Matcha Ice Cream

This is the absolute best matcha ice cream recipe you'll ever try! With a base of coconut milk and just 6 ingredients total, you'll be able to make gorgeous green dairy-free matcha ice cream magic. Whether you're looking for a festive treat for St. Patrick's Day or you just love matcha, this recipe is a must-try. Note: you will need an ice cream maker!
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Three waffle cones filled with scoops of vegan matcha ice cream.
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When the sun starts shining brightly and the brilliant blue skies beckon us to open our windows, it’s a sign that summer has begun and dairy-free ice cream is on its way. The sensation of holding a hefty, crisp cone of cool, creamy ice cream on a hot and steamy day is super satisfying. We hope that our vegan matcha ice cream recipe totally hits the spot for you this season.

Even if you’ve never made homemade ice cream in your life, this recipe is simple enough for a beginner and easy to understand. Once you’ve got your inner bowl chillin’, all you need to do is blend up your dreamy ice cream ingredients, pour into the bowl when it’s super cold, and turn on your machine. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can have your own fantastic dessert right from the freezer!

Several scoops of this Matcha Chip Plant Based Ice Cream Recipe in a bowl.

Matcha Benefits

Why is everyone so wild about matcha? Is it the glorious green color, the slightly exotic scent, or the pretty cool health benefits that make this ingredient so irresistible? In just a single gram (or half a teaspoon) of this tempting and tasty tea, you’ll find:

  • Over 300 mg of plant-based protein
  • 272 mg of amino acids
  • 50 mg of lipids
  • Rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and iron.
  • Full of vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, and K.
  • A slow release of natural caffeine (68 mg), which means its amount is between a regular cup of tea (32 mg) and a cup of coffee (94 mg) for one teaspoon of matcha powder.

Adding a superfood like this to a sweet snack is a delicious way of boosting your daily nutrition!

Ingredient Notes

Can you believe you only need six ingredients to make a decadent matcha ice cream at home? You probably already have most of these on hand!

  • Coconut milk: Choose a canned coconut milk that’s full-fat. Not only is it dairy-free, but this will result in the creamiest ice cream!
  • Sugar: Just your basic white granulated sugar! Don’t skimp on sugar as it helps reduce the freezing point to make ice cream extra creamy and not solid like an ice cube.
  • Agave nectar: This light syrup adds to the sweetness and texture. Maple syrup also works well.
  • Matcha powder: The star of the show! Use high-quality matcha powder for the best flavor and color. Ceremonial-grade matcha powder is best, but culinary-grade can work in a pinch.
  • Salt: Don’t skip this! Salt helps to emphasize and elevate the other flavors.
  • Dairy-Free Chocolate chips: You’ll want to roughly chop them or use mini vegan chocolate chips for best results. If you don’t mind the extra work, you can always use your favorite vegan chocolate bar and chop it into little chunks. Or, you can make up a batch of chocolate bark and break that into perfect size pieces.
Matcha ice cream ingredients in various bowls with labels.

How to Make This Matcha Ice Cream Recipe

Aside from the set up and chill time, this matcha ice cream comes together quickly with an ice cream maker! Just make sure to follow the advance prep for best results.

Advance Prep

Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours before starting (or follow ice cream maker directions). This step is essential for getting the right ice cream consistency!

Prepare The Matcha Ice Cream Mixture

To a blender, add the coconut milk, sugar, agave nectar, matcha powder, and salt. Blend well until completely smooth, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and set in the fridge for at least one hour to chill.

Make The Ice Cream

Once the bowl has become fully frozen, set it up in your ice cream maker and turn it on. Slowly pour in the chilled matcha mixture. Allow the ice cream maker to do its magic to transform the matcha mixture from a liquid to a thick soft serve. This can take about 10-15 minutes but refer to your ice cream maker’s instructions as this can vary between models.

When the ice cream maker is done, use a spatula to quickly scoop all the soft ice cream into a storage container and gently fold in the chocolate. At this point the ice cream will be very soft (like soft serve) and will start to melt, so work quickly to scoop it out, cover and transfer to the freezer as soon as you’re done!

Allow the ice cream to chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before enjoying!

Dairy-Free Matcha Chip Ice Cream Recipe in a container topped with vegan chocolate chips.

Serving Suggestions

Once your delicious ice cream is concocted, your only concern might be getting brain freeze. Other than that, you can come up with some cool and creative ways to share or serve your ice cream. Here are some of our most fun and festive ideas:

  • Up the chocolate factor – Add extra chocolate chips, chunks, or shavings to the top of your sweet scoops. You may even want to try cacao nibs or a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Super, duper chocolate-y!
  • Mix into a smoothie – Mix a couple of scoops of matcha chip ice cream to a blender, along with a little plant-based milk, a cup of baby spinach, and a cup of frozen fruit. Whiz it up for a wonderfully cool and creamy treat! Serve in a pretty glass with a reusable straw.
  • Pop on top of pie – Homemade ice cream and warm piece of pie are the perfect pair. You can even substitute a gooey maple blondie or a tangy fruit tart if you prefer those instead. The ultimate party favorite is to make a giant chocolate chip cookie and smother it with as many scoops of ice cream as you wish. Yum!
  • Turn it into a Super Sundae – If you’re like me and you love different tastes, textures, and temperatures all in one bowl, a sundae would be a really special snack. Start with a base layer of super ripe bananas, add 2-3 scoops of ice cream, and add the most tempting toppings such as coconut whipped cream, warm vegan nutella, a large scoop of strawberry jam, and a handful of candied walnuts. Lastly, don’t forget the cherry on top!

