This easy recipe for green tea coconut milk ice cream only requires a few basic ingredients: canned coconut milk, matcha, and pure maple syrup! This dairy-free coconut milk ice cream recipe makes a delicious dessert for matcha lovers!
Green tea coconut milk ice cream is the dreamy combo you didn’t know you needed.
Rich, creamy, coconutty, with that earthy matcha edge that makes you go “ooooh.” It’s vegan, paleo, and comes together with just three ingredients. That’s right!
This recipe was born out of a craving (and a lack of store-bought options), and let me tell you – it hits the spot every time.
Whether you’re going dairy-free, ditching refined sugar, or just love a healthy treat that feels a little fancy, this one’s for you.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is powdered green tea made from whole tea leaves stone-ground into a vibrant, fine powder. That means you’re actually consuming the entire leaf – hello, antioxidants!
This magical green dust is loaded with L-theanine (hello calm focus), metabolism-boosting properties, and up to 20 times the antioxidant power of blueberries. If you love green tea, matcha is your next-level upgrade.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I first had green tea ice cream at a Chinese restaurant as a kid – plaid shorts, a side ponytail, and matching scrunchies with my best friend. One bite and I was obsessed. Sweet, creamy, a little earthy – it was unlike anything I’d tasted, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
I’m a minimalist at heart and didn’t want to mess around with egg yolks, processed sugar, or a bunch of complicated steps.
So this recipe is simple, nourishing, and super delicious. Here are a few more reasons why you’ll love it:
- Only 3 main ingredients
- Ultra creamy and satisfying
- Dairy-free and vegan
- Naturally sweetened (no refined sugar!)
- Full of antioxidants from the matcha
- Customizable to your taste
Ingredients for Green Tea Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Full-fat coconut milk: It gives the creamiest texture, but you could experiment with cashew cream or a blend of almond + coconut for a lighter option.
Matcha powder: Adds earthy, grassy flavor and a gorgeous color. Start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to taste.
Pure maple syrup: Naturally sweetens the ice cream without overpowering the matcha. You can sub in agave, honey, or coconut nectar.
Pinch of sea salt: Optional, but brings out all the other flavors.
How to Make Green Tea Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Start by freezing your ice cream maker bowl overnight (if your machine requires it).
Then, blend the coconut milk, maple syrup, matcha, and a pinch of salt in a high-powered blender until completely smooth.
If your matcha doesn’t want to blend in, you can gently warm the mixture on the stove and whisk until it’s dissolved. Just be sure to chill it again before churning.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn until thick and creamy – about 30 to 40 minutes.
You can eat it soft-serve style right away (highly recommend) or transfer it to a container and freeze for a couple of hours until scoopable.
When you’re ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it softens just a bit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
Yep! Just blend the mixture, pour it into a shallow dish, freeze, and stir it every 30-60 minutes until creamy. Not quite as fluffy, but still delicious.
How long does it last in the freezer?
It’ll keep for up to 2 weeks. Just let it thaw a little before scooping – it gets firm!
What’s the best matcha to use?
Go for a ceremonial or high-quality culinary grade. Lower-quality matcha can taste bitter or dull.
Can I make it lower sugar?
Totally – just reduce the maple syrup or try using a sugar-free liquid sweetener.
Recipe Adaptations and Additions
- Add crunch – Swirl in crushed pistachios, cacao nibs, or toasted coconut flakes at the end for texture.
- Caffeine-free option – Try decaf matcha or replace it with spirulina or moringa powder for a green hue without the buzz.
- Make it creamy-dreamy – Add a tablespoon of cashew butter or a splash of vanilla extract for an extra smooth, luxe texture.
- Boost the matcha – Like it strong? Add another teaspoon of matcha for a bolder, more earthy flavor.
- Lighten it up – Use one can of full-fat coconut milk and one can of light coconut milk for a lighter, refreshing vibe.
- Go tropical – Add shredded coconut or chopped pineapple before freezing for a piña colada-meets-matcha twist.
- Make it minty – Stir in a few drops of peppermint extract for a fresh, cooling flavor that plays surprisingly well with matcha.
- Turn it into popsicles – Pour the mixture into molds instead of churning for easy grab-and-go treats.
