Green Tea Matcha Nice Cream is sweet and bright-flavored with subtle hints of coconut and vanilla.
With its pretty green color, I wanted to share my Green Tea Matcha Nice Cream in time for St. Paddy’s Day! If you’re looking for a naturally green treat, this one is perfect.
Those of you who love the flavor of matcha will go crazy for this recipe. However, if the grassy, full-bodied flavor of matcha isn’t your thing, feel free to add a splash of mint extract and a handful of chocolate chips for a mint chocolate chip flavor profile.
And you can bump up the nutrition and green color even more by adding a handful of spinach to this nice cream recipe! (For more St. Patrick's Day fun, check out my post on how to naturally dye coconut green.)
The Best Green Tea Matcha Nice Cream Recipe
Homemade Green Tea Matcha Nice Cream tastes way better than store-bought matcha ice cream! It’s subtly grassy and sweet, with hints of vanilla and coconut.
Ingredients in Matcha Nice Cream
- Banana
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Agave nectar
- Matcha powder
- Vanilla
- Salt
How to Make Vegan Nice Cream
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth and creamy, tamping down the ingredients or scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Serve immediately.
Tips for Making Matcha Nice Cream
- Quality counts. For the best flavor, use good-quality matcha powder.
- Go for the deep freeze. Make sure to use frozen bananas! They're what gives this frozen treat a consistency similar to soft-serve ice cream.
- Play with the sweetener. Instead of agave nectar, you can use whatever your favorite is! Sometimes I use stevia to keep the carbs down.
- Bump up the nutrition and color. Add a handful of baby spinach or kale.
Matcha Nice Cream FAQs
What Does Matcha Nice Cream Taste Like?
Matcha has a grassy, earthy flavor with a faint bitterness. Depending on how much matcha (green tea) powder the recipe calls for, the flavor will be a little different.
In Matcha Nice Cream, banana is often used as the ice cream base, so the flavor of banana is also present. Sweetener (such as agave nectar or honey) balance matcha’s subtle bitterness. In this recipe for Matcha Nice Cream, coconut milk and vanilla help create a balanced flavor profile.
Is There Caffeine in Matcha Nice Cream?
Yes, matcha is made from powdered whole Japanese green tea leaves and it contains caffeine.
Does Matcha Have as Much Caffeine as Coffee?
One (8 ounce) cup of matcha prepared with 1 teaspoon (2 grams) matcha powder has about 70 milligrams of caffeine (as per Tenzo Tea). One (8 ounce) cup of brewed coffee has 92 milligrams of caffeine (according to the USDA National Nutrient Database).
Not only is matcha a bit lower in caffeine than coffee is, but the caffeine in matcha effects the body differently. Matcha contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which slows down the release of caffeine and actually has a calming effect. As a result, matcha is known for having a “clean high” without the jitters.
You can more about the caffeine in matcha on Cosmopolitan and Got Matcha.
Is Green Tea Ice Cream Healthy?
Green tea ice cream is only as healthy as the ingredients that go into it. Try to avoid green tea ice cream with a lot of sugar. This Matcha Nice Cream recipe uses only ½ tablespoon of agave nectar per serving, and you can use stevia instead to cut the sugar.
Also, matcha itself has a few great health benefits, including the fact that it’s rich in antioxidants and chlorophyll, and is helpful for detox.
Does Green Tea Ice Cream Have Dairy?
Some brands of store-bought green tea ice cream contain dairy. To avoid those with dairy, read the label before purchasing.
This recipe for Matcha Nice Cream is vegan and does not contain dairy.
More Green Tea Recipes to Make
- Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Bulletproof Matcha Latte
- Healthy Matcha Green Tea Cake with Matcha Frosting
- Matcha Green Tea Coconut Pancakes
Green Tea Matcha Nice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 medium bananas peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks, and frozen
- 1 tablespoon full-fat coconut milk or any kind of milk you like
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar see Note
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth and creamy, tamping down the ingredients or scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Serve immediately.
Helpful Tips
- If keeping this recipe vegan isn’t a concern you can use honey instead of agave nectar. And to lower the carbs a bit, use stevia instead.
- To bump up the nutrition and make this even more green, you can add a handful of spinach.
Nutrition
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