What’s the deal with matcha? Aside from the aesthetic magic this Japanese green tea lends to any recipe, it also has a bounty of therapeutic properties. It’s known for enhancing concentration, detoxifying the body and fortifying the immune system, but it also packs a powerful punch on the antioxidant scale as well. And it’s not meant just for sipping. From cookies to pasta, versatile matcha is set to become the hip new ingredient this year. Here are 22 delicious reasons you’ll want to put it on your shopping list for the weekend.
22 green and delicious recipes to add a bit of matcha to your mouth
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Green Tea & White Chocolate Cookies
Tea time will never be the same again. At least not in your home. Bring out a plate of these beautiful cookies, and you’re going to have everyone scrambling to grab fistfuls of this deliciousness. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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Panna Cotta with Matcha and Raspberries
The pictures of this gorgeous dessert alone are worth a visit to Lily's Kitchen Book blog. A combination of the silken Italian dessert and a simple raspberry coulis, this showstopper will silence anyone who doubts your kitchen skills. Cue the applause.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Lily’s Kitchen Book
Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls
If Toronto-based blogger Davida at The Healthy Maven is to be believed, these balls will take you from “hangry to energizer bunny in under five minutes”. Each ball is filled with nourishing ingredients like dates, almonds, cocoa and antioxidant-rich matcha, so we’re inclined to believe her.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: The Healthy Maven
Roasted Blueberries and Cream Matcha Popsicles
The kids are not going to know what hit their taste buds. These dairy-free popsicles are packed with avocado, coconut milk and matcha, turning this usually unhealthy summer treat into something completely worth indulging in. We don’t care if it’s winter, we’re making a batch.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: With Food + Love
Matcha Coconut Latte
Now, this gallery wouldn’t be complete without a recipe for actually drinking matcha, right? Skip the line up at Starbucks and treat yourself to this quick and easy (and vegan!) version that uses only two ingredients. We’re happy to invest in a matcha whisk just for whipping up these beauties.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Love and Lemons
Green Tea Chocolate
Blogger Nami at Just One Cookbook not only has step-by-step visual instructions, she has a video how-to for making these treats. With a luscious white chocolate and cream base to balance the bitter bite of the matcha, these truffle-like treats are just too good to share.
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Matcha Green Tea Cake Roll
You might just kiss your regular jelly roll goodbye after trying this recipe from Oh Sweet Day. Just imagine a light matcha sponge cake filled with lightly whipped matcha cream. Yep, that’s double the matcha, for double the flavour. Now be a dear and give us two slices.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Oh Sweet Day
Matcha Swirl Cheesecake
Making this cheesecake look like a beauty queen wasn’t enough, so blogger Allie at Baking a Moment also packed in a ton of flavour. How? By creating a delicate matcha-flavoured cheese filling that sits on a crust spiced with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. Talk about perfect flavour balance.
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Green Tea Croissants
You’ve eaten butter, almond and chocolate croissants. But a matcha croissant? This is a first for us too! Just look at that subtle green hue – so, so pretty. It’s enough for us to make a batch for our next brunch gathering, just so it can be the topic of conversation.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Bonbini
Tropical Mango Matcha Smoothie Cake
This faux cake is a great way to sneak some veggies and fruit into the diets of fussy eaters. But if you’re a power smoothie fan, you’ll realize that it's just as good as is. Our suggestion? Make a double batch. Drink your fill and prep cakes from the extras. Stash the latter in the freezer, so they’re ready whenever a dessert craving hits.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Tales of a Kitchen
Matcha Ginger Vinaigrette
Blogger Joanne at Oh My Veggies serves the vinaigrette with a summer fruit medley, but we think it will work just as well drizzled over a savoury salad. Just remember to add some fruit to round out the matcha’s bitterness. We’re thinking orange-avocado or pineapple-mango with either chicken or salmon.
