Buttery Matcha Latte Bars

Here are my matcha latte bars, with a soft, chewy matcha base made with real matcha powder and a hint of lemon, topped with a sweet, creamy buttercream frosting.

These bars are what I make when I’m craving something sweet but want to skip the coffee shop. They’re perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon, and my kids love helping me spread the frosting on top.

matcha latte bars
Image: mollyshomeguide.com / Photographer Molly
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Why You’ll Love These Matcha Latte Bars

  • Unique flavor – The earthy matcha combined with sweet, creamy frosting creates a sophisticated dessert that’s different from your typical brownies or blondies.
  • Perfect for gatherings – These bars are easy to slice and serve, making them ideal for potlucks, parties, or bringing to the office.
  • Simple ingredients – You probably have most of these pantry staples on hand already, with matcha powder being the only specialty item you’ll need.
  • Bakery-style results at home – The tender cake base topped with smooth buttercream looks and tastes like something you’d pay premium prices for at a coffee shop.

What Kind of Matcha Should I Use?

For these bars, you’ll want to use culinary-grade matcha rather than ceremonial-grade, which is pricier and meant for traditional tea drinking. Culinary matcha is perfect for baking since it has a stronger, slightly more bitter flavor that holds up well when mixed with other ingredients. You can find it at most grocery stores, Asian markets, or online, and it usually comes in small tins or pouches. Make sure your matcha is a bright green color – if it’s brownish or dull, it’s likely old and won’t give you that nice green hue or fresh taste you’re looking for.

matcha latte bars
Image: mollyshomeguide.com / Photographer Molly
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Options for Substitutions

While matcha is the star of these bars and can’t really be substituted, here are some swaps you can make with the other ingredients:

  • Matcha: This is the key ingredient that gives these bars their signature flavor and color, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. However, if you want a milder taste, you can reduce the amount to 1 tablespoon instead of 1 1/2.
  • Butter: You can use margarine or vegan butter as a 1:1 swap if you need a dairy-free option. Coconut oil also works, but it will add a slight coconut flavor to your bars.
  • Lemon zest: Orange zest makes a nice substitute and pairs well with matcha. You could also use lime zest for a different citrus note, or skip it altogether if you prefer a more straightforward matcha flavor.
  • Oil: Any neutral oil works here – vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil are all fine choices. You can even use melted coconut oil if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Cream: Heavy cream, half-and-half, or even whole milk will work for the topping. For a dairy-free version, try coconut cream or oat cream.
  • Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract works just as well, or you can try almond extract for a different flavor profile that complements matcha nicely.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with matcha bars is overbaking them, which turns them dry and crumbly instead of soft and chewy – pull them out when the center reaches 190°F, even if they look slightly underdone, since they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.

Make sure your matcha paste is completely smooth before adding it to the batter, as lumps won’t dissolve during baking and you’ll end up with bitter pockets of concentrated matcha powder.

When making the frosting, your butter needs to be at room temperature (not melted or cold from the fridge), otherwise it won’t whip up light and fluffy.

Finally, resist the urge to frost the bars while they’re still warm – the frosting will melt right off and create a mess, so wait the full 50 minutes for them to cool completely.

matcha latte bars
Image: mollyshomeguide.com / Photographer Molly
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What to Serve With Matcha Latte Bars?

These matcha bars are perfect alongside a hot cup of green tea or a simple latte to really play up those earthy, slightly sweet flavors. I love serving them as an afternoon snack with fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries, which add a nice pop of tartness that balances out the sweetness. They’re also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to turn them into a proper dessert, or just enjoy them on their own with a glass of cold milk. For a fun brunch spread, set them out with other pastries and some fresh fruit salad.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your matcha latte bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. The frosting stays nice and creamy when chilled, and honestly, I think they taste even better cold!

Freeze: These bars freeze really well for up to 2 months. I like to cut them into individual portions, wrap each one in plastic wrap, then store them all together in a freezer bag. That way you can grab just one or two whenever you need a sweet treat.

Serve: If you’ve frozen them, just let the bars thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about 30 minutes. They’re delicious served cold, at room temperature, or even slightly warm if you pop them in the microwave for just a few seconds.

Preparation Time 20-30 minutes
Cooking Time 18-25 minutes
Total Time 90-120 minutes
Level of Difficulty Medium
Servings 16 pieces

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

  • Calories: 2400-2600
  • Protein: 22-26 g
  • Fat: 135-150 g
  • Carbohydrates: 290-320 g

Ingredients

For the matcha bars:

  • 2 tbsp matcha (I recommend Jade Leaf culinary grade for vibrant color)
  • 3/4 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 8 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)

For the frosting:

  • 8 tbsp butter (room temperature, about 70°F)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
  • 2 tbsp cream

Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Matcha Base

  • 2 tbsp matcha
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and greasing lightly.

