Beat the heat with refreshing Japanese matcha shaved ice called Ujikintoki. In this traditional dessert, we top shavings of fluffy ice with Japanese flavors like sweet matcha syrup, anko, mochi balls, and green tea ice cream. It‘s a must-try recipe!
There was an unusual heatwave in the San Francisco Bay Area last week with the temperature soaring above 90ºF almost everyday. The hot weather was the perfect excuse to make one of the summer desserts I love eating in Japan called matcha shaved ice or Ujikintoki (宇治金時).
This cooling and refreshing snack has many beloved Japanese flavors and ingredients all combined into one delicious treat. Read on to see how you can make this traditional dessert at home.
Table of Contents
What is Ujikintoki?
Ujikintoki is a traditional Japanese shaved ice dessert. It starts with fluffy shavings of snowy ice (Japanese kakigori) on the bottom drizzled with sweet matcha syrup and topped with red bean paste (anko). Other common toppings include shiratama dango (mochi balls), sweetened condensed milk, and green tea ice cream.
This dessert is named after the famous Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture. It’s reknown for green tea production and is considered to grow the matcha in all of Japan.
On a hot and humid summer day, eating shaved ice brings immediate refreshment and cools you down. Ujikintoki is usually served only in restaurants or sweet shops during the summer. It’s a rather special treat because one Ujikintoki costs about 800–1000 yen (US $8–10) in restaurants and cafes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick to make – This is a quick dessert that takes just a few minutes to put together if you have all the ingredients.
- Cooling effect – It’s a great recipe to make when you need to cool down.
- Delicious matcha syrup – So flavorful and easy to make.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Ujikintoki
- sugar
- matcha (green tea powder)
- hot water
- ice block – for your shaved ice machine
- sweet red bean paste (anko) – store-bought or you can make my homemade Anko recipe
- toppings of your choice – optional; my favorites are Matcha Ice Cream, homemade Shiratama Dango (mochi balls), and sweetened condensed milk
How To Make Ujikintoki
- Make the matcha syrup by combining the sugar and matcha powder in a small bowl. Then, add hot water and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let it cool in the fridge or flash-cool in the freezer.
- Shave the ice into individual serving bowls.
- Add the toppings. Drizzle the ice with green tea syrup. Add a dollop of anko and the other optional toppings. I like to add homemade shiratama dango (mochi balls), a scoop of matcha ice cream, and sweetened condensed milk.
Recipes for Optional Ujikintoki Toppings
You can see my recipes for the recommended toppings I used in this dessert:
- Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko)
- Matcha Ice Cream (with video)
- Shiratama Dango (with video)
A Note About My Shaved Ice Machine
When I got back from Japan a while back, I purchased this shaved ice machine after doing a bit of research and reading reviews.
This machine won’t make the nice fluffy and snowy shaved ice, but it is inexpensive (compared to commercial models over $200) and easy to operate. You simply insert the ice block, place the top of the machine on and press it down to start shaving ice.
The machine only comes with 2 ice molds, so I used plastic cups about the same diameter to freeze additional ice blocks. Each ice block only makes 1 bowl of shaved ice.
For us, since we can’t find any restaurants or places to purchase Ujikintoki, making them at home was the only option. And it was a smart option as our family loves it and we’ve been enjoying it almost every day at home.
Other Summer Desserts You’ll Love
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Ujikintoki (Matcha Shaved Ice)
Video
Ingredients
For the Matcha Syrup
- ¼ cup sugar (4 Tbsp)
- ½ Tbsp matcha (green tea powder)
- 2 Tbsp hot water
For the Shaved Ice
- ice (block; for your shaved ice machine)
- ⅓ cup sweet red bean paste (anko) (you can make my homemade Anko recipe)
- toppings of your choice (optional; I recommend a scoop of Matcha Ice Cream, homemade Shiratama Dango (mochi balls), and/or 1 Tbsp of sweetened condensed milk)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- To make the matcha syrup, combine ¼ cup sugar and ½ Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) in a small bowl and whisk together. Then, add 2 Tbsp hot water and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let it cool in the freezer (don’t forget to take it out) or refrigerator (if you still have time before serving).
- I use an electric shaved ice machine. Put the block of ice in the machine and run it for a while to let it form a nice peak of ice in an individual serving bowl. Toward the end, rotate the bowl to correct any lopsidedness. Repeat with the other individual serving bowl.
- Now, add your toppings to each bowl. Pour 2 Tbsp of green tea syrup onto the shaved ice. Then, add a dollop of the ⅓ cup sweet red bean paste (anko) to each bowl. You can also add optional toppings of your choice; I like to add homemade Shiratama Dango (mochi balls), a scoop of Matcha Ice Cream, and 1 Tbsp of sweetened condensed milk. Enjoy!
Natsukashii!!! Makes me want to go to Japan right now for one. Guess I can now try to make one myself!
Hi June! This is my favorite flavor of shaved ice. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
How can I make a big batch of green tea syrup can you help me give me a recipebecause at church and events I do shave ice I have a professional shave ice machine for a parties and events and I would love to use your green tea syrup recipe at events
Hi Veronica! I’m not sure how many you need, but you can multiply the syrup recipe:
The recipe is:
4 Tbsp sugar (4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup or 50 g)
½ Tbsp matcha green tea powder
2 Tbsp hot water
To make it easier to calculate:
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup matcha green tea powder
1 cup hot water
Looks delicious 🙂
Thank you, Mika! 🙂
Ha, so funny. I just bought this same machine. I am also in the SF Bay. It’s not quite the same, but you might consider some of the Korean shaved ice places on El Camino Real. I’m a big fan of the green tea snow ice at Cafe Milan in Santa Clara, near the Lawrence and El Camino Intersection. Thanks for writing, I’ll have to give this a try!
Hi Jessica! You have the same machine! We’ve been using it almost everyday and so far so good! We bought plastic cups (taller than the cups that came with), and use them to make more ice (and taller ice). It works! When I am in South Bay (not often, but when I am lucky), I stop by snowy place too. A bit different from Japanese style but I am happy if I can eat green tea one. Now I enjoy it at home. I’ll look into Cafe Milan next time. Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
I want to eat it right now! We are having an another 100 degree weather here today, and I can eat it for my lunch. Yum:)
Thank you Ayako! I’m enjoying it almost everyday. 😀
Ohhh that sounds good, add some kuromitsu, then I’m sold!
Hi Asami! Yes I did try that too. My friend told me to add Kinako to kuromitsu version, so I’ll try that next time. 😀
Oh, that looks so refreshing and the matcha syrup is so pretty!
Maybe I’ll visit a local shaved ice shop and just get plain shaved ice and rush home to make this! 😉
Hi Donna! I assume you can get Ujikintoki in Hawaii? I’ve never been, but that famous Matsumoto Shaved Ice should have this traditional flavor. 🙂