This creamy blue cold foam is the perfect visually striking topping for this salted vanilla bean matcha latte. Normally, vanilla cold foam is white, which is nice, but it can be boring over time. A small pop of color, like blue, makes it seem fresh and exciting! Plus, it tastes amazing.

So, here’s how to make this blue salted vanilla cold foam matcha latte at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• It’s beautiful and easy to make!
• The salted vanilla is the perfect pair with matcha.
• Make a cafe-quality beverage at home and save money!

What is Blue Matcha?

Matcha actually does not come in a blue color, but blue matcha is a marketing term used to describe butterfly pea tea powder that’s whisked and prepared similarly to matcha. Although it’s not matcha at all. It can also be blue spirulina powder prepared similarly, but again, it is not traditional matcha.

Blue matcha can also just mean matcha tea powder with spirulina powder or butterfly pea tea infused into the milk for a blue milk or even blue cold foam, like in this recipe.

Does Salt Work With Vanilla?

You bet! Salt and sugar make an amazing pairing. It’s a known fact that a little salt brings out the sweetness in desserts, enhancing the sensory perception of other flavors. If you’ve ever had salted caramel, sea salt chocolate, or even salted coffee, the salt adds a nice dimension and makes even bitter or sour flavors smoother.

Vanilla is one of the most popular flavors in the world, and has a unique, creamy, and sweet flavor. I love adding salt to vanilla ice cream or milk because the aroma is deeper, sweeter, and creates a satisfying balance! So, you bet that it also tastes incredible with a little salt!

One of my favorite pairings is a salted vanilla matcha latte... just divine.

How to Make it Blue

The most obvious answer is to use blue food coloring for blue cold foam, but I like using natural food coloring whenever possible. My recommendations are butterfly pea tea and blue spirulina, with my preference being the latter.

Butterfly pea tea is a dried blue flower, which is a popular herbal tea that’s naturally blue when brewed. However, it tastes like absolute dirt without any sweetener or flavor, so besides its beautiful color, it’s not the best flavor-wise…

Instead, I would use blue spirulina powder because it’s flavorless and a little goes a long way. I know that it has some nutritional value, too! The color is also more true blue compared to the slightly purple blue that butterfly pea tends to have.

Salted Vanilla Blue Matcha Latte Recipe: Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this salted vanilla blue matcha latte at home:

• Blue Salted Vanilla Bean Cold Foam
• Blue Spirulina Powder — This is the secret to making blue cold foam! Make sure you get the blue spirulina, and not the green one; the color won’t be correct. I buy spirulina online as I’ve tried looking in person, and it’s slim pickings!
• Vanilla Bean — Use a fresh vanilla bean pod for the best flavor and easy splitting. Hard or dried vanilla beans are much harder to slice through and scrape out; sometimes, they’ll even be too hard to cut. You could also substitute with vanilla bean paste.
• Sea Salt — You can use sea salt, kosher salt, or even iodized salt, whatever salt you have. But if you use salt with smaller particles, use a little less since it’s generally saltier than coarse salt.
• Heavy Cream — Cream with 35% milk fat or more is ideal. Anything less will make it hard to foam up nicely.
• Sugar — Granulates white sugar or liquid sweeteners like agave, maple syrup, or honey work.
• Milk — I like using 2% or whole milk, but you can also use oat milk or another non-dairy alternative.
• Matcha Latte
• Matcha Powder — Use your favorite! I like an umami, nutty matcha, so something that’s a little bolder is my preference. More delicate powders might have a harder time standing out from the creaminess.
• Water — Hot water around 175 F is ideal for whisking matcha.
• Milk — Same as above.
• Ice
• Vanilla Bean Syrup — For extra vanilla flavor! You can also use vanilla syrup or even just plain sugar to sweeten your drink.

You’ll also need a handheld frother to whip a single serving of cold foam.

How to Make a Salted Vanilla Blue Matcha Latte

1. Split and Scrape Vanilla Bean. Split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out using the back of the knife. Be careful not to drop the seeds because they’re small and hard to pick up once it sticks to a surface.
2. Whip Cold Foam. Add vanilla bean, sugar, spirulina, heavy cream, and milk to a cup or bowl. Whip the mixture with a handheld frother for 10 – 20 seconds on high speed until the cream is light and fluffy but still pourable. There should be no sugar granules or clumps of spirulina powder.
3. Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl and add the hot water. Vigorously whisk the matcha with a chasen in a zigzag motion until frothy. The foam should be velvety with tiny bubbles.
4. Assemble Drink. Add ice, vanilla syrup, and milk to a separate glass, then add the whisked matcha. Top with the whipped cold foam and garnish with a sprinkle of finishing salt of vanilla bean seeds.
5. Mix and Enjoy! Stir the layers with a straw and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Blue Matcha Latte

• Save the Vanilla Bean Pod: The vanilla bean pod without the seeds still has flavor! Save it and use it to infuse cream, milk, or sugar! It’ll add a lot of aroma and flavor.
• Don’t Use Too Much Spirulina: Spirulina powder is potent, and a little goes a looong way. A teaspoon is way too much and will turn the cold foam extra bright blue, but if you want a bolder color, add one-eighth of a teaspoon at a time until you get the color you want.

FAQ’s

Does blue matcha exist?

Technically, no, because matcha in Japanese specifically means powdered green tea. There are some products that call themselves blue matcha, but they’re powdered butterfly pea tea or blue spirulina.

What is cold foam?

Cold foam, or sweet cream cold foam, is a fluffy cream topping made by whipping heavy cream, sugar, and milk together. It was popularized by Starbucks, and it’s basically a soft whipped cream you can add to any beverage you like! It’s one of my favorite toppings to add to iced beverages.

What is the 3 2 1 rule for cold foam?

The golden ratio for cold foam is 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 tablespoon (or teaspoon) of sugar. This is the ratio Starbucks uses and has quickly circulated via home baristas. It makes a great, sweet, and airy foam that’s just as good as the cafe!

Other Matcha Recipes to Try

Making cold foam matcha lattes is so great because you feel like you’re saving money and getting a delicious drink! After this recipe, here are some other amazing matcha recipes to try next:

• Raspberry Cream Matcha Latte
• Sugar Cookie Matcha Latte
• Pumpkin Cold Foam Matcha Latte
• Lavender Cold Foam Matcha Latte
• Strawberry Cold Foam Matcha Latte