What to Serve with Green Tea Coconut Milk Ice Cream
This ice cream shines all on its own with its creamy texture and mellow green tea flavor – but if you want to take things up a notch or impress guests, try pairing it with:
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Mango Matcha Smoothie
- Paleo Blueberry Crumb Bars
- Berry Frozen Yogurt Bark
Other Ice Cream Recipes to Try
- Keto Coffee Ice Cream
- Banana Chickpea Ice Cream
- Rum Raisin Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Vegan)
- 4-Ingredient No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
Enjoy this dairy-free coconut milk ice cream recipe the next time you have a craving for homemade ice cream!
Green Tea Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk*
- 1 Tbsp matcha green tea powder to taste see note*
- ½ cup pure maple syrup see note**
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker overnight. Or, follow the instructions according to the manufacturer prior to following the recipe, as needed.
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until all the matcha chunks have dissolved (Note: If you have trouble getting the matcha to dissolve, you can heat the mixture on the stove top and whisk until combined. Be sure you refrigerate the mixture until completely cold before proceeding).
- Pour the green tea ice cream base into your ice cream maker, following your ice cream maker's instructions. My ice cream maker requires me to freeze the bowl overnight before use. Allow the ice cream to churn until very thick, about 30 to 40 minutes. Either enjoy the ice cream like soft serve straight out of the ice cream maker, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze 2 to 3 hours, until completely frozen.
- When ready to eat, thaw the ice cream for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened. Serve heaping scoops and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Thank you for sending me the information about It. I learned a lot from it. I appreciate you the detail you went into it. I am grateful for the amount of time and effort you put into this helping us. Your insights and summary are beneficial.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this blog. Very Informative post with Images. very interesting topic regarding Matcha Green.
Done and done! What ice cream maker do you recommend? Also, do you use only organic matcha? I read this blog post https://blog.piquetea.com/matcha-green-tea/ about the harmful toxins in culinary grade matcha and was shocked!
Hi. I have a question. Does the recipe call for the whole can of coconut full fat milk or do I separate the watery part and use only the the thick cream part of the coconut milk. Other sites mention separating the watery part from the thickened part, but yours doesn’t. I really really want to try this recipe. The best I can do for now until I hear from you is just throw Matcha into my Chapman’s sugar free ice cream which tastes great but that I know is not as healthy as the coconut milk version that you make. And the idea of using maple syrup as well sounds awesome tasting to me.
Hi Christiane! Use the whole can of coconut milk 🙂
I love this recipes!! I also love matcha. I double the matcha and use fresh local honey. I had trouble the first time with dissolving the match so the second time I tried it I didn’t boil the coconut milk but heated it and blended it in my magic bullet. Turned out perfect! Cut the prep time down to about 4 minutes- Wow!!
Great post! We will be linking to this great post on our website.
Keep up the great writing.
I made this ice cream once and am now on my second batch. It’s very delicious, although for me it comes out more like a sorbet, not super creamy like real ice cream. Also, I have raw honey from my hives and with this batch am using all raw honey. I will post again to let you know how the taste comes out, although I suspect delicious also. I only had about 1/4 c of agave left and for the first batch utilized it along with a 1/4 c of raw honey and it was fine. Since it uses coconut milk it of course tastes like coconut also. Anyway, thanks Julia for a wonderful recipe. I had wondered what a using a vanilla bean in the heated mixture might taste like. Might give that a whirl next time.
Hi, I love green tea icecream, and I love this healthier dairy-free version. I am also a nutritionist, and I wanted to point out a few things regarding the health aspects you mention above. Namely, when you heat something to the boiling point you denature (effectively kill) the heat-sensitive vitamins in it, particularly vitamin C and a couple of the Bs (pantothenic acid, thiamine, and folate). Green tea contains a few of the B vitamins: thiamine(b1), pantothenic acid (B5), niacin(b3), and riboflavin(b2). The antioxidants are the vitamins you mentioned: A, C, and E – A and E are both fat-soluble so are not effected by heat. It may also be worth noting that the tannins in green tea block the absorption of iron. So those concerned with iron intake (if you have anemia), should avoid green tea.
whoa, thank you so much for posting this! It is going to help me when I research green tea at the store! Very Mind Blowing!
You got it!