Matcha brownies or matcha blondies are a refreshing twist on the classic chocolate brownie. Combine the delicate and earthy flavour of matcha with the fudginess of a brownie, this easy-to-make dessert is so delicious that it will make a regular appearance in your kitchen.
If you are a fan of matcha and brownies (and/or blondies), you are going to love this matcha brownie recipe! I recently made these matcha brownies for my family, and I am happy to report that they LOVED IT! Especially my brother, he said that he would be happy for this to be his birthday cake next year! He will be moving to Sydney for work in a few months, and will most likely be there on his birthday next year. So, I might just include this in his birthday care package… What do you think?
What is matcha?
Matcha is young green tea leaves that is ground into a fine powder. Matcha is traditionally from East Asia. You can find the finest matcha in Japan, where it has been grown for centuries and is a part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
Is matcha good for you?
Matcha has lots of nutritional benefits. Matcha is high in antioxidants. It also contains less caffeine than coffee (if you are sensitive to caffeine, it might be worth noting that matcha is not caffeine free). Lastly, matcha is known to boost relaxation and alertness.
What does matcha taste like?
Matcha has a delicate and earthy flavour. Although, when using matcha in this recipe, make sure you do not use too much, as it will make your brownies too bitter.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE
All-purpose flour As this is a brownie recipe, it is not necessary to sift the flour. However, make sure there are no large lumps of flour before adding it to the other ingredients. If your flour has been sitting in the pantry for quite some time, and clumps of flour are present, it might be a good idea to give it a quick sift first.
Caster sugar or for a slightly deeper and caramel-like flavour, use equal parts caster sugar and brown sugar
Salt I like to add a pinch or 1/4 teaspoon of salt to most of my baked goods and desserts. The salt enhances and balances the flavour, especially sweetness. With the addition of salt, your homemade desserts, in this case, matcha brownies, will be on another level – bye bye, flat and boring tasting desserts!
Matcha powder
Butter I recommend using unsalted butter in this recipe. The amount of salt present in salted butter varies from brand to brand. Using unsalted butter allows you to have more control on how much salt is added to your matcha brownies. However, if salted butter is all you have in your kitchen, you can use it. Simply leave out the additional salt.
Eggs lightly beaten
Vanilla extract or vanilla essence
Milk Any type of dairy milk will work here.
White chocolate chips I find that the flavour of white chocolate goes very well with matcha – and this is me, a non-white-chocolate-fan speaking! If you are still not convinced, milk chocolate will go well too. However, you may want to stay away from dark chocolate in this recipe. I find that the flavour of dark chocolate tends to be too overpowering when it is paired with matcha, thus not allowing the matcha flavour to shine through.
HOW TO MAKE MATCHA BROWNIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE
Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with grease-proof paper. (Optional: lightly grease baking pan before lining it with baking paper to keep the baking paper in place.)
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and matcha powder. Mix until fully combined and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until fully combined.
Mix in white chocolate chips.
Using a spatula, transfer batter into the lined baking tray.
Once all the batter is in the pan, use a spatula or wooden spoon to lightly even out the batter for a more levelled surface.
Bake at 350F (180C) for 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow the brownie to fully cool in the baking pan.
Once cooled, remove matcha brownies from baking pan, slice into 9 or 12 pieces and enjoy.
PRO TIPS FOR THIS MATCHA BROWNIE RECIPE
Lining – lightly grease the bottom of your baking pan with some vegetable oil before placing grease-proof paper on top. This will help prevent the paper from moving around when brownie batter is being transferred in.
Butter – Make sure the butter is not hot when being added to the mixing bowl. If not, the heat from the butter may cook the eggs. You want the butter to be warm. Also, if you are using salted butter, omit the addition of extra salt.
Sugar – Brown sugar gives the brownies a slight caramel taste. You can choose to use equal parts of brown sugar and caster sugar (half cup each) instead. However, do not use only brown sugar in this recipe, as it will cause your matcha brownies to be more dense.
