Cranberries are the most festive winter ingredient and always make me think of snow globes, mistletoe, and delicious winter drinks. It also makes a great flavor pairing with matcha! This cranberry matcha latte is tart, bright, and festive, with contrasting, complementary flavors. It’s so easy to make and tastes amazing!
Here’s how to make a delicious cranberry matcha latte at home!
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Matcha Latte
- It’s festive and perfect for winter gatherings and parties!
- This flavor combination is unconventional but incredible.
- It’s so pretty and perfect for Christmas.
- You can follow this easy recipe to make a cafe-quality matcha latte that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Does Cranberry Go Well With Matcha?
Yes! Matcha goes really well with fruit, demonstrated by the popularity of the strawberry matcha latte. Something about the sweet and bright fruit complements matcha’s earthiness. The flavors never clash, and they elevate each other.
After making this cranberry matcha latte, it has now become one of my favorite fruit matcha lattes ever. I love how tart and sweet the cranberry is, but it doesn’t overpower the matcha.
How to Add Cranberry Flavor
There are two main ways to add cranberries to a drink: syrup or jam. My recommended method is syrup, but homemade cranberry syrup specifically. I don’t recommend mulling whole cranberries in the glass because they’re extremely tart and don’t have any juice in them.
Why homemade syrup? Because you can control the sweetness of the syrup, and they taste better! The cranberries taste fresher and juicier in a homemade syrup than any store-bought syrup I’ve tried. If you can use fresh cranberries, even better! That’s why I like to make a big batch in November when all the stores have fresh cranberries for sale.
How to Make Cranberry Simple Syrup
Simple syrup is super easy to make and only requires sugar and water. It’s also insanely easy to make cranberry syrup, because all you need to do is add cranberries to the simple syrup and simmer until all the berries burst open!
Normally, I don’t like to use the full amount of sugar for simple syrup, but since cranberries are sour, the whole amount is actually perfect. I like using a 1:1:1 ratio for cranberry syrup, which makes it really easy to make and remember. You can find all the steps in my cranberry simple syrup recipe!
Cranberry Matcha Latte: What You’ll Need
Equipment:
- A matcha tea bowl
- Tea sifter
- A matcha whisk
- A small pot (for making syrup)
- Sealable jar or bottle for syrup
Ingredients:
- 1-2 tbsp cranberry syrup
- for the syrup: 1 cup cranberries, 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar
- 1½ tsp matcha powder
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup ice
- 1 cup milk
Cranberry Matcha Latte Recipe
- Make or Buy Cranberry Syrup. For homemade syrup, add sugar, water, and cranberries to a small pot and heat on medium heat to a simmer. Keep simmering with the lid on the syrup until all the cranberries pop open, which takes around 2 minutes.
- Once the cranberries all open, continue simmering until the syrup turns a bright red and gets slightly thicker in texture. You can also mash the cranberries for extra flavor if desired.
- Once it reaches your desired consistency, turn off the heat and let it cool before using or storing it in a sealable container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Whisk Matcha. Soak matcha chasen in hot water for 1-2 minutes until the bristles soften. Sift matcha powder into the matcha bowl and add water. Using the whisk, vigorously whisk matcha in a zigzag motion until a nice froth forms.
- Assemble Drink. Add ice, cranberry syrup, and milk to a separate glass, then add whisked matcha. Garnish with 2-3 fresh cranberries and/or a sprig of rosemary or mint.
- Mix and Enjoy!
Tips for Making This Drink
- Add Spices or Herbs: Make this drink extra festive and add some rosemary, thyme, basil, cinnamon, or nutmeg! Different herbs bring out different sides of cranberry and add to the experience.
- Add Citrus: Cranberry and orange are a classic winter combination! You’ll find orange juice added to cranberry sauce or syrup for extra zing. I like to add it to a mocktail, but you can add some orange zest to the syrup here.
- Use an Umami Matcha Powder: The fruity flavors pair best with an umami matcha, which balances the sweetness. A floral and creamy matcha might not stand out against the fruit flavor.
