Coconut Butter Matcha Latte
Hey there friends! Just a quick post for you guys today. I've had this matcha recipe on the back burner for a while and I’ve been waiting for the right moment to share it. And seeing that we’re getting constant rain storms in Virginia and the weather feels more like San Francisco than Sweltering South, a warm latte doesn’t feel so terribly off-kilter.
I fully refined this matcha latte recipe for the adaptogenic latte workshop I did back in April in Richmond, VA. It’s creamy, foamy, just a little bit sweet and the matcha flavor really shines through without being overwhelming. Like all of my blender lattes, the magic is in whipping the fats with hot liquid to create barista-style micro foam.
I was a barista myself for a while in college (like a good Philosophy major). It only took my six months to master my milk foaming technique (nbd). I’m pretty sure therein lies the origin-story of my passion for latte foam. Failure is the greatest teacher, so they say. And my struggles with steam wands were no different (so much scalded milk, y’all).
One of the biggest challenges I faced as a barista was foaming plant-milks so that they were comparable to dairy milk lattes. To this day very few baristas know how to do it effectively, although the real trick is in the quality of the milk itself. Back in 2010 when I was whipping up cortados and macchiatos like it was my job (it was), we had very few options for plant milks. Remember when soy was the only option? I DO. I think I’m scarred because I still find soy lattes abominable. Nowadays there are more commercial options for barista-style plant milks (this one is friggin amazing). But in the end high-fat, homemade is where it’s at. If a cafe makes their own nut milk, I usually know that they know what’s up.
So of course I was amazed (and stoked) when I figured out that nut butters and hot water blend together and foam like a dream, especially considering that the steam-wand on a professional espresso machine struggles with the task. I discovered this little hack about two years ago and I’ve been passionately dedicated to the method ever since.
So here you have it, a matcha latte that stands up to most anything you could buy even in the most hipster-y tea house or coffee shop. It’s 7 ingredients (including hot water). There’s no pre-prep involved. And it takes all of one minute to make. Plus you can add adaptogen powders galore if you’re feeling those magic plant-witch vibes.
Speaking of adaptogens! I’m really enjoying Sun Potion’s Yin Power powder as a pair for matcha lately. It’s a very femme-powerful mix of plant and fungi that helps with stress-reduction, hormone balance, creative energy and overall relaxed radiance. It includes reishi, he shou wu, pearl, ashwagandha, tocos, pine pollen and astragalus — all of which I tend to use in some combo individually so the blend is an easy pre-prep for me. The flavors in this particular blend harmonize with matcha really well. Maca or mesquite would be nice too.
And for mineralization I find a touch of spirulina, moringa or nettle leaf powder all blend in beautifully and they’re almost impossible to taste. I’m always looking for more ways to incorporate essential minerals into my diet so getting them into a delicious lattes feels like a real life hack!
And because I know you’ll ask, I get my matcha from here, my coconut butter from here and this is my favorite brand of raw honey.
Peace & plants — Renee
Vegan Coconut Butter Matcha Latte
Author: Renee Byrd | Will Frolic for Food · Active prep time: 1 mins · Inactive prep time: 0 mins · Cook time: 0 mins · Makes 1 large latte · PRINT THIS RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Coconut Butter
1 tbsp Creamy Almond Butter, Cashew Butter or more Coconut Butter
1 tsp Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tsp Latte Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder
1 tsp - 1 tbsp Raw Honey OR 1-2 pitted medjool dates
⅛ tsp Vanilla Bean Powder or Vanilla Extract
1 ½ cups Hot Water (190F is about perfect)
Optional: up to 2 tbsp Adaptogen Powders
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a high powered upright blender: coconut butter, almond butter, coconut oil, matcha, honey or dates (sweeten to taste -- you can start with a little and add more as needed), vanilla and hot water. If adding adaptogen powders spoon those in now. Blend until frothy, 60-90 seconds. Tip: dates take longer to break down in the blender. If you stop the blender and you see date bits falling to the bottom of the liquid, keep blending for another 30 seconds or so. Pour and drink hot. Enjoy!