Combine this delicious Mexican cake with a classic Asian tea, and you get this amazingly creamy matcha tres leches latte! It’s a cool fusion between the two cultures, and it’s incredibly delicious. This latte is sweet, creamy, slightly earthy, and spiced, marrying the two perfectly.

A tres leches matcha latte is basically a drinkable dessert but without the heaviness. It’s also super easy to make with just a few ingredients.

Here’s how to make a tres leches matcha latte at home!

What is Tres Leches?

Tres leches, meaning “three milks” in Spanish, is a classic Latin American dessert, a sponge cake soaked in three types of milk. It’s rich, moist texture and subtle sweetness make it a crowd favorite, especially when people top it with a layer of whipped cream.

Sometimes, you’ll see people garnish it with a dusting of ground cinnamon or a slice of strawberry in the middle.

The origins of tres leches cake are uncertain, with several Latin American countries claiming the dessert. Regardless of its origin, tres leches has become a dessert staple worldwide, even in places like the Philippines with Spanish colonial history.

Tres leches cake’s unique flavor and texture are the ideal inspiration for drinks like the tres leches latte, which brings that same creamy richness into your coffee or matcha.

What is in a Tres Leches Cake?

Traditionally, tres leches cake is made with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk. You soak the yellow vanilla sponge cake with the three milk mixture, which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth experience and a soft yet sturdy texture.

It’s extremely addicting, with a sweet, vanilla, subtle cinnamon, and creamy flavor. Once you have a bite, you’ll want to take more.

Modern versions of tres leches sometimes experiment with the ratios or even substitute ingredients like coconut or almond milk for a twist or vegan option. You’ll even find different flavors of tres leches, like chocolate, strawberry, coconut, even matcha (like this drink)!

Regardless of variation, it is always a combination of milk or cream, evaporated milk, and condensed milk as the base.

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder made from shade-grown tea leaves called tencha. Originally from China, the matcha powder that most people know and love today comes from Japan, which is the world’s best matcha producer.

To enjoy matcha traditionally, you whisk it in water, then drink it plain or add it to milk for a latte.

Depending on the origin and blend, matcha tastes slightly different, with sweet, creamy, nutty, umami, savory, roasted, chocolate, and more flavor notes. Generally, most matchas have a characteristic earthy taste with slight umaminess.

It’s perfect on its own or in a latte like this tres leches latte!

What is a Matcha Tres Leches Latte?

A matcha tres leches latte is the baby between Japanese matcha tea and a Mexican-inspired tres leches cake. You use the three milks in the cake to make a creamy sweetened milk, which you then add whisked matcha to create a delicious matcha tres leches latte!

Usually, I make this iced with a dash of cinnamon and end up with a beautifully layered drink. You can also make it hot, just make sure to steam the milk before you use it for a creamy texture.

What Does a Matcha Tres Leches Latte Taste Like?

The milks alone have a sweet and creamy quality, which tastes phenomenal with a hint of vanilla and ground cinnamon. With matcha, the milk becomes slightly earthy and umami, which is perfectly balanced by the sweetness.

If you like sweet and salty or sweet and creamy, then you’ll definitely like this matcha tres leches latte. It tastes similar to a matcha milk candy with a hint of cinnamon.

You can make it more savory or creamy by using different matcha powders, especially if they have a more umami or creamy flavor profile.

How to Whisk Matcha

Whisking matcha is the most important part of any matcha latte! After whisking the tea, you get a smooth, frothy tea that is free of clumps and has an even distribution.

To properly whisk matcha, you’ll need a bamboo matcha whisk, a matcha bowl, and a small tea sift.

First, sift your matcha powder into your bowl. Then, add room temperature or hot water, but never boiling (we don’t want to burn the matcha). Using a softened matcha whisk, start whisking the tea in a zigzag motion, careful not to press down into the bottom of the bowl. Once you see a tight foam form on top, stop whisking. You want the bubbles to be very tiny and the foam to appear almost like velvet.

Now, you have perfectly whisked matcha! See my matcha whisking tutorial for a step-by-step tutorial with video! You can also whisk matcha without a whisk, as well.

How to Make Matcha Tres Leches Latte

Here’s what you’ll need to make this super creamy matcha tres leches latte at home:

• 1½ tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp condensed milk
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 cup ice
• A dash of ground cinnamon

Matcha Tres Leches Latte Recipe

1. Make Tres Leches Milk. Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and milk to a cup and stir until the condensed milk completely dissolves.
2. Make Whipped Cream. In a tall glass or bowl, add heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar. Using an electric frother or mixer, whip the cream until it is soft and fluffy, but still pourable. You can make actual whipped cream if you like.
3. Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl and add water. Using a bamboo whisk, vigorously whisk the matcha in a zigzag motion until a foam forms on top. See my matcha whisking tutorial.
4. Assemble Drink. Add ice, tres leches milk, and ground cinnamon to a glass. Pour the whisked matcha directly onto the ice for a matcha layer. Then, top with the vanilla whipped cream and garnish with a dusting of matcha powder and ground cinnamon.
5. Mix and Enjoy!

Other Matcha Recipes to Try

If you like this sweet and creamy matcha tres leches latte recipe, then you have to try other creamy matcha combinations! Making delicious matcha at home is super easy, so here’s some inspiration for your next matcha latte:

• Banana pudding matcha latte
• Salted vanilla matcha latte
• Lavender cold foam matcha latte
• Matcha einspanner
• Oat milk matcha latte
• Cinnamon vanilla matcha latte

Tips:

Here are some tips for making a creamy matcha tres leches latte at home!

• Use Vanilla Bean: If you have vanilla bean, use it in this drink for a stronger, fresher, and more robust vanilla flavor. The beans are always more fragrant than just regular vanilla, and they will taste better! You can use vanilla bean syrup, paste, or even just the seeds from actual beans.
• Dissolve Condensed Milk: Condensed milk is notoriously hard to dissolve in liquid, especially cold. So, to make it easier, dissolve it in a little bit of hot water or milk before adding it to the rest of your milk.
• Make Layers: For a pretty layered drink, mix your condensed milk into the two milks, then add ice. Pour your whisked matcha on top of your ice so that it spreads out into a floating layer. Then, add your cream on top and you have a layered drink (thanks to density).