Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

This matcha ice cream recipe is super rich, creamy, and full of matcha green tea flavor! So easy to make at home, you'll always want to keep a batch in your freezer to satisfy sweet tooth cravings!

You may have tried matcha ice cream at a Japanese restaurant or a specialty ice cream shop. It's a unique flavor of ice cream that is made from high quality powdered tea leaves.

This ice cream has the perfect amount of sweetness that balances the slight bitterness of the matcha.

I tweaked this recipe from my old blog in 2015 and man is it good!!

If you haven't tried making ice cream at home, you must try it! Nothing compares to freshly made ice cream. There's just something so pure about the taste because it's not made with preservatives and artificial flavors like some store bought ones have.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, whisk sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow.
2. Stir in milk and heat the mixture on low heat stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 170˚F.
3. Whisk the matcha and heavy cream into the custard mixture.
4. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve. Press any matcha clumps through the sieve. Refrigerate until chilled. There might still be chunks of matcha in the mixture but don't worry, they will dissolve once the ice cream is churned.
5. Add the mixture to an ice cream machine and churn for 20-30 minutes until it looks like soft serve. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container and freeze.

Tips to Make Matcha Ice Cream

• Freeze the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours. We want the ice cream bowl to be as cold as possible.
• Prep a day ahead. Make the ice cream mixture the day before so it can completely chill before adding it to the ice cream maker. Since the ice cream bowl needs a full 24 hours to freeze anyway, might as well do some prep work ahead of time.
• Use high quality matcha. You can use culinary grade matcha since we are mixing it with sugar and milk. I used Sencha Naturals matcha.
• Strain the ice cream mixture through a sieve. This will ensure a smooth mixture that is free of any bits of egg and matcha clumps.
• Have fun with it. Add some chocolate chips at the end or a splash or vanilla. Or add some more matcha for a stronger flavor.

No Machine Needed

To make this recipe without an ice cream machine, use two bowls: one extra large bowl for ice, and a smaller bowl with the ice cream mixture that will fit into the large bowl.

1. Fill half of the large bowl with ice and add a generous amount of salt to lower the temperature of the ice.
2. Pour the ice cream mixture in the small bowl and place the bowl on top of the ice. With a hand mixer, whisk the ice cream mixture for about 10 minutes until it resembles whipped cream. Place the two bowls in the freezer for one hour.
3. Whisk the ice cream again for 2-5 minutes until it resembles soft serve. Scrape the hardened ice cream from the sides of the bowl periodically. Pour it into a freezer safe container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.

FAQs

What is matcha?

Matcha is made from finely ground green tea leaves and is high in antioxidants. It should be bright green, and it comes in culinary and ceremonial grades. Culinary grade is used for cooking and baking while ceremonial is best for drinking. Use the highest quality matcha you can find for this recipe.

What does matcha taste like?

Matcha is smooth and slightly sweet with a touch of bitterness. It tastes earthy with some floral tones.

Can I omit the eggs in the ice cream?

You can make this recipe without eggs but it will not be as creamy. The fat and protein in the eggs help emulsify fat and water to create super creamy and rich ice cream.

How long can I store matcha ice cream?

Freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. The longer it freezes, the more the flavor and texture of the ice cream degrades.