You’re excited to finally try making matcha at home, but realize you don’t have a bamboo whisk. Can you still make matcha? Yes! Luckily, there are 5 easy ways you can make matcha without a whisk. Plus, you can use tools you already have at home!
Preparing matcha properly is a very important part of making a good matcha drink at home, so make sure you don’t skip this step! Plus, I share all the tips and tricks about matcha preparation so you can make a delicious matcha latte at home without the hassle.
Here’s how to make matcha without a whisk at home!
Do You Have to Whisk Matcha?
As mentioned, whisking matcha is an important, if not the most important, step in making a good matcha latte.
Why: It breaks up clumps of powder and also helps aerate the tea, which makes a smoother texture.
Matcha is a superfine green tea powder that you mix with water before consuming. It’s not like other teas you brew to drink, since you consume the entire leaf in matcha.
If you add matcha powder to milk or water without whisking it, you’ll end up with clumps of dry matcha powder that make it really grainy and unpleasant to drink.
You can try stirring matcha powder into a liquid with just a spoon, but you’ll end up with the same grainy result.
Whisking matcha with water helps break up the clumps of matcha, getting you a smooth liquid that you can easily add to milk or sparkling water for a great matcha drink! It’s the same principle as whisking in flour to liquid versus just stirring it.
The Proper Way to Whisk Matcha
Matcha preparation includes a chawan, a tea bowl, and a chasen, a bamboo whisk. The chasen features dozens of long, thin bristles of bamboo attached to a bamboo handle.
To properly whisk matcha, you sift matcha powder and add water to your tea bowl, then, using your bamboo whisk, you whisk the mixture in a zigzag motion, creating the letter M. You want to whisk vigorously for at least 10-15 seconds, keeping your motions fast and tight.
You’ll notice a foam forming at the top of the water when you’re whisking, which is what you want! The air helps create a frothy layer that makes the matcha taste smoother and creamier. It’s similar to the purpose behind espresso crema!
Can You Make Matcha Without a Whisk
Of course, if you’re just starting, you might not have a whisk at home, which is totally okay! You can make great matcha without a whisk, using tools you already have on hand.
The most important part is that you combine the matcha powder and water well so that you don’t have clumps of unmixed matcha powder swimming in your drink.
But before diving into the methods, here are some important things to note about matcha quantity and water before making matcha.
The Best Matcha Ratio
A common question is how much matcha powder you should use.
Honestly, it depends on your preference, but the standard for most cafes is around 1.5 tsp or 3 grams and about 3/4 cup of milk or 170 grams (shout out to this local matcha cafe for sharing their ratio). This ratio of matcha to milk gives you a strong, bold flavor.
If you like your matcha on the more mellow side, you can use either less matcha powder or more milk. And for stronger matcha, you can use more matcha powder or less milk.
Also, to whisk matcha, you should use around 1/4 cup of water. You can also use a little less for a thicker, koicha version.
Do You Make Matcha With Water or Milk?
You want to whisk matcha with water, as whisking with milk isn’t as smooth (in my experience). The debate is whether you should use boiling, hot, room temperature, or cold water.
I used to use boiling hot water to whisk water, but realized that it killed some of the more subtle flavors. Plus, boiling hot water is not necessary to “dissolve” matcha, since matcha doesn’t dissolve; it only mixes into the water. Never use boiling water because you can burn or scorch your matcha!
You can either use hot (but not boiling) water or room temperature water to whisk matcha, and I prefer room temperature.
What is Cold Whisking?
There is a term going around called “cold whisking” that refers to whisking matcha with cool-temperature water or cold milk.
Whisking matcha powder with cold milk gives you an extra frothy and fluffy matcha that’s super fun to pour into a cup. However, I find that mixing matcha powder directly into cold milk doesn’t give you the smoothest texture. If you want a fluffy matcha latte, froth the milk separately!
If you want to cold whisk with milk, I recommend whisking the matcha with water first, then pouring milk in and whisking to get a fluffy consistency.
Whether you use hot or cold water or milk, you can easily prepare it without a whisk!
5 Easy Ways to Make Matcha Without a Whisk
While it’s hard to achieve the same froth a bamboo whisk does, here are 5 easy ways to make matcha without a whisk!
