Cooking and Baking with Matcha: Recipes and Tips for Beginners

Matcha's earthy, slightly sweet flavour and striking green colour make it a wonderful ingredient in the kitchen, not just a drink. Whether you're baking, blending or cooking, here's how to get delicious results every time.

Which matcha grade should you cook with?

For cooking and baking, culinary-grade matcha is usually the smart choice. It's made to hold its flavour when combined with other ingredients like sugar, flour and butter, and it's more economical for larger quantities. Save your ceremonial-grade matcha for drinking, where its delicate flavour can truly shine. That said, a small amount of ceremonial matcha in something simple, like a no-bake treat, can be lovely.

Sift before you mix

Matcha clumps easily. Always sift it before adding it to batters, doughs or wet ingredients to keep your results smooth and evenly coloured. This one step prevents most beginner mistakes.

Easy ways to start

A great entry point is a matcha smoothie: blend a teaspoon of matcha with banana, spinach, milk of your choice and a little honey for a vibrant, energising drink. Matcha energy balls made with oats, dates and nut butter are another simple, no-bake option.

For baking, matcha shines in shortbread, cookies, loaf cakes, pancakes and muffins. Start by adding one to two teaspoons to your usual recipe and adjust to taste. Matcha also makes a beautiful natural food colouring for icing, frosting and whipped cream.

Balancing the flavour

Matcha pairs beautifully with white chocolate, coconut, citrus, vanilla and berries. These sweet and creamy partners round out matcha's slight bitterness and highlight its natural sweetness. A pinch of salt can also enhance its depth.

Avoid overheating

Matcha's colour and nutrients are heat-sensitive. In no-bake recipes it stays vividly green, while in baked goods it may soften to a more muted tone, which is completely normal. To protect flavour, avoid exposing matcha to very high, prolonged heat where you can.

A simple recipe to try: matcha white chocolate cookies

Add two teaspoons of sifted culinary matcha to your favourite cookie dough, fold in white chocolate chips, and bake as usual. The result is a soft, subtly earthy cookie with pockets of sweetness, and a gorgeous green hue that always impresses.