Best Overall Matcha Green Tea: Jade Leaf Matcha Green Tea Powder

There are two basic grades of matcha green tea powder: ceremonial and culinary.

Ceremonial matcha green tea powder is a higher quality grade of powder that is used for sipping. Somewhat lower quality powder is called culinary grade—it is designed for baking, smoothies and other recipes.

Interestingly, there is no official industry standard or definition that helps differentiate between ceremonial and culinary matcha green tea powder.

Ceremonial matcha green tea powder is the first harvest of green tea leaves—it is more subtle and sweeter. The second harvest is the culinary grade—it is a bolder, more bitter flavor.

This article focuses on culinary grade matcha green tea powder—it is more common and affordable than ceremonial grade matcha.

For the best overall matcha green tea powder for baking, we pick Jade Leaf’s Matcha Green Tea Powder—it had the best flavor profile and worked well in baked goods and smoothies.

What We Liked

• From organic farm in Uji, Japan. 

• Stone ground into an ultra-fine powder. We judged this to be finer than other powders we tested.

• Bolder flavor than others we tried.

• Worked well in baked goods.

• Makes tasty smoothies.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

Best Strong Flavor Matcha: Matcha Wellness Matcha Green Tea Powder

If you’ve been hooked on the taste of