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Matcha Azuki Cupcakes
Combining the popular green tea powder and sweetened red bean paste, these cupcakes are a tribute to Japanese ingredients. They are a welcome change from Red Velvet and PBJ cupcakes for your next gathering. We’re tempted to give them fun names like Hulk Cupcakes or Green Monster Tea Cakes, because we know kids are going to question their colour.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: The Little Epicurean
Green Tea Chocolate Chip Cookies
Listen up, these cookies are vegan and gluten-free. Hurray! We’d love to see the colour the glass of (regular or nut) milk turns as you dip and slurp your way through a whole batch. Bring these to your next cookie exchange or potluck and they’ll earn you cool baker status immediately.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Healthy Nibbles and Bits
Matcha Mint Juleps
We are completely mesmerized by this image. Can you blame us? Paired with fresh lemon juice and bourbon, these cocktails are meant to earn you brownie points when the boss or in-laws (or in-laws to be) drop by for dinner. Sophisticated, stylish, classy – go on and fake your way to a good impression.
GET THE RECIPE HERE Photo credit: The Bonjon Gourmet
Matcha Tea Tiramisu
Trying to stave off the coffee? Make Matcha Tea Tiramisu instead! The ladyfingers are soaked in matcha tea, providing a nice subtle green layer to the creamy mascarpone custard. Japan and Italy together for the win! This is the kind of fusion cuisine we can really get behind.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Delicooks
Matcha Fudge Protein Bars
Low-fat, low-sugar, gluten-free, vegan, high protein, no-bake – these protein bars check all the boxes. They also come together easily in a stand mixer, making the toughest part of the recipe trying to resist eating half of the mix. We won’t judge you for the extra drizzle of chocolate.
GET THE RECIPE HERE Photo credit: Desserts with Benefits
Organic Matcha Pasta
Just three ingredients will lead you to this pasta nirvana. And there's no need to dress it with a heavy sauce, either. A toss with some truffle oil and a grating of fresh Parmesan is all you need. Simplicity is often the best, and really works with this ingenious recipe.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Ramblings from Utopia
Dark Chocolate Matcha Layer Cake
Even newbies to matcha will be licking the frosting off this decadent, three-layer tower. The buttermilk-enriched cake is the ideal flavour companion for the swiss buttercream, which takes some patience to put together (make sure you have a stand/hand mixer), but the wait is totally worth it. Thank you blogger Natasha at Cake Merchant.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Cake Merchant
Matcha Soft Pretzels
We were quite enamored with the matcha croissants and then we chanced upon these cute pretzels! Baker Sandra tops them with sesame seeds and Sriracha sea salt before popping them into the oven. Her kids enjoy dipping them into either honey mustard, Sriracha-mayonnaise or sour cream and chives. To be honest, we’re quite happy to eat them au natural.
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Sandra’s Easy Cooking
Green Tea Crepe Cake
“I’m a little bit obsessed with crêpe cakes,” writes trained chef and blogger Stephane at Zen Can Cook. When they look this gorgeous, we’re not going to hold it against him. Orange liqueur, Grand Marnier and fresh orange zest add an extra dimension of yum to the batter and filling. Nom!
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Green Tea Cheesecake
Not a fan of dense, New York-style cheesecake? Then this lighter, mousse-like unbaked recipe will undoubtedly please your sweet tooth. It also just happens to be a matcha version paired with a sinfully sweet chocolate wafer crust. That'll round out the strong green tea flavour. Chocolate + matcha = match made in heaven. Now go preach!
GET THE RECIPE HEREPhoto credit: Dessert First
Green Tea Cream Puffs
The first time Chef Stephane made cream puffs, he was just 14 years old, but the success of that attempt had him “hooked for life.” Luckily for us, he continued experimenting with cream fillings, and brought the world this beautifully vibrant matcha version, made with whole eggs and lightened with whipped cream. He promises they’ll be a hit.
GET THE RECIPE HERE Photo credit: Zen Can Cook
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