1. Shake In Jar
- What You’ll Need: Any size jar with a sealable lid (I.e. mason jar, blender bottle, thermos cup, etc.)
- How To: Sift matcha powder into your jar, then add water, close the lid, and shake up and down until you see a froth form. Depending on how aggressively you shake, you might need to shake for 15-20 seconds.
- Pros: Shaking is super easy, fast, accessible, and also portable. You can make your drink straight into your jar, too!
- Cons: You might have small clumps if you don’t shake well enough, and it doesn’t give you the same microfoam bamboo whisking does.
2. Handheld Frother
- What You’ll Need: An electric handheld frother. You can get them online, at the grocery store, or at any home goods store.
- How To: Make sure your frother is either charged or has a battery in it. Add your matcha powder and water to a tall cup, then froth your matcha for 5-10 seconds or until well combined. You need a tall cup so the matcha doesn’t splash everywhere.
- Tip: Froth the matcha into milk for an insanely creamy and rich matcha! You suspend the matcha powder in milk, which froths great with the frother, and it’s super easy to clean after.
- Pros: Super fast and less dishwashing, you can also make your drink in the same glass you froth your matcha in.
- Cons: No soft microfoam, instead you’ll get larger bubbles. Potential to splash if not careful.
3. Milk Frother
- What You’ll Need: Electric milk frother (I.e. Nespresso milk frother.)
- How To: Add your matcha powder and water into your milk frother and froth on the cold setting.
- Pros: Convenient and you can even froth your milk in the same machine. You can also heat it up.
- Cons: No microfoam like the electric frother, and the matcha may make it hard to clean your electric frother.
4. Blender
- What You’ll Need: A mini or large blender.
- How To: Add your matcha powder and water to the blender, and blend until well combined.
- Pros: Great for large batches of matcha preparation.
- Cons: Little to no froth, can result in clumpy matcha, and can be inconvenient to use if your blend is too large.
5. Whisking With a Fork or Whisk
- What You’ll Need: A scratch-proof, shallow, and wide bowl and a fork or whisk. You can even rubberband two forks together to make a hair claw shape.
- How To: Sift your matcha powder into the bowl, add water, and whisk until frothy. Go in a zigzag or back-and-forth motion rather than a circular motion.
- Pros: It gives you the closest froth to a bamboo whisk.
- Cons: May scratch the bowl and you’ll have more dishes to clean.
Special Mention:
This isn’t technically whisking, but to make a matcha latte without a whisk, you can mix matcha powder and honey or another liquid sweetener like agave into a paste. Then dissolve the paste with some hot water and add it to the milk and ice. You’ll get a strong, sweet, and creamy matcha with no clumps!
Where to Get a Matcha Whisk Set
If you’re looking to upgrade your matcha game, I highly recommend investing in some matcha tools! You can find some affordable equipment that will last you years if you take care of it!
You can either purchase a matcha set that comes with a matcha whisk, matcha bowl, and whisk holder, or collect them individually. The more affordable sets will run you around $30. I recommend searching online for a matcha set or visiting your local tea, matcha, or Asian grocery store to see if they sell their own.
For individual tool searching, there are also tons of ceramicists or people who make pottery that make matcha bowls and whisk holders! You can find some really unique ones on Instagram or Etsy. Try visiting your local pottery store, too! More unique pieces can cost $40+, depending on how they’re made.
But once you buy it, you won’t ever have to repurchase it for at least 5 years! The bowls and whisks last so long, so it pays off in the long run.
How to Drink Matcha
There are many ways you can enjoy matcha, including usucha or koicha style, which are thin tea and thick tea, respectively.
Usucha is thin tea, which is made with more water to make a daily drinking matcha. This is used for matcha drinks, like in matcha lattes, and is the type of matcha preparation I am referencing in this blog!
Koicha is a thicker tea, which is made with less water for a concentrated matcha paste. Instead of whisking, you knead the tea into the water to create a thick, cream-like paste. You can enjoy it on its own or pour it on top of desserts like ice cream or cake!
Matcha Recipes to Try
Now that you know how to prepare matcha without a whisk, it’s time to enjoy it! Try one of these delicious matcha recipes next:
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