How to Make a Matcha Drink Without Milk: Lychee Sparkling Recipe Inspired by Summer
2 min
5 min
1 pers
Drinks
Japan-inspired
Today, Napa felt fresh.
The sun was soft. The air smelled like clean leaves.
Roses in the garden opened wide.
Their scent was light and kind.
It reminded me of lychee.
That soft fruit. Sweet, floral, and clear.
I thought, what if I poured matcha over that?
With ice. And bubbles.
The drink felt simple. But bright.
Like walking into a forest and finding flowers no one planted.
This is one of the lightest matcha drinks I’ve made.
No milk. No sugar. Just a cold glass of green, made alive with lychee.
Ingredients
1 or 2 fresh lychees (or 30 ml lychee syrup)
Sparkling water
Ice
1 gram ceremonial matcha
60 ml warm water (about 70°C)
A matcha whisk or a milk frother
🍃 What Matcha to Use Not all matcha works in cold drinks. You need one that tastes good without milk.
I used our Zenergy Ceremonial Matcha.
It’s shade-grown, stone-ground, and made from first-harvest leaves.
The color is deep. The taste is smooth. No bitterness.
You can find it here.
Directions
Step 1 Prepare the lychee base.
If you have fresh lychee, peel and pit 1 to 2 fruits.
Drop them into your glass and gently press with a spoon.
If fresh lychee isn’t in season, you can use:
Canned lychee in syrup (about 30 ml per glass), or
Lychee syrup from an Asian market, or
Fresh Mexican-grown lychee (usually June–July)
Step 2 Add ice and sparkling water.
Fill the glass with ice cubes.
Top with sparkling water, but leave about an inch of space at the top.
Plain or lychee-flavored water both work.
Step 3 Whisk the matcha.
Sift 1 gram of ceremonial matcha into a small bowl.
Add 60 ml of warm water (not boiling—about 160°F or 70°C).
Whisk in a zig-zag motion using a bamboo chasen until a layer of fine foam forms.
If you don’t have a chasen, use a milk frother or shake it in a bottle.
Just don’t use boiling water—it ruins the flavor.
Step 4 Combine.
Pour the matcha gently over the sparkling layer.
The green will float at first, creating a two-tone look.
Let it sit for a few seconds. Then stir, or not.
Step 5 Taste.
It’s floral. It’s fizzy. It’s green.
You’ll know when it hits.
Tools and Matcha from the Blog
Aileen Gong is a food creator, sommelier, and graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
She shares quiet, beautiful recipes that celebrate simple rituals and mindful flavors.
She grows blueberries in pots, hand-whisks her matcha, and believes every drink can be a small moment of peace.
Q: Can I make matcha drinks without milk?
Yes. This sparkling lychee version is one of the easiest matcha drinks to make without dairy.
It’s light, smooth, and still full of flavor.
Q: What matcha should I use for iced matcha drinks?
For cold matcha drinks, use ceremonial-grade matcha. It mixes well and tastes clean, even without sweeteners.
Q: Are matcha drinks always made with milk?
No. Many matcha drinks don’t need milk at all. You can use water, fruit, or sparkling mixers instead.
Q: How do I make matcha drinks at home if I don't have a whisk?
You can shake matcha and warm water in a jar or use a milk frother.
Many at-home matcha drinks start with just a good powder and a clean base.