Name: 5-Minute Matcha Affogato (Just 2 Ingredients!)
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 scoops (vegan) vanilla ice cream (or sub with coconut ice cream); 1-2 teaspoon matcha powder; 3 Tablespoons warm water ((60 to 80℃, so 140°F to 175°F)); 2 teaspoons dried cranberries (optional, for a Christmas-themed affogato)

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Ice cream + matcha = DIVINE matcha affogato in just 5 minutes. Simple but guaranteed to impress! With the option to add cranberries for a festive dessert!

Matcha green tea affogato on top of a wooden coaster with a white marble background.

Ingredients

Vanilla ice cream: The classic affogato ingredient. Opt for vegan ice cream (or try coconut ice cream) for a dairy-free option.
Matcha powder: To make our green tea ‘shot’. Ceremonial-grade is best, but culinary-grade also works (see the difference in the picture below).
Warm water: Helps dissolve the matcha.
Dried cranberries (optional): Adds a festive pop of color and flavor!
- Feel free to sub with any dried red fruits such as dried strawberries or goji berries. You can even make the strawberry puree like in my super pretty strawberry milk for a more ‘saucy’ option!

Vanilla ice cream, matcha powder, cranberries, and hot water on a white marbled background. — Difference between culinary-grade and ceremonial-grade matcha

Two pinch bowls containing culinary grade matcha on top and ceremonial grade matcha at the bottom. — Difference between culinary-grade and ceremonial-grade matcha

Step-by-step Instructions

Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl with a flat bottom. Add your warm (but NOT boiling) water.

Whisk the matcha with a zig-zag motion (using a matcha whisk, frother, handheld whisk, or just shaking it in a bottle) until bubbles form, about 20-30 seconds.

A glass containing two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Someone pouring a matcha shot into a glass jar containing two vanilla ice cream scoops.

Scoop 2 ice cream scoops into a clear serving glass. Sprinkle dried cranberries on top for a Christmas twist (optional).

Pour the matcha shot over the ice cream, and enjoy your matcha affogato!

Top Tips

Use ceremonial-grade matcha. This is the highest quality matcha and gives the best flavor plus the most vibrant color (see picture above for the difference).
Try other ice cream flavors. Use matcha ice cream for a double matcha affogato. Or try chocolate ice cream, strawberry, blueberry, or even mango (similar to my mango matcha latte)!
If hosting, let people do the pouring themselves! The pouring part is so exciting that no one would want to miss it! Serve the matcha in shot cups and let your guests do the pouring themselves.

A glass of vegan matcha affogato with cranberries, with Christmas decorations in the background. — Christmas-special matcha affogato with cranberries!

Serving Suggestions

For bites that go well with this affogato matcha, try this kimchi sushi, shiitake sushi, or the good old cucumber roll. Or serve with spicy gochujang potatoes or kimchi loaded fries, both of which go great with sweet desserts to neutralize!

Prefer sweet bites instead? Then serve this with Nutella mochi, or double up the ice cream with this matcha mochi ice cream!

For pairings with main dishes, I recommend this teriyaki eggplant rice bowl, vegetarian poke bowl, or my gochujang noodles.

Stirring affogato matcha with a wooden spoon, showing the creaminess of the affogato.

Tips on Preparing Ahead

If you’d like to prepare this recipe ahead for a party, simply make a bigger batch of the matcha green tea shot and store it in the fridge overnight in an air-tight container. Note that the matcha won’t be as fresh, but it will still be delicious.

On the day itself, you just need to assemble the ice cream and optional toppings, then pour in the matcha shot!

FAQ

Affogato has a creamy, sweet, and slightly bitter flavor. It combines the richness of ice cream with the robust notes of espresso (like in the traditional affogate recipe) or matcha (like in this affogato matcha recipe).

There’s no “wrong” way since it ultimately depends on what you prefer. However, most people pour the hot liquid over the ice cream and enjoy it as the two meld together, taking spoonfuls of ice cream with a bit of the espresso/matcha liquid.

I like mine where I could still scoop the ice cream instead of getting a purely ‘soupy’ combo. But either way, you can eat it or drink it! And if you’re curious about the creative ways restaurants serve affogato, check out this article by The Guardian!

Yes, they do! Italians usually pour hot espresso over vanilla gelato, letting it melt slightly before savoring the warm-cold blend by the spoonful!

A glass of affogato green tea matcha taken from above.

Want More Matcha/Christmas Recipes?

For more matcha recipes, try my classic oat matcha latte or coconut matcha latte. Or try my lavender matcha latte and mango matcha latte for jazzed-up versions. For breakfast matcha recipes, try my matcha flax pudding or matcha baked oats.

And if you’re looking for more holiday recipes, try my vegan beet tartare, Christmas wreath tomato carpaccio or pineapple carpaccio! These chocolate-covered grapes and dark chocolate peanut clusters also make for great holiday gifts!