Batter consistency – The batter should be thick and firm, like a very soft dough. This due to the high butter content. The butter has firm up and solidified after being mixed with the other ingredients.
Slicing – If you want cleaner slices of matcha brownies, only slice your brownie when it is cold. So, when your brownie has cooled to room temperature, remove it from the baking pan, leaving the grease-proof paper on. Wrap the brownie tightly with cling-wrap and place it in the fridge or freezer until cold. Once cold, remove the grease-proof paper and slice into individual serves.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a brownie and a blondie?
Brownies, as its name suggests, has a dark brown appearance. A brownie contains an element of milk or dark chocolate, either in the form of cocoa powder or melted chococlate. On the other hand, a blondie, as its name suggests, is lighter in colour. This is because blondies omit the milk and dark chocolate element. Instead, while chocolate is commonly used in blondies.
For this recipe, since brownies are known for being delicious dense dessert bars, I have decided to call these matcha brownies. Technically, since these matcha brownies do not have a cocoa element present, you could also call them matcha brownies, if you prefer. If you want to name them after their appearance, I guess they could be called greenies too! A very cute name, in my opinion!
How to store matcha brownies?
These matcha brownies are great to make ahead of time, simply place them in an air-tight container and keep them at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for up to 3 days. Alternatively, store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If you choose to refrigerate your matcha brownies, I suggest slightly warming a slice up in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Trust me, it’s super yummy!
How to serve matcha brownies?
Matcha brownies are delicious at room temperature or slightly warm. Personally, I prefer to eat them warm. To warm your matcha brownies, simply place the slices on a microwave safe plate, and microwave for 30 seconds or until warmed as desired.
You can also serve matcha brownies with a few extra additions to elevate the dessert. Here are some of my favourite additions I like to have with my matcha brownie:
- A sprinkle of icing sugar topped with a few slices of fresh strawberries
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream or my homemade red bean ice cream on top of a warm slice of matcha brownie
- Melted white chocolate drizzled on top of a slice of warm matcha brownie, topped with some shaved white chocolate for texture
Apart from serving them at home, these matcha brownies are also great as small gifts to give to your friends or co-workers. All you need to do is pack them individually in small self-seal cellophane bags.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry and Cream Cake
- Matcha Latte
- Matcha Cream Cheese Cookies
- Matcha Mug Cake (coming soon…)
- Strawberry Iced Matcha Latte (coming soon…)
- Matcha Chiffon Cake (coming soon…)
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Matcha Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 tbsp matcha powder
- 1 cup butter (8 oz / 227 g), unsalted
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C / 350F.
- Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with grease-proof paper.*
- Ina large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and matcha powder. Mix until fully combined and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until fully combined.
- Mix in white chocolate chips.
- Using a spatula, transfer batter into the lined baking tray.
- Once all the batter is in the pan, use a spatula or wooden spoon to lightly even out the batter for a more leveled surface.
- Bake at for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow the brownie to fully cool in the baking pan.
- Once cooled, remove matcha brownies from baking pan, slice into 9 or 12 squares and enjoy.
Love matcha things! Matcha came from China, originally called sencha. The Chinese tea ceremony was adopted by the Japanese and took over Japan. Thank goodness for China inventing tea! Now it’s in yummy desserts like Blondie’s and green tea tiramisu!
Hi Juliana! So happy to ‘meet’ a fellow matcha lover here! Indeed, thank goodness for tea 🙂 I’m so happy you loved this matcha brownies recipe. Now I think I might need to try making a green tea tiramisu… Sounds yum!
Hi, thanks for your reply! Yes I’ve made it twice – it is a delicious recipe, thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi, trying this recipe – just checking are we supposed to add the milk at step 4? Thanks.
Hi Betty, Apologies for such a delayed reply! It has been a busy few months, relocating and trying to settle into our new place. Doing this with a 2 year old definitely makes this more interesting!!
If you’ve made this recipe, how did you find these matcha brownies?
And to answer your question, yes add the milk in step 4. Thank you for pointing this out to me! I’ve edited the recipe 🙂