Green Tea Ice Cream, Matcha Aisu
This matcha ice cream recipe turns cream, milk, egg yolks and ceremonial-grade matcha into a smooth, pale-green scoop with a gentle bitter edge under the sweetness. One serving is about 120 g. This matcha ice cream recipe makes 8 servings in 45 minutes of active work, plus at least 4 hours in the freezer.
Matcha has been whisked in Japanese tea ceremony for centuries, and green-tea ice cream grew out of Japan's tea shops, where the same powder was folded into frozen desserts. It spread through Japan as a cafe and restaurant dessert and is now one of the country's most recognised sweets abroad, sold everywhere from temple-town tea houses to supermarket freezers. The best versions use real matcha, not green food colouring, so the flavour is gently bitter rather than just sweet.
Pairs well with: A pot of hot sencha or hojicha, and a few butter cookies.
Provenance
Japan
Japanese Tea Dessert
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
45m
30m prep • 15m cook
Batch Yield
8 Servings
330 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 120 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Custard Base)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Japanese Tea Dessert
Photo: City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Medium — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)
Made the tea-shop way: matcha whisked smooth first, custard cooked gently, never boiled, so the colour stays bright green.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Sift, Separate & Whisk the Matcha
10 Mins • Sifting & Whisking
Sift the matcha through a fine sieve, separate the egg yolks, and whisk the matcha with 60ml of warm milk until completely smooth with no specks. A lumpy matcha paste now means a speckled ice cream later.
Maestro Tip: Whisk the matcha paste with a small bamboo whisk or a fork in a zigzag motion — it breaks up lumps far better than stirring in circles.
5 Mins Warm milk, ~40°C (104°F)
Warm 60ml of the milk until just warm to the touch, then whisk it into the sifted matcha a little at a time until you have a smooth, thick green paste with no lumps at all.
Sifting first is not optional — unsifted matcha clumps and will not dissolve in the custard.
Done when: A glossy green paste, smooth as paint, with no dry specks.
5 Mins Medium heat, ~70°C (158°F)
Put the cream and the remaining 180ml of milk in a saucepan over medium heat and warm until steaming and small bubbles form at the edge — about 70°C (158°F). Do not let it boil.
Boiling scorches the milk and dulls the matcha colour, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as it steams.
Done when: Steaming, with tiny bubbles at the edge and no rolling boil.
10 Mins Low heat, up to 80°C (176°F)
Whisk the sugar into the yolks until pale. Pour the hot cream in slowly, whisking all the time, then return everything to the pan with the matcha paste, vanilla and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon and reaches 80°C (176°F) — never above 82°C (180°F), or the yolks will scramble.
If the custard starts to thicken in streaks, lift the pan off the heat at once and keep stirring — it will even out.
Done when: A custard that coats the spoon and leaves a clean line when you draw a finger across it.
25 Mins Fridge, 4°C (40°F) or below
Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, press cling film directly onto the surface, and chill in the fridge until completely cold — at least 25 minutes in an ice bath, or 2 hours in the fridge.
The film stops a skin forming on the custard while it chills.
Done when: A cold, thick custard with no skin on top.
25 Mins Frozen bowl, -18°C (0°F)
Churn the cold base in an ice cream maker following the maker's instructions, usually 20–25 minutes, until it holds soft peaks. Without a maker, freeze the base in a shallow tray and beat it with a fork every 30 minutes for 3 hours to break up ice crystals.
A fully cold base churns in half the time and freezes smoother than a lukewarm one.
Done when: Soft-serve texture that holds its shape on a spoon.
240 Mins Freezer, -18°C (0°F) or below
Spoon the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, press film onto the surface, seal, and freeze for at least 4 hours until firm enough to scoop.
Let the tub sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping — it cuts cleanly instead of shattering.
Done when: Firm, scoopable ice cream that keeps its shape in the bowl.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Scoop into chilled bowls and serve at once, while the ice cream is firm and cold. This matcha ice cream recipe needs 45 minutes of active work, plus at least 4 hours in the freezer — plan it the morning of the day you want to serve it.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
330
kcal / serving
Protein
5g
Complete AA
Carbs
23g
Complex
Fats
25g
Healthy
| Energy | 330 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fibre | 0.0 g |
| Sugar | 22.0 g |
| Sodium | 89 mg |
| Energy | 275 kcal |
| Protein | 3.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19.2 g |
| Fat | 20.8 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sugar | 18.3 g |
| Sodium | 74 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Matcha supplies vitamin K and small amounts of B vitamins, egg yolks add vitamin D and choline, and milk adds calcium.
Real Matcha, Not Colouring
The green colour comes from real matcha powder, which adds a gentle bitter note that balances the sweet cream instead of just looking green.
Protein from Egg and Milk
Each serving carries 4.6 g of protein from the yolks, milk and cream, so it satisfies more than a plain water ice.
No Artificial Flavours
Seven everyday ingredients and nothing artificial — cream, milk, sugar, yolk, matcha, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Drinks
Hot Sencha
Warm, grassy green tea echoes the matcha and cuts the richness of the cream between spoonfuls.
Sides
Butter Cookies
A crisp, plain cookie gives a buttery crunch against the cold, smooth scoop.
More Pairings
Sweet Red Bean Paste
A spoonful of anko next to the scoop is the classic Japanese pairing — earthy, sweet beans against bitter matcha.
Full Menus
After Grilled Fish and Rice
A light Japanese meal first means the rich ice cream lands as a proper dessert, not a heavy course.
Complete menu
Serve two scoops after a light Japanese meal of grilled fish, rice and miso soup, with hot sencha — the warm tea balances the cold, rich ice cream.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Very Sweet Toppings
One serving already carries 22.0 g of sugar, so chocolate sauce or caramel on top makes the dessert far sweeter than the matcha can balance. Serve it plain. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Leaving It Out to Melt
Once scooped, matcha ice cream softens fast at room temperature and refreezing it makes it icy. Scoop only what you will eat. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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