15 Matcha Starbucks Drinks You Need to Try

These matcha Starbucks drinks let you recreate the coffee shop's earthy, creamy green tea sips at home for a fraction of the price. Each copycat recipe uses real ceremonial or culinary grade matcha whisked into cold or steamed milk, so the flavour is grassy and smooth rather than bitter. You'll find iced, hot, blended and spiced versions here, all ready in five to ten minutes with ingredients you likely already have. None of these are official Starbucks recipes, they're independent copycats built to taste just like the drinks you order.

This is the dupe most people search for first, and it's the base for nearly every other drink on this list. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha powder into 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water off the boil until it's smooth and jade-green with no clumps. Pour over ice, top with 240 ml (1 cup) cold milk and 15-30 ml (1-2 tbsp) simple syrup, then stir well before sipping. Whole milk gives the closest texture to the shop version, but oat milk froths up nearly as creamy.

Swap the ice for steamed milk and you get the classic hot latte Starbucks serves year-round. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha with 60 ml (2 fl oz) water just under boiling, around 80°C (175°F), until frothy, then pour in 200 ml (¾ cup) milk steamed to about 60°C (140°F). A milk frother or a jar shaken hard for 30 seconds gives similar silky microfoam without an espresso machine. Sweeten with 15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla syrup stirred in before the milk goes in.

This blended version needs a touch of xanthan gum or a ripe banana to get that thick, glossy Frappuccino texture. Blend 5 g (2 tsp) matcha, 180 ml (¾ cup) milk, 30 ml (2 tbsp) vanilla syrup and 200 g (2 cups) ice on high for 30-45 seconds until fully smooth with no ice chunks left. Taste and add more matcha for a stronger green tea flavour, since blending mutes it slightly. Finish with whipped cream if you like it as rich as the coffeehouse version.

Oat milk's natural sweetness and starchy body mimic the creaminess of a Starbucks oat milk matcha without any extra thickener needed. Use a barista-blend oat milk, 240 ml (1 cup), rather than a standard carton, since barista versions steam and froth without splitting. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha into 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water first, then pour the frothed oat milk over ice or steam it for a hot version. It's naturally dairy-free and holds up well even if the drink sits for a few minutes.

This is the tangy, refreshing dupe of Starbucks' matcha lemonade, and it's naturally dairy-free. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha with 30 ml (2 tbsp) warm water until smooth, then stir into 240 ml (1 cup) fresh lemonade sweetened with 15 ml (1 tbsp) simple syrup or agave. Pour over 150 g (1½ cups) ice and stir gently so the matcha doesn't clump against the citrus. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled for the brightest, least bitter finish.

Blending matcha with warming chai spices makes this the coziest drink on the list, perfect for autumn afternoons. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha and 1 g (½ tsp) chai spice blend (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove) into 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water, then top with 200 ml (¾ cup) steamed milk. Sweeten with 15 ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar syrup or honey for a deeper, spiced sweetness than plain vanilla syrup gives. Serve hot in a mug with a light dusting of cinnamon on the foam.

Honey rounds out matcha's grassy edge better than plain sugar syrup, giving this version a softer, floral sweetness. Dissolve 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey into the 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water before whisking in 2 g (1 tsp) matcha, since honey seizes up in cold liquid. Add ¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract and 240 ml (1 cup) milk, either steamed for hot or poured over ice. This one is especially good with oat or almond milk, which both carry honey's flavour well.

Somewhere between a Frappuccino and a milkshake, this version uses ice cream for extra richness. Blend 5 g (2 tsp) matcha, 100 g (⅓ cup) vanilla ice cream, 120 ml (½ cup) milk and 100 g (1 cup) ice until thick and pourable but still spoonable. It's noticeably richer and sweeter than the standard copycat lattes, so treat it as a dessert drink rather than an everyday sip. Top with whipped cream and a light matcha dusting for the full milkshake effect.

When you want matcha fast, skip the syrup step and whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha straight into 240 ml (1 cup) cold milk with 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey or maple syrup using a milk frother or tight-lidded jar. Shake or froth for about 20 seconds until the matcha fully dissolves and the milk turns pale jade. Pour over ice for an instant iced matcha with almost no clean-up. It's the simplest entry point if you've never made matcha at home before.

