’s not cold enough, you may end up with liquid even after 30 minutes of churning. I use this ice cream maker that does not require pre-freezing the bowl. If you don‘t have an ice cream maker, I hope this post helps.
To Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the ingredients for 3 cups milk mixture and turn on the heat to medium low. Here, I use option 1 with 2¼ cups whole milk and ¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream. Alternatively, you could use option 2 with 3 cups half-and-half; option 3 with 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk and 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream; or option 4 with 1½ cups whole milk and 1½ cups light cream or coffee cream.
- Add ¾ cup sugar and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the milk mixture and whisk together. Heat until the sugar is dissolved, then turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat if you see small bubbles around the edges of the pan. NEVER let it boil.
- Next, make a paste with the matcha powder. Place 5 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) in a medium bowl. Then, add 3–4 Tbsp of the heated milk mixture to the matcha bowl. Stir it with a silicone spatula until the matcha completely absorbs the liquid and no lumps remain. Tip: Matcha is a fine powder that will float and never dissolve if you add it to a large volume of liquid at once. To prevent lumps, we must first make a paste with the powder, starting with only a small amount of liquid. Let the powder completely absorb the liquid while you stir to work out any lumps. Make sure your matcha paste has no lumps before you add more small additions of liquid. When you eventually achieve a smooth and thick liquid, you can add it to the rest of the milk mixture.
- Next, add another 3–4 Tbsp of the milk mixture to the bowl and stir until the matcha absorbs the liquid.
- For the third time, add another 3–4 Tbsp of the milk mixture to the bowl and stir. The mixture will start to become pasty. Stir and mash the paste to incorporate any dry lumps of powder.
- For the fourth time, add another 3–4 Tbsp of the milk mixture and stir to further loosen up the paste. Continue to work out any lumps as you go.
- Add a final 3–4 Tbsp of the milk mixture to the bowl and stir. Now, the matcha mixture should be a thick liquid with no lumps. Tip: If your matcha is not yet a smooth and thick liquid, continue to add and incorporate more small additions of the milk mixture until it reaches the right consistency.
- Transfer the matcha mixture into the milk mixture and stir together.
- Change to a whisk and combine this matcha ice cream mixture well. Then, prepare an ice bath and a bowl (I use this 8 cup measuring cup with a spout) that can sit in the ice bath. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl or measuring cup. Next, pour the ice cream mixture through the sieve.
- Press and strain any matcha lumps left in the sieve. Let the ice cream mixture cool on the countertop. When the mixture has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. IMPORTANT: If you don‘t chill the mixture thoroughly, the ice cream maker will not produce an ice cream consistency.
To Churn the Ice Cream
- My ice cream maker doesn‘t require pre-freezing, but the machine needs to run for 15 minutes until the interior bowl is -33ºF (-36ºC). When your ice cream maker bowl is ready to use, whisk the matcha ice cream mixture one last time.
- Transfer the mixture to the ice cream maker bowl and churn according to the manufacturer‘s instructions.
- After 25 minutes, when the mixture is thickened and not moving, turn off the ice cream maker.
- Transfer the “soft“ ice cream into an airtight container. Freeze until the ice cream is firm and the flavor develops, at least 4 hours.
To Serve
- Scoop the ice cream and serve in a small bowl.
To Store
- You can keep it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, but enjoy it sooner for the best flavor and color and to avoid the formation of ice crystals on the surface.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on August 15, 2011. The blog content and images have been updated and a new video has been added to the post in August 2021.
This matcha ice cream is THE BEST! Matcha flavor is nice and intense. It tastes just like matcha ice cream/soft-serve you get in Japan. Finally,… I can recreate great matcha ice cream at home instead of having to pay premium price at Asian groceries.
Hi Ikue! Aww I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank ou for your kind feedback! 🙂
hi
can I replace the matcha powder with hojicha power using the same ratio. Will it work?
Hi Gary! I haven’t tried the Hojicha powder for this recipe so I can’t say for sure… One day I’ll try it. 🙂
I tried this recipe with matcha and thought hojicha powder might be fun too…. I used 6 tbsp (instead of the 5 tbsp you recommend for matcha) and it turned out awesome. Really easy to make and I highly recommend it!
Hi Val! Thank you for trying this recipe with Hojicha powder and for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear Hojicha versions also work well! Yay!😃
It was unfortunately extremely sweet for my taste but I didn’t want to compromise the sugar because it will make the ice cream less scoopable but the matcha content on point !