While the oven heats, bloom the matcha powder by whisking it with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until completely smooth and lump-free.

This step is essential for distributing the matcha evenly throughout the batter and preventing clumpy texture in your final bars.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Build the Flavor Base

  • 8 tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 3/4 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted and cooled butter, remaining sugar (3/4 cup minus 1 tbsp), lemon zest, and salt for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale.

This creaming process incorporates air and creates a tender crumb structure.

The lemon zest adds a subtle brightness that balances the earthiness of matcha—this is key to preventing the bars from tasting too grassy or one-dimensional.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients and Matcha Mixture

  • creamed butter mixture from Step 2
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • matcha liquid from Step 1

Add the egg, egg yolk, oil, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute until well combined and emulsified.

Pour in the matcha liquid from Step 1 and stir for 1 minute until the batter turns a beautiful bright green and the matcha is fully incorporated.

Don’t overmix at this stage—you want to combine ingredients but not develop the gluten in the flour, which would make the bars tough.

Step 4: Mix in Dry Ingredients and Bake

  • batter from Step 3
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Sprinkle the baking powder and flour over the wet batter and fold together gently with a spatula until just combined—stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour streaks.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F.

The bars should look set but still slightly tender.

Step 5: Cool the Bars Completely

Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes.

Transfer the entire cake (still on parchment if desired) to a wire rack and cool for an additional 20 minutes until completely cool to the touch.

This cooling time is important—if you frost warm bars, the frosting will melt and slide off.

Step 6: Make the Matcha Cream Frosting

  • 8 tbsp butter
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp cream

In a clean bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and a pinch of salt for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Add the sifted powdered sugar and cream, then beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

I like to sift my powdered sugar beforehand to prevent lumpy frosting—it makes a huge difference in texture and spreadability.

The frosting should be thick but spreadable; if it’s too soft, refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes before frosting.

Step 7: Frost and Finish

  • matcha cream frosting from Step 6

Spread the matcha cream frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

For an elegant finish, lightly dust the frosted surface with additional matcha powder using a fine-mesh sieve.

Cut into squares and serve—the bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.

matcha latte bars

Buttery Matcha Latte Bars

Delicious Buttery Matcha Latte Bars recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 16 pieces
Calories 2500 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the matcha bars::

  • 2 tbsp matcha (I recommend Jade Leaf culinary grade for vibrant color)
  • 3/4 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 8 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)

For the frosting::

  • 8 tbsp butter (room temperature, about 70°F)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
  • 2 tbsp cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and greasing lightly. While the oven heats, bloom the matcha powder by whisking it with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until completely smooth and lump-free. This step is essential for distributing the matcha evenly throughout the batter and preventing clumpy texture in your final bars.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted and cooled butter, remaining sugar (3/4 cup minus 1 tbsp), lemon zest, and salt for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale. This creaming process incorporates air and creates a tender crumb structure. The lemon zest adds a subtle brightness that balances the earthiness of matcha—this is key to preventing the bars from tasting too grassy or one-dimensional.
  • Add the egg, egg yolk, oil, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute until well combined and emulsified. Pour in the matcha liquid from Step 1 and stir for 1 minute until the batter turns a beautiful bright green and the matcha is fully incorporated. Don't overmix at this stage—you want to combine ingredients but not develop the gluten in the flour, which would make the bars tough.
  • Sprinkle the baking powder and flour over the wet batter and fold together gently with a spatula until just combined—stop as soon as you don't see dry flour streaks. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 18-22 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F. The bars should look set but still slightly tender.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Transfer the entire cake (still on parchment if desired) to a wire rack and cool for an additional 20 minutes until completely cool to the touch. This cooling time is important—if you frost warm bars, the frosting will melt and slide off.
  • In a clean bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and a pinch of salt for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and cream, then beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. I like to sift my powdered sugar beforehand to prevent lumpy frosting—it makes a huge difference in texture and spreadability. The frosting should be thick but spreadable; if it's too soft, refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
  • Spread the matcha cream frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. For an elegant finish, lightly dust the frosted surface with additional matcha powder using a fine-mesh sieve. Cut into squares and serve—the bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.

Disclaimer: Our editors have used AI to create or enhance parts of this article and some images. All content has been fact-checked by our team to ensure accuracy.

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