I’m breaking down the differences between ceremonial grade matcha and culinary grade matcha plus sharing two delicious recipes using each powder.

Ohhh matcha where do I even begin with you? I’ve been on SUCH a matcha kick lately (along with the rest of the world). Every time I scroll through Instagram I can almost guarantee I’ll find a photo of a trendy matcha latte as well as a creative recipe using matcha as the key ingredient. I totally understand why matcha is trending – it has amazing nutritional properties. Since matcha is made from grinding the entire tea leaf, you’re actually ingesting ALL the benefits – you’re getting a nice dose of chlorophyll and other phytonutrients, as well as antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Matcha can help to increase focus, enhance energy levels, improve memory and boost metabolism.

There are two types of matcha that you can buy: ceremonial grade matcha and culinary grade matcha. Until a few months ago I’ll admit that I had no idea that different types of matcha existed. I thought matcha was matcha and that was that. However, after discovering these two different grades of matcha I dove head-first into researching the differences between the two so I would know how and when to properly use each. I would love to share my newfound knowledge with you!

Culinary grade matcha can be used for cooking and other various purposes. It is designed to be mixed with other ingredients like in a smoothie, ice cream and baking recipes. It is slightly more bitter than ceremonial grade matcha. Culinary grade matcha is less expensive than ceremonial grade matcha. I would NOT suggest using culinary grade matcha for a latte, because the taste is definitely bitter. However, when I cook with culinary grade matcha and mix it with other ingredients I can’t taste the bitterness and am still getting the health benefits of the matcha powder.

Ceremonial grade matcha is the premium grade of matcha and is meant to be enjoyed on its own (mixed with hot water and savored). This matcha has a more delicate, green tea flavor and is meant to be enjoyed plain. If you’re making a matcha latte or simply mixing matcha with just hot water I definitely recommend using ceremonial grade matcha over culinary grade matcha.  It has a much less bitter flavor and I find that it’s more palatable in lattes. Ceremonial grade matcha is definitely more expensive, but if you’re a fan of drinking matcha tea then I definitely think it’s worth the splurge. Ceremonial grade matcha is typically about four times more expensive than culinary grade matcha.

My brand of choice for both grades of matcha is Kiss Me Organics. Their matcha is 100% organic, premium-quality matcha harvested from USDA certified organic tea plantations. Their nutrient-packed matcha is free from chemicals and preservatives. They’ve been generous enough to offer to GIVEAWAY a free shipment of culinary and ceremonial matcha to one of YOU! In addition, they’ll include their two recipe e-books! To enter to win simply comment in this blog post of how you would use the matcha 🙂

For those of you wanting to cut back on coffee or just switch it up, a matcha latte is always a good idea! Matcha has less caffeine than coffee, but you’re still getting a little caffeine. Check out this DELICIOUS vegan bulletproof matcha latte recipe!

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If you want to experiment with culinary grade matcha then you must make this energizing and refreshing vegan matcha smoothie!

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Don’t forget to enter my giveaway with Kiss Me Organics! They’ve giving away culinary and ceremonial matcha (one of each) to one of YOU + two recipe e-books! To enter to win simply comment in this blog post of how you would use the matcha 🙂

This post is in partnership with Kiss Me Organics. Thank you for supporting Leah’s Plate and the brands that help make this site possible!