Vegan Matcha Ice Cream

Sweet, creamy, and packed with bright green tea flavor – my homemade matcha ice cream is an easy vegan version of the latest trend! 

My favorite local hibachi restaurant serves a beautiful bowl of pale green tea ice cream at the end of each meal, but of course, it is regular ice cream made with traditional dairy. Instead of being bummed that I couldn’t enjoy it, I saw it as a challenge to create my own take on it! 

Matcha green tea is different from regular green tea as it is shade grown and has a sweeter flavor and brighter color. Makes it perfect for dessert if you ask me! 

By integrating matcha flavor into my foolproof vegan ice cream base, I was able to achieve just the sweet treat I was hoping for. And just like my other no-churn ice cream recipes, this frozen dessert can be made either with or without an ice cream machine. 

Vegan Matcha Ice Cream Ingredients

• Soaked cashews – Raw, unsalted cashews that have been soaked in water overnight form the perfect base for vegan ice cream. 
• Full-fat coconut milk – Hands down the best non-dairy milk for making ice cream. The fat content of coconut milk is similar to cow’s milk dairy, so coconut milk is able to create a frozen dessert with a similarly creamy consistency to the real deal. 
• Agave syrup – One of my favorite sweeteners all around, and definitely a top pick for frozen treats like this matcha ice cream. The flavor of agave syrup is mild and the texture is fluid, helping it to blend in nice and smoothly. Light maple syrup would also work. 
• Vanilla extract – I add this to almost all vegan ice creams, from plain vanilla to rich chocolate and everywhere in between! Vanilla has a wonderful way of enhancing other flavors without overpowering them, and the green tea flavor in this ice cream is no exception. 
• Coconut oil – My (not so) secret ingredient when it comes to vegan ice cream. A drizzle of melted coconut oil makes for a creamier, smoother, and easier to scoop ice cream. 
• Coconut cream – For just a bit more richness, in addition to the coconut fats already found in the full-fat coconut milk.  
• Matcha green tea powder – When selecting matcha powder, you’ll likely find two main varieties: ceremonial grade matcha and culinary grade matcha. Ceremonial grade–a higher quality matcha powder–is made from younger green tea leaves and has a brighter color and sweeter flavor, while culinary grade is made from more mature leaves and has a more bitter taste. You can use either, but the color will be better with ceremonial grade.