10 Cold Matcha Drinks to Make This Summer in India
Summer in India hits hard from April to June. Hot matcha is not what anyone reaches for in that heat. But cold matcha is perfect: refreshing, caffeinated, and visually striking. Here are 10 cold matcha drinks that use ingredients you can easily find in India.
By Saran Reddy, Founder — InstaCuppa | Last updated: 12 October 2026
Matcha Drinks: What Are They?
Matcha drinks are drinks made by stirring matcha, a fine green tea powder, into water, milk, juice or curd. You drink the powder itself, so each glass carries the whole tea leaf. People often type the word as "macha" or "mancha", but it is the same matcha. The 10 cold matcha drinks below use matcha plus things from an Indian kitchen: lemon, mango, curd, coconut milk, watermelon and spices.
Matcha caffeine per glass: A 2020 review in the journal Molecules found 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine in each gram of matcha powder (Kochman et al., 2020). So a cold matcha drink made with 2 g of matcha has about 38 to 89 mg of caffeine. The same review says matcha is rich in L-theanine, an amino acid that gives matcha its savoury, umami taste.
"Moderation in tea and coffee consumption is advised so that caffeine intake does not exceed the tolerable limits (300mg/day)." — ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
Matcha is a tea, so count your matcha drinks with your chai and coffee for the day. New to matcha? Start with what matcha is, then read matcha caffeine content and matcha side effects.
Cold Matcha Drinks: 10 Matcha Cold Drink Recipes
Cold matcha is matcha mixed into cold water, milk or juice and served over ice or chilled. Every matcha cold drink recipe below starts with the same smooth paste, so learn that step first. You do not need a bamboo whisk; see how to make matcha without a whisk.
Basic technique for all cold matcha drinks: Mix 2 g of matcha with 2 tbsp cold water first to make a smooth paste, then add your cold liquid. This prevents clumping in cold preparations. Weigh 2 g once on a kitchen scale to learn how much your spoon holds.
1. Classic Iced Matcha Latte
The foundation. Matcha paste + cold milk poured over ice. Add honey if you want sweetness. See the full iced matcha latte recipe for exact steps and milk options.
2. Matcha Lemonade
Mix matcha paste with 200ml cold water, the juice of one lemon, and 1 tsp honey. Pour over ice. Stir well — the combination of bitter matcha and sour lemon sounds strange but tastes bright and refreshing. One of the best hot-weather drinks.
3. Iced Mango Matcha
Blend 1 small mango with 100ml water until smooth. Pour over ice. In a separate cup, make matcha paste. Pour the mango juice first, then slowly add the matcha over the back of a spoon for a layered effect. Sweet Alphonso or Kesar mangoes taste great with matcha.
4. Matcha Cold Brew Lemonade
Mix matcha with cold water (not hot), let it sit for 5 minutes, then add lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and soda water. The salt cuts the bitter edge of matcha. A 1997 study in Nature found that salt blocks bitter taste more than sweet taste (Breslin and Beauchamp, 1997). This one is a great thirst-quencher for very hot days.
5. Matcha Coconut Milk Drink
Mix matcha paste into chilled coconut milk (the thin variety from a carton, not full-fat canned). Add a squeeze of lime. Taste it before you add sugar. Many carton coconut milks are already sweet, so check the label. Light and good for an Indian summer.
6. Matcha Rose Lassi
Blend matcha paste with full-fat dahi (curd), 1 tsp rose water, cold water, and a pinch of cardamom. Pour over ice. Rose, cardamom and curd are a classic lassi mix. The matcha adds a fresh green tea taste.
7. Matcha Nimbu Pani
The Indian lemonade version: matcha paste + nimbu pani (lemon + black salt + cold water + a pinch of cumin powder). Black salt adds a mineral note that pairs well with matcha's umami taste. That umami comes from L-theanine, which stays high because matcha plants are grown in shade (Kochman et al., 2020). A truly Indian cold drink.
8. Iced Matcha Chai
Make masala tea spice milk (simmer milk with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon for 5 minutes), let it cool completely, then add matcha paste and pour over ice. See the matcha chai latte recipe for the spice details.
9. Matcha Watermelon Slush
Blend 200g fresh watermelon with ice until slushy. Add matcha paste and blend briefly — just a few pulses to partially mix (you want streaks of green in the red, not full mixing). Best served immediately in a tall glass. Perfect for peak summer.
10. Brown Sugar Iced Matcha
A cafe favourite. Dissolve 1 tbsp brown sugar in 1 tbsp hot water to make a quick syrup. Let it cool. Add to glass with ice. Pour cold milk. Pour matcha paste over a spoon on top. Brown sugar adds a caramel taste that goes well with earthy matcha.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can matcha be made with cold water?
Yes. Matcha is a powder that you stir into the drink and drink whole, so it does not need hot water. Matcha clumps more in cold water, so first mix it with 2 tbsp of cold water into a smooth paste, then add more liquid. Many people find cold matcha tastes softer than hot matcha, but that is a matter of taste.
What are the best matcha drinks for summer?
For very hot days, the lightest matcha drinks work best: matcha lemonade, matcha nimbu pani, the matcha cold brew lemonade and the matcha watermelon slush. For a creamy summer matcha drink, try the iced matcha latte, the iced mango matcha or the matcha rose lassi. All 10 drinks use the same cold matcha paste.
How much caffeine is in a cold matcha drink?
Matcha has 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram, according to a 2020 review in Molecules. A cold matcha drink made with 2 g of matcha has about 38 to 89 mg. ICMR-NIN advises keeping total caffeine from tea and coffee under 300 mg a day.
What is matcha juice?
Matcha juice usually means matcha powder stirred into fruit juice or lemon water. In this list, the matcha lemonade, the iced mango matcha and the matcha watermelon slush are matcha juice drinks. The juice is not pressed from tea leaves; it is fruit juice with matcha mixed in.
Is cold matcha tea the same as iced green tea?
No. Iced green tea is brewed from tea leaves, and the leaves are thrown away. Cold matcha tea is matcha powder mixed into cold water, so you drink the powder itself. That is why matcha tastes stronger and looks bright green.
Who should be careful with matcha drinks?
Matcha has caffeine, so people who are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women and people on medicines should ask a doctor first. ICMR-NIN also advises keeping tea and coffee at least one hour away from meals, because tannin can interfere with iron absorption. Matcha is a tea, so the same advice applies.
P.S. A handheld milk frother mixes matcha paste into cold milk or water with fewer clumps. The InstaCuppa Travel Frother has 4 whisks and 3 speeds, and its product page says it froths a drink in 15 to 20 seconds. See the InstaCuppa Travel Frother →
Sources
- Kochman J. et al., Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review, Molecules, 2020 (caffeine 18.9 to 44.4 mg per gram; theanine and umami taste): PMC7796401
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 (caffeine tolerable limit 300 mg a day; tea and coffee one hour away from meals): nin.res.in
- Breslin P. and Beauchamp G., Salt enhances flavour by suppressing bitterness, Nature 387, 563, 1997: nature.com
Every source above was opened and read on 12 October 2026.
P.S. — Tools That Make This Easier
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