This fruity twist layers a strawberry purée under a blended matcha layer for a drink that's as pretty as it is tasty. Blend 150 g (1 cup) fresh or frozen strawberries with 15 ml (1 tbsp) simple syrup and pour into the bottom of a glass, then separately blend 2 g (1 tsp) matcha with 200 ml (¾ cup) milk and 100 g (1 cup) ice. Pour the matcha blend slowly over the strawberry layer so the two stay distinct rather than mixing immediately. Stir just before drinking to combine the flavours.

This is the blended, iced cousin of the cozy chai latte above, built for warm days when you still want spice. Blend 5 g (2 tsp) matcha, 1 g (½ tsp) chai spice, 180 ml (¾ cup) milk, 30 ml (2 tbsp) brown sugar syrup and 200 g (2 cups) ice until smooth and thick. The spice blend needs a touch more sweetener than a plain matcha Frappuccino, since cinnamon and ginger read as sharper when blended cold. Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon over the whipped cream.

Swap vanilla syrup for peppermint and you get a holiday-ready dupe that's less sweet than a peppermint mocha but just as festive. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha into 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water, then stir in 15 ml (1 tbsp) peppermint syrup and 200 ml (¾ cup) steamed milk. Go light on the peppermint at first, about ½ tsp (2 ml) extract if using instead of syrup, since it can easily overpower the matcha. Garnish with a candy cane stir stick or crushed peppermint for a festive finish.

This is the eye-catching sunset-style layered drink, built with a fruit base and matcha cold foam poured on top rather than mixed in. Fill a glass with 150 g (1½ cups) ice and 200 ml (¾ cup) strawberry purée or juice, then float 60 ml (¼ cup) matcha cold foam, whisked matcha, milk and a splash of cream, gently over the back of a spoon. The layers hold for a minute or two before naturally blending as you drink. Use a wide straw so you get both flavours in every sip.

For anyone who finds the standard ratio too mild, this version doubles down on matcha intensity. Use 4 g (2 tsp) matcha whisked into 90 ml (3 fl oz) hot water until fully dissolved, then add only 180 ml (¾ cup) milk instead of a full cup so the green tea flavour isn't diluted. Cut the syrup back to 10 ml (2 tsp), since more matcha needs less sweetener to taste balanced. This is the closest copycat to a Starbucks 'extra matcha' custom order.

Coconut milk's fat content makes this the silkiest, smoothest version on the list, closer to a dessert latte than a tea. Use canned coconut milk diluted with an equal part water, 120 ml (½ cup) each, so it steams or froths without being too thick. Whisk 2 g (1 tsp) matcha into 60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water, then combine with the coconut milk and 15 ml (1 tbsp) simple syrup. Serve hot or iced; coconut milk froths beautifully either way and adds a faint tropical note that pairs well with matcha's grassiness.

Always whisk matcha into water or a small amount of milk first before adding the rest of the liquid, since adding powder straight into a full glass leaves clumps that never fully dissolve. Use water just off the boil, around 80°C (175°F); fully boiling water scorches matcha and turns the flavour bitter and grassy in a bad way. A bamboo whisk (chasen) gives the smoothest texture, but a milk frother or a tightly-lidded jar shaken hard for 20 seconds works nearly as well. Sift the matcha through a fine mesh strainer first if your powder is lumpy, especially with cheaper culinary-grade tins.

Serve iced versions in a tall glass so the layers of matcha, milk and ice are visible, and add a glass or reusable straw for the full coffeehouse look. A light dusting of matcha powder or a few chocolate-covered espresso beans on top of whipped cream dresses up the blended drinks for photos. For hot lattes, finish with a swirl of foam and a pinch of matcha through a small stencil for that café finish. Fresh mint, a lemon wheel or a few strawberry slices work well as edible garnishes on the fruitier variations.

Whisk a concentrated matcha-water base, double strength, no milk, and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days, then just add milk and ice when you're ready to drink. Don't pre-mix milk into the base ahead of time, since matcha settles and separates from milk faster than from water alone. If batching for a group, make a large jug of the matcha concentrate and simple syrup, then let everyone pour their own milk and ice to order. Give any stored matcha base a good stir or shake before using, since sediment naturally settles to the bottom.