Our 13 Best Matcha Desserts

Matcha Baked Doughnuts Recipe

These bright green baked goods will give you all the delight of a doughnut without any of the regret afterwards. Baking makes these vegan doughnuts delicate and soft without excess oil and the matcha has a range of health benefits. 

Avocado Matcha Banana Bread Recipe

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with banana bread. It’s a breakfast classic, like a plain bagel or a glazed doughnut. However, there are times when a classic just doesn’t thrill. That’s when we pull out the green stuff. Avocado and matcha green tea powder may not be part of your regular baking routine, but not only do they dye banana bread a delightful deep green, they add earthy flavors that tone down the banana-ness of the loaf.

Pureed avocado adds moisture to make the quick bread even more tender, plus a mild vegetal note you just can’t find in plain ol’ sweet banana bread. Then, a hit of matcha ups the complex flavors where avocado drops off, and doubles up on the vibrant color. Slice into the bread while it’s still warm (or pop it in the toaster) and smear it with a thick swipe of cream cheese or Greek yogurt.

Avocado Matcha Banana Bread

Chocolate, Tea, and Weed Cupcakes Will Satisfy Your Morning Munchies Recipe

Chef Karin Lazarus, author of Sweet Mary Jane and mastermind behind Denver’s most beloved cannabis bakery, combines dark chocolate, matcha, and sweet adzuki for a mean, green, weed cupcake. Adzuki beans are a small red bean used in East Asian cuisine. When boiled with sugar or honey, they form a smooth red paste called anko that can be used in a variety of confec­tions, like these cannabis cupcakes. The devilishly rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with a matcha green tea frosting that gets its vibrant, verdant color from the finely milled powder. It tastes both rich and earthy, with a lingering sweetness.

Lazarus also shares her recipe for cannabis-infused coconut oil, which she calls Coconut Bliss, to any replace coconut oil in any given recipe. The oil can also be consumed on its own and many patients medicate by taking a spoonful every day (the size of the spoon determines the dosage). The amount of bud used determines the level of THC in finished desserts. Lazarus provides three levels of dosing.

Kooky Adzuki Cupcakes

Ingredients

Coconut Bliss

1 tablespoon = about 18.75 mg THC
For 12 edibles, use about 12.5 mg THC each.
For 18 edibles, use about 8.3 mg THC each.

1 tablespoon = about 37.5 mg THC
For 12 edibles, use about 25 mg THC each.
For 18 edibles, use about 16.6 mg THC each.

1 tablespoon = about 75 mg THC
For 12 edibles, use about 50 mg THC each.
For 18 edibles, use about 33.3 mg THC each.

Excerpted from Sweet Mary Jane: 75 Delicious Cannabis-Infused High-End Desserts by Karin Lazarus by permission of Penguin Random House.

Matcha-Glazed Donuts Recipe

These easy baked donuts benefit from matcha in the batter and in the glaze, where it lends beautiful color. If you’re unfamiliar with matcha, it’s high-quality green tea that’s ground into a fine powder. Matcha has a powerfully earthy, bitter flavor, so a little goes a long way. For the most vibrant color, seek out a reputable brand (some lower-quality brands have a dull, olive-green color). We recommend Maeda-en Matcha Green Tea Powder, culinary quality; Aiya Matcha, ceremonial grade; or Eden Matcha. We love the color and flavor of the coconut and goji berry garnishes; if you can’t find goji berries, you can use dried cranberries instead.

Matcha Profiteroles Recipe

20-Minute Baked Matcha Doughnuts Recipe

Invest in a doughnut pan and you can whip up a batch of these earthy baked goods in just 20 minutes. The forever-trendy Japanese green tea powder matcha is packed with antioxidants, and studies show it can reduce stress, boost metabolism, lower cholesterol, and even lower the risk of cancer. Its bright, emerald color shines in these soft, cakey donuts, which are coated in a simple, sweet, powdered-sugar glaze. With a quick clean-up and no oil splattering all over your kitchen, you won’t miss the deep-fried version. 

Homer Simpson would approve.

Baked Matcha Doughnuts

Ingredients

Japonica Ice Cream Sundaes Recipe

For this gorgeous combination of green tea ice cream and ripe red plums poached in sweet sake, be sure to use fresh matcha (Japanese powdered green tea) and keep it tightly covered in the fridge--it oxidizes very quickly.

Green Tea-Honeysuckle Cake Recipe

Matcha, a Japanese green tea powder, adds vivid green color and a delicate flavor. Look for it in Asian grocery stores and gourmet markets, or order online. Store tightly covered in the fridge. (It oxidizes quickly.) If you can't find matcha, pulverize regular green tea in a spice grinder.

Matcha Whoopie Pies Recipe

"I grew up inhaling whoopie pies, bless my mother's soul," says Bay Area cookbook author Eric Gower, the creator of these fantastic, tender little cakes. "While I would like to offer her recipe, I'm afraid that just reading the quantities of trans fats (Crisco) called for might incite immediate cardiac arrest! This relatively healthier version tastes even better."

Matcha-Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

The French macaron is a simple cookie made with almonds, sugar and egg whites. The recipe here includes green tea powder (matcha), which gives it a delightful flavor. Chef Way David Myers's complex dessert parfait combines matcha crème, gelée, mochi and macaron with muscovado and vanilla crème. Easy Way These ice cream sandwiches layer store-bought green-tea and vanilla ice creams on crispy, chewy green tea macarons.

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Matcha, or green tea powder, is popping up everywhere these days. It's been used for drinking in Japan for thousands of years, where tea rituals are heavily steeped in tradition. You can actually buy matcha kits that come with a specialized spoon and bamboo whisk for mixing and frothing the tea the ancient way. If you prefer to take your tea with a modern spin, look for matcha lattes at your local coffee shop or matcha-flavored treats in bakeries and grocery store aisles.

You have probably seen green tea ice cream on the menu at Asian restaurants, and it's most likely been colored and flavored with matcha. Here's an easy method to make your own matcha ice cream at home:

Green-Tea Fortune Cookies Recipe

Joanne Chang likes having fun with the fortunes she puts inside these large cookies, like "Give the chef a big kiss." Shaping the tuiles while they're hot can be tricky, so consider using cotton gloves.

Frankenstein Cookie Bars Recipe

These bars make a fun Halloween treat, and they're very flavorful: the green tea frosting cloaks a chewy-soft coconut-lime cookie. They're easy enough that the kids can help you make them.