The 1-Ingredient Upgrade That Makes My Morning Matcha Taste Like It Came from a Cafe

My weeks are loosely strung together by a parade of refreshing drinks. The outing to grab a new-to-me afternoon sweet drink? A most divine field trip; I’m writing it down in my journal right now. 

They’re sort of the glue of my life, truth be told. But seeing as I’m not out here gifting people yachts or anything, these runs to grab a little $8 (before tip!) iced matcha are something I keep to a rare treat. This has been made all the more easy (and cost-effective without being, like, capital-B Boring) thanks to my new favorite addition to my drink mixing laboratory: Torani’s Pistachio Syrup. 

I’m constantly concocting fun drinks at home (see: fruity coffees and two-ingredient cocktails), and have overflowing cabinets to show for it. Torani Pistachio Syrup is one shelf resident that I can call on for seemingly everything — kind of like that really good friend. It’s not shy in the nuttiness department or cloyingly sweet, and has a complexity that reminds me of a Spumoni ice cream’s worth of flavors (a little cherry, a little roasted cocoa, and the buttery pistachio). 

Plus, this syrup seamlessly mixes into both hot and cold drinks with no effort (no puddle of syrup that sunk down to the bottom of your glass here). It plays just as well in an iced latte as it does in a hot chocolate (à la the Dubai chocolate bar) or in an espresso martini or White Russian. Most importantly, it’s become the special little secret twist to my afternoon iced matcha break. 

It’s still too hot outside to actually re-create my Dubai hot chocolate daydreams, so pistachio matcha lattes are on regular rotation these days more often than not. I like Blue Bottle’s super-smooth, subtly earthy matcha powder — especially for how well it plays with the nuttiness of the Torani Pistachio Syrup. No matter what brand you use, opt for one that says “ceremonial grade,” which will be finely ground and easier to froth. 

To prepare the matcha latte, bring together 1 1/2 teaspoons matcha powder with 1 ounce (or two tablespoons) of hot water, and then stir with a matcha whisk (or a handheld frother if you have one) until frothy. Next, fill a glass with ice and pour in your milk of choice until it reaches about halfway up the glass (I used oat milk, but any not-overly-sweetened or flavored milk or alternative will do). Add two pumps of the Torani Pistachio Syrup, and stir to combine. 

Then, layer over your matcha on top of the milk-syrup mixture, swirl with a straw, and enjoy the bliss of knowing this fancy-tasting afternoon sweet drink was made right at home. 

Buy: Torani Pistachio Syrup, $10.99 for 750 mL at World Market 

Got the best one-ingredient upgrade for matcha? Tell us about it in the comments below.