Best Iced Matcha Latte with
Vanilla Cold Foam and Strawberry Purée
Your Starbucks secret menu drink — made at home, better than the original
Creamy matcha, sweet vanilla cold foam, and vibrant strawberry purée layered into one impossibly beautiful café-style drink that takes just 10 minutes to make.
The iced strawberry matcha latte has taken over every café aesthetic feed — and for very good reason. Three stunning layers, each one more beautiful than the last, combining to create a drink that tastes as incredible as it looks.
This homemade version is inspired by the Starbucks iced matcha and strawberry cold foam drinks that have become iconic — but made at home, you control every element. Better matcha quality, fresher strawberries, sweeter foam, and at a fraction of the cost. The hardest part is choosing which glass to serve it in.
grade matcha
Strawberry purée base · milk + ice · matcha pour · vanilla cold foam crown
📌 Pinned on Pinterest
Scale to Your Cup Size
How to Make It — Layer by Layer
The order matters — building from the bottom up creates those distinct, beautiful layers that make this drink so stunning.
- 1
Make the Strawberry Purée
Blend fresh strawberries with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you want a perfectly clear, professional purée. Cook for 3 minutes in a saucepan for a thicker, more intensely flavoured result — or use raw for maximum freshness.
💡 Make this 3 days ahead and refrigerate — flavour deepens beautifully - 2
Whisk the Matcha
Add matcha powder to a small bowl. Pour hot water at 75–80°C (not boiling — boiling water burns matcha and creates bitterness) and whisk in a W-motion or use a bamboo chasen until completely smooth with no lumps. A small frother works brilliantly here. Allow to cool for 2 minutes.
💡 80°C water = just below boiling, or boiling water left to sit 2 minutes - 3
Make the Vanilla Cold Foam
Combine cold heavy cream, cold milk, vanilla syrup, and a pinch of salt in a small jar or bowl. Froth with a handheld milk frother for 20–30 seconds until it holds soft peaks — like very lightly whipped cream. Do not over-froth or it becomes too stiff to pour beautifully. Keep cold until needed.
💡 Everything must be cold — warm cream won’t foam properly - 4
Build the Strawberry Base
Pour strawberry purée into the bottom of a large clear cup — about 2–3 tablespoons for a 16oz cup. This is your vivid red foundation layer. Use a taller glass for more dramatic visual layering.
- 5
Add Ice & Milk
Fill the cup with ice over the strawberry purée. Pour cold oat milk or whole milk gently over the ice — it creates a beautiful pink-to-white gradient as it interacts with the purée below. Do not stir.
💡 Pour the milk slowly over the back of a spoon for cleaner separation - 6
Pour the Matcha
Slowly pour the cooled whisked matcha down the inside edge of the glass — this creates a clean green-to-white gradient. The matcha will float beautifully on the milk before gradually sinking. This is the most photogenic moment — have your camera ready.
📸 Pour the matcha just before photographing — the cascade is the entire shot - 7
Crown with Vanilla Cold Foam
Spoon the vanilla cold foam generously over the top of the matcha layer. Pour it slowly over the back of a spoon to float it cleanly. The white foam crown over the green matcha is the signature of this drink — pile it higher than you think you need to. Add a straw and serve immediately.
5 Ways to Make It Your Own
Classic — The Original
The full recipe as written: fresh strawberry purée base · oat milk and ice · whisked matcha · vanilla cold foam crown. This is the drink that inspired this entire recipe — it’s perfect as is.
Best for: First timers, photography, anyone who loves the Starbucks strawberry matcha menu.
✅ Follow the base recipe exactlyFully Vegan Version
Two swaps and this drink is completely plant-based — without compromising any of the layers, flavour, or visual beauty.
- Swap heavy cream in foam → full-fat coconut cream (chilled overnight, solid part only)
- Use oat milk throughout (already the most popular choice for this drink)
- Use agave or maple syrup instead of sugar in the strawberry purée
- Check vanilla syrup is vegan (most are — check the label)
No Foam — Simple Iced Matcha Strawberry
Skip the cold foam entirely and simply add a splash of vanilla simple syrup to the matcha before pouring. The drink is still three-layered, still stunning, and even quicker to make.
- Replace cold foam → extra splash of cold milk poured over matcha
- Add ½ tsp vanilla extract directly to the matcha whisk
- Sprinkle a tiny amount of matcha powder over the top for a finished look
Mango Matcha Twist
Swap strawberry purée for mango purée — the orange-to-green gradient is absolutely jaw-dropping, and the tropical sweetness pairs beautifully with the earthy bitterness of matcha.
- Replace strawberries → fresh or frozen mango, blended smooth
- Add a squeeze of lime juice instead of lemon to the purée
- Use coconut milk instead of oat milk — ties into the tropical theme
- Skip vanilla in the foam and add ½ tsp lime zest instead
Protein Matcha Latte
Turn this café drink into a post-workout recovery shake without losing any of the layered beauty. Simple additions make a huge difference to the nutritional profile.
- Add 1 scoop vanilla protein powder to the milk layer — whisk until dissolved before adding to cup
- Use Premier Protein vanilla shake as the milk layer for maximum protein with no extra prep
- Add 1 tbsp chia seeds to the strawberry purée for fibre and omega-3
- Use extra matcha (2 tsp) for additional L-theanine and antioxidants
How Sweet Do You Want It? 🍓
This drink has natural sweetness from the strawberry purée — click your preference to see exactly how to adjust the sweetness throughout the recipe.
Tips for the Perfect Iced Matcha Latte
🍵 Always Use Ceremonial Matcha
Culinary grade = bitter and dull green. Ceremonial grade = naturally sweet, vibrantly jade, and smooth. The colour difference in the glass is dramatic — you’ll immediately see why the grade matters so much in a visual drink like this.
🍓 Strain the Strawberry Purée
Blending strawberries creates seeds and foam. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a professional, clear purée that layers immaculately. The extra 2 minutes is absolutely worth it for the visual result.
☁️ Cold Cream = Stable Foam
Everything for the cold foam must be cold — the cream, the milk, even the bowl if possible. Warm cream won’t whip. Use cream straight from the fridge and froth immediately.
📸 Pour Matcha for the Camera
The most photogenic moment is the matcha cascading through the milk — have your phone ready. Pour slowly, from the side of the glass, and shoot within the first 10 seconds. The layers combine quickly after pouring.
🌡️ Water Temperature is Critical
80°C maximum for matcha — never boiling. Boiling water destroys the delicate amino acids and creates bitterness. If you don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle, boil and leave for 2 minutes before whisking.
🥛 Best Milks for This Drink
Oat milk is the most popular choice — it has a neutral, slightly sweet flavour that complements both the matcha and the strawberry without competing. Whole milk creates the richest result. Almond milk is too thin for the layering effect to work cleanly.