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for your kind feedback. I think you can reduce the sugar slightly…
I tried this recipe without an ice cream maker. It turned out SO GOOD! It’s far better than any matcha ice cream I’ve bought in stores. I really love that it’s not too creamy and that it has a very rich matcha flavor (some may find it bitter but I believe that’s how authentic matcha ice cream should taste like). I second that this ice cream is caffeinated so don’t eat it late at night if you are sensitive/intolerant to caffeine, or you’ll have a hard time falling asleep. Thank you, Nami, for a great and easy-to-follow recipe!
Hi Liwen! Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe and thanks for your kind feedback. 🙂
Warning! This ice cream is CAFFEINATED. It is also DELICIOUS. It is also THREE-THIRTY IN THE MORNING. Oops.
Sift the matcha before you put it in the mixture if it is at all lumpy; mine was a little old which resulted in a weird texture with clumps of matcha in it that aren’t really desirable. The ice cream itself is oishii to the max though. Sugoi even. Just don’t eat it after 10pm unless you are planning on pulling an all-nighter because regretting the decision to eat ice cream isn’t in my nature but it’s a close one. Good luck!
Hi Leona! Haha, 3:30 am! Matcha’s caffeine is pretty strong, stronger than green tea for sure. 🙂 Your cute and funny comment made my day. Thank you for trying this recipe!
I really enjoyed it!
Hi Joel! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! 🙂
Oh my! This is delicious! Tastes just like authentic Japanese matcha ice cream I used to eat in Japan.
Finally I can make it myself instead of paying premium price for just-okay-quality green tea ice cream at Asian markets here. Doumo arigato, Nami-san!
Hi Ikue-san! I felt exactly the same when I made this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback!
Thanks Nami for this recipe, this is really the best matcha ice-cream I’ve made at home.
I was thinking to make matcha granita. Do you think I can use this recipe as is, and just freeze/process it in granita style?
Or shall I perhaps use all milk instead of half-and-half, to make it more icy?
Thank you!
Hi Jenny! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback! Hmmm… I wish I can tell but I’m not familiar with granita. I thought granita was ice (so more like matcha and ice (water) only? Sorry my knowledge is very limited!
This was my 2nd recipe using my ice cream maker, and it was absolutely fabulous. My fiancé and I visited Japan before the shelter in place, and this was very reminiscent of our trip!!! Thank you for sharing this simple, yet amazing recipe. I loved how easy it was to prep!!!!
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Delicious! I didn’t have an ice cream maker so I modified it a bit using Kenji Lopez Alt’s technique (minus the eggs). I might have to buy an ice cream maker because it’s certainly much easier with one!
Oh for others, I should also add that I cut the sugar in half and it was still great. I did add some evaporated milk and as I said I used J Kenji Lopez Alt’s technique (minus eggs, using skim milk for final blend) for ice cream without a machine and it worked fine but created a huge mess so just getting an ice cream maker is the best way I think. I will try the bag method too. Or I just may try my chinese melamine soup bowl methods… Spread whipped base in melamine soup bowls then blend in food processor.
I forgot to mention that I appreciate your great feedback. Thank you for trying my recipe! xoxo
Hi Cynthia! I think an ice cream maker is a great investment if you have 2-3 months of warm weather (at least)! Homemade ice cream is wonderful. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
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This recipe is so delicious! After having ice cream made this way, I tasted the matcha ice cream from the grocery store, and you’re right; it IS too creamy! Once it’s summer I’ll have to make another batch!
Hi Jess! I’m so happy to hear you give this recipe a try! Yeah, I really don’t like the “green tea ice cream” from the American grocery stores… it’s not the same thing! Hope you enjoy the matcha ice cream this summer! xoxo
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Hello Nami! It’s Nikki from Idaho again. I’m making your green tea ice cream as I type this. I ordered matcha powder from Japan (Japan Post) through Amazon (NOT cheap, btw) and my Kitchen Aid ice cream maker is humming right along. I’ve already had a little taste of the liquid mixture and all I can say is WOW! Not too sweet, absolutely no bitterness and all of the wonderous flavor of pure green tea. We can’t wait for the finished product! I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thank you so much for all you do to inspire home cooks to enter into the delectable, regal, somewhat magical and ancient world that is Japanese cuisine.
UPDATE:
Um,…….the ice cream never made it to the freezer. We just couldn’t help ourselves!!
So smooth. So creamy. Not super sweet. Not even slightly bitter. Absolutely delicious. A perfect tea strength/flavor. In fact, me and my husband have NEVER had soft serve so good! We seem to always taste an ice crystal texture in regular soft serve. N-O-T this one! Oh my goodness, Nami – you did it again!! Thank you, thank you.
(PS) A new ‘double batch’ is brewing right now! Yum!!
Hi Kikki! AHAHAHHAAHHAHA! You’re funny. You always need to make one for the freezer for later and one big batch for tasting. 😉 I’m so happy you are enjoying this recipe and thank you so much for your most kind feedback. xoxo