Simple Storage

Storing any leftover matcha chip ice cream is super easy. Scoop the remaining ice cream into a freezer-safe container with a secure lid. If stored properly, your homemade dessert should last at least 2-6 months in the freezer. You can also use an ice cube tray with a cover for quick and easy mini ice cream treats!

FAQ’s

What is matcha ice cream made of?

Matcha ice cream can be made with whole milk, or for a dairy-free and vegan option, use coconut milk. It’s also made with sugar to sweet and create a creamy texture, plus ceremonial grade matcha green tea powder.

Is there a lot of caffeine in matcha ice cream?

It depends on how much matcha is used and the amount can vary by brand as well. In general, one teaspoon of matcha has about 70 mg of caffeine in it. This recipe uses 3 tablespoons, which would be 630 mg for the whole batch or about 105 mg for each serving. That’s about the same as one cup of coffee.

What’s the difference between matcha and green tea?

Matcha and green tea both originate from the Camellia sinensis plant, but they are processed and consumed differently. Matcha is the finely ground tea leaves that have been specifically grown and shaded from sunlight for several weeks. With matcha you are consuming the whole tea leaf in powder form. Green tea involves steeping whole or loose tea leaves in hot water, then discarding them. Matcha has an earthy flavor with a slightly sweet undertone while green tea ranged from a vegetal to floral and sweet flavor.

vegan mint matcha in a bowl with cone on top

More Vegan Ice Cream Recipes

These must-try vegan ice creams are what dreams are made of! Some require an ice cream maker, some just a blender!

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Matcha Ice Cream (Dairy-Free)

Author: Michelle Cehn | World of Vegan
5 from 8 votes
The perfect matcha chip ice cream that takes just minutes of effort and tastes like you got it from an ice cream shop! You'll need an ice cream maker (and make sure you freeze the basin for at least 24 hours in advance of making this).
Three waffle cones filled with scoops of vegan matcha ice cream.
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
advance prep (for freezing the ice cream maker bowl) 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cans coconut milk, use full-fat for best results
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 7 tablespoons agave nectar, or maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons matcha powder
  • teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup chocolate chips, roughly chopped (or mini vegan chocolate chips)

Instructions

  • Advance Prep: Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours before beginning (or follow ice cream maker directions). This is an essential step for getting the right ice cream consistency!
  • In a blender, add the coconut milk, sugar, agave nectar, matcha powder, and salt and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill (longer is fine too).
  • Set up your ice cream maker with the fully-frozen canister, turn it on, and gently pour in the chilled matcha mixture. Allow ice cream maker to run until the matcha mixture turns from liquid to thick soft serve. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes, but look for visual signs of readiness and follow your ice cream maker’s instructions as the time can vary significantly.
  • As soon as the ice cream maker is done, using a spatula, quickly scoop all the soft ice cream into a storage container and gently fold in the chocolate. The ice cream will be very soft (similar to soft serve) and will melt quickly, so work fast and cover and transfer to the freezer as soon as you’re done!
  • Allow to chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before enjoying!

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 7mg
Course — Dessert
Cuisine — American
Love this Recipe? Leave a Rating!And follow @Vegan on Instagram for more.

Matcha Ice Cream photos by JJ Steele, copyright of World of Vegan™, all rights reserved.

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5 from 8 votes

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Recipe Rating




9 comments
  1. Rena Agno says:

    5 stars
    Matcha and chocolate in an ice cream? No need to say anything else, people of all ages love this – plus these are healthy!

  2. Beatriz Buono-Core says:

    5 stars
    I seriously need to try this ice cream! I looove matcha 🙂

  3. Andrea White says:

    5 stars
    This looks so so good! Can’t wait to try this ice cream out!

  4. 5 stars
    Love, love, love! Matcha tea is so lovely and I can’t wait to try it in ice cream form. Yay!

  5. 5 stars
    This ice cream looks so amazing and I’m sure it tastes great!

  6. 5 stars
    This is one of my all time favorite types of vegan ice cream to make in my ice cream maker! It’s soooo good!

    • Rakesh Kumar says:

      Hi Michelle,
      I want to buy your book for vegan ice cream making. Please send me your mail id.

  7. 5 stars
    This is the summer recipe I didn’t know I wanted! If only I had an ice cream maker! AMAZING photos, btw!!

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