- Syrup Gelling: Cranberries have a lot of pectin, so in syrup form, they will naturally gel. Don’t worry, it’s normal! That’s why cranberry sauce is naturally thick. If you shake it up before use, it will be more liquid.
Cranberry Substitute and Other Methods
- Cranberry Replacement: If you can’t find fresh or frozen cranberries, you can replace them with raspberries or cherries for a similar sweet and tart flavor. I would also add some orange juice to bring out the tart flavor.
- Juice for Syrup: For a shortcut, boil down some storebought cranberry juice for the easiest one-ingredient cranberry syrup. It will be much sweeter than the homemade version, but great in a pinch.
- Using Jam or Cranberry Sauce: If you have leftover cranberry jam or sauce from a meal, you can also use that to flavor this latte. It’s basically the same as making cranberry simple syrup, just thicker.
- Whisking Matcha Without a Whisk: If you don’t have a matcha whisk, you can always make matcha with a handheld frother. You can also shake it in a jar or make it into a paste. You can find other methods in my How to Make Matcha Without a Whisk blog.
Home Cafe Styling Tips
- How to get the red + green holiday aesthetic: Luckily, matcha and cranberry are naturally green and red. They look amazing layered in a glass! Just add the cranberry syrup, ice, then layer the milk, and top with the matcha. Make sure to be gentle, so they stay separated.
- Best glasses to use: I love using clear glasses for all my drinks, so you can admire how pretty they are! You can also use festive glasses or mugs to fit the theme.
- Perfect garnish combinations: You can leave it ungarnished or add some whole cranberries on top for a mistletoe vibe. You could also garnish with some festive red and green sprinkles.
- How to shoot the drink to share it online: Find some great, natural lighting and have a clean background! Experiment with angles and close-up shots, too.
Festive Cranberry Matcha Latte
Equipment
- 1 matcha tea bowl
- 1 tea sifter
- 1 matcha whisk
- 1 small pot for making syrup
- 1 sealable jar or bottle for syrup
Ingredients
Cranberry Syrup
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Cranberry Matcha Latte
- 1½ tsp matcha powder
- ¼ cup water
- 1-2 tbsp cranberry syrup
- 1 cup ice
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Make or Buy Cranberry Syrup. For homemade syrup, add sugar, water, and cranberries to a small pot and heat on medium heat to a simmer. Keep simmering with the lid on the syrup until all the cranberries pop open, which takes around 2 minutes.
- Once the cranberries all open, continue simmering until the syrup turns a bright red and gets slightly thicker in texture. You can also mash the cranberries for extra flavor if desired.
- Once it reaches your desired consistency, turn off the heat and let it cool before using or storing it in a sealable container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Whisk Matcha. Soak matcha chasen in hot water for 1-2 minutes until the bristles soften. Sift matcha powder into the matcha bowl and add water. Using the whisk, vigorously whisk matcha in a zigzag motion until a nice froth forms.
- Assemble Drink. Add ice, cranberry syrup, and milk to a separate glass, then add whisked matcha. Garnish with 2-3 fresh cranberries and/or a sprig of rosemary or mint.
- Mix and Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this hot?
Yes! Steam the milk with a steam wand or heated electric milk frother. You can also heat it on the stove or in the microwave. Add the cranberry syrup and whisked matcha at the bottom of a mug, then pour the hot milk on top! If you can do latte art, go crazy.
What if I don’t have cranberries?
You can substitute cranberries with raspberries, cherries, red currants, or lingonberries. I think lingonberries would be the closest in terms of flavor and texture!
Does milk curdle with cranberries?
Cranberries are pretty acidic, so they can curdle milk. However, it’s perfectly safe to drink and doesn’t happen too fast.
Other Festive Matcha Latte Ideas
Cranberries are such a festive and fun flavor for winter, and they really bring holiday vibes! If you like this winter flavor, then you need to try my other festive matcha recipes. Here are some I think you’ll love:
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