The 7 Best Matcha Powders Of 2022—Best Matcha Powder For Lattes And Baking

If you’ve ever witnessed emerald-hued matcha being made, you know it’s an absolute art. To make Japan’s famous green tea, the green tea powder is incorporated with hot water with a bamboo whisk in a ceramic bowl until it becomes a frothy, green liquid with earthy aromas. Not that tea is matcha’s only application. The powder is also divine frothed into lattes, folded into matcha macaron batter, swirled into matcha hot chocolate, or even piped into cream for matcha cream puffs. But finding a good quality matcha powder can mean the difference between a ho-hum dish or drink and a great one. Don’t worry, as always, Delish has done the hard searching for you.

Our top picks

What makes a good matcha powder?

It’s all about the color. “The brighter the green, the better the quality,” said Jee Choe, a tea sommelier and the blogger behind Oh, How Civilized. A dull green means the flavor could be bitter, she added.

There are also two main kinds of matcha powder. There’s ceremonial-grade matcha “for special occasions or formal tea ceremony,” said Angel Wong of Angel Wong’s Kitchen blog. There’s also culinary-grade matcha, “which is for cooking and making lattes.” The first will be brighter in color, of better quality, but also more expensive, while the latter will be a little duller and more budget-friendly.

How do I make the best matcha latte?

“My matcha motto is to sift before you whisk,” said Lu Ann Pannunzio of The Tea Cup of Life blog and author of a book of the same name. It may come pre-sifted, she continued, but sifting again will get any lingering lumps out. “It helps you achieve a smoother bowl of matcha, resulting in a nice layer of froth.” (Here are the sifters we recommend!)

Want a hack for the best (and breeziest) iced matcha latte? Add matcha, milk, and any desired sweeteners to a cocktail shaker or mason jar with a lid, Choe recommends. “Shake vigorously and pour into a cup of ice. It’s super easy and takes literally seconds,” she said.

How we chose these products

We sought the expertise of tea experts, reaching out to bloggers and authors in the space who really know matcha powder. We also included a few of the internet’s favorite matcha powders, plus ones considered ceremonial and culinary grade. With these powders, you’ll be in matcha heaven in no time.