For The Creamiest Matcha, Make One Simple Swap

If you frequently visit coffee shops, you've probably noticed an increase in matcha drinks over the last few years. Matcha is truly having a moment, so much that the ancient Buddhist drink is currently experiencing worldwide shortages. Its popularity seems to come both from its status as a health food and a general increased appreciation for Asian cuisine in American culture. However, if you've ever prepared matcha yourself at home, you may have found that it wasn't as creamy as a matcha drink you'd get from your favorite coffee shop. You can fix this by preparing it with milk.

Matcha is traditionally prepared like most kinds of tea, with just the powder and boiling water. However, this results in a bit of a thin drink; while traditional matcha fans will swear by this taste and consistency, you might not be a fan if you're used to the matcha served at coffee shops like Starbucks. To make it creamier, prepare it the same way, but using milk instead of water. This makes the drink more akin to a matcha latte, leaving you with a creamy and less bitter beverage perfect for a morning pick-me-up or an evening refreshment.

If you like the taste of matcha but aren't the biggest fan of regular matcha tea, there are tons of other ways to improve your beverage and even other forms you can enjoy matcha in. For instance, if you use milk for creamy matcha but it still tastes bitter, you can use honey and other sweet pantry staples to improve the taste. Since coffee shops often sweeten their matcha drinks (Starbucks' matcha latte has 25 grams of sugar, for example), this along with using milk will net you something much more similar to what you might purchase in your favorite cafe.

You also don't need to worry about not being able to make your matcha creamy if you're lactose intolerant; you can easily make matcha lattes using almond milk, and once again accompany it with sweetener if it comes out too bitter. This will give you a creamy drink that's completely lactose-free but gives you a nice hit of caffeine to wake you up.

If you get tired of matcha and milk as a simple drink, you can incorporate matcha into homemade Rice Krispies Treats and further elevate the whole recipe with condensed milk. This brings the earthy and creamy goodness of a matcha latte to new, delicious heights, and makes a perfect dessert. Another wonderful recipe using both matcha and milk is matcha crepes; the powder can be added to a whole host of sweets to give them extra depth and flavor.