This four-ingredient Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe is one of our favorite ice cream recipes, as it’s such a refreshing dessert. The sweet creaminess and subtle green tea flavor make for the perfect pairing anyone can recreate at home. It’s even better than what we get at our favorite Asian restaurants. Grab your ice cream spoon and dig in!
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Amy’s Notes
Green tea ice cream is one of our family’s favorite ice cream flavors, as it’s a classic Asian dessert; it’s rich and creamy like any ice cream, but the subtle matcha flavor gives it a fresh twist and isn’t overly sweet. This homemade version is surprisingly easy and absolutely worth a scoop (or two).
- Smooth and Creamy: Every bite has a rich texture with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s sure to be at the top of your list of Favorite Ice Cream Recipes.
- Unique Flavor: Matcha adds a refreshing, earthy note that sets this ice cream apart from traditional flavors, much like this Snickerdoodle Ice Cream.
- Easy Homemade Dessert: No complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients required.
- Perfect for Matcha Lovers: A delicious way to enjoy green tea’s flavor in a cool treat.
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What is Matcha Green Tea Powder?
Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are specially grown, dried, and ground into a super-fine powder. Unlike regular green tea, where you steep the leaves and toss them out, matcha lets you enjoy the entire leaf. It has a unique flavor, which is what makes it so popular in everything from smoothies to cookies and homemade ice cream. If you’re curious about how to make your own matcha powder, this guide from The Spruce Eats does a great job of explaining it.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Half and half – Adds richness and creaminess to the matcha ice cream recipe without making it overly heavy.
- Matcha green tea powder – Gives the ice cream its signature green color and green tea flavor.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Swap the granulated sugar for honey or maple syrup for a slightly different flavor profile and natural sweetness.
- Extract: Add vanilla extract to soften the earthy matcha flavor and add a hint of vanilla flavor.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Mix in white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips for a flavor contrast to the green tea.
- Add Texture: Stir in crushed cookies for an added crunch. Or add chewy mochi pieces for a fun chewy texture.
- Dairy-free Version: Make it dairy-free by using full-fat canned coconut milk in place of half-and-half.
- Toppings: Top with fresh berries for a bright finish that pairs well with matcha.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together the half and half, sugar, and salt over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the matcha powder and whisk until fully incorporated. Heat until hot but not boiling, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Pour the chilled mixture into a frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions, about 30 minutes. The ice cream will be soft.
- Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Prep Ahead
- Freeze Earlier: Freeze your ice cream maker bowl at least 24 hours before churning. You can also freeze the storage container for 15–30 minutes before filling it to help the ice cream stay cold longer.
- Chill Your Mix-ins: If you plan on adding chocolate chips, mochi bits, or cookies, pop them in the freezer for 15–20 minutes before folding them in. This prevents them from melting the freshly churned ice cream.
- Whisk: Whisk the matcha with a small amount of half-and-half first to help prevent clumps.
- Make Earlier: Make the ice cream a day before serving for a firmer texture.
Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups half and half
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 5-7 tablespoons Matcha green tea powder to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan, combine half and half, sugar, and salt. Whisk and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Add green tea powder and continue cooking and whisking until powder is completely dissolved and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp. Cover and chill 2-3 hours in fridge or until fully chilled.
- Make sure your ice cream maker is ready to go, with the container solidly frozen. Transfer chilled mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions – I go about 30 minutes. Ice cream will be somewhat soft when finished.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape all ice cream into an airtight container. Freeze 3 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Different brands of Matcha tea powder may have varying intensities. For best results, start with lower amount of Matcha powder and add to taste, prior to chilling/churning.
- Unless you use some kind of food coloring/dye, the ice cream will naturally be more of a muted green, as pictured above, rather than vibrant green.
- Storage: Store in a freezer-safe or ice cream container in the freezer until it is firm and ready to eat.
- This recipe makes approximately 2 quarts.
- This recipe is part of our Favorite Ice Cream Recipes.
- Add toppings and enjoy. Fresh fruit, Stabilized Whipped Cream, and even mini chocolate chips would be delicious.
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What To Serve with Homemade Matcha Ice Cream
Other Ice Cream Recipes
- This Cookies and Cream Ice Cream is better than any store-bought version.
- The flavor of this Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is absolutely insane and totally addictive.
- For all the chocolate lovers who don’t want to deal with tempering eggs, this Easy Chocolate Ice Cream is for you. Chocolatey delicious.
- Who says snickerdoodle goodies are only for winter holidays? This Snickerdoodle Ice Cream is a favorite summer treat, and one you won’t easily find elsewhere.
- Berries, berries, and more berries! This Very Berry Ice Cream is totally natural and creamy good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Not really. Matcha is a type of green tea ground into a fine powder. It often has a stronger flavor than green tea, too.
You may have used too much matcha powder or chosen a lower-quality one. Read reviews and choose one with high ratings.
As long as you keep it stored correctly, it should last 2-4 weeks in the freezer. If you notice ice crystals or it tastes like freezer burn, that’s a sign it didn’t seal well in the container and needs to be tossed.
If you want to make this into no churn matcha ice cream, you can. Just combine, then add to a freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer. You’ll need to open the lid and store it every 30 minutes until it reaches the creamy consistency you’re looking for.
It does have a small amount of caffeine. It isn’t nearly as high as a cup of coffee or a glass of soda, but there is still some in it.
More to Cook and Eat
- Strawberry Ice Cream – If you’re a fan of all things strawberry, you don’t want to miss this easy ice cream dessert.
- Bananas Foster Ice Cream – Bring the fanciness to your kitchen with this sweet treat. I love making this for a special occasion!
- Strawberry Crumb Cake – This fresh crumb cake is perfect for any time of day. Breakfast or dessert? You choose.
- Lemon Curd Recipe – You can use this for mini pies, as a filling, or top with some whipped cream and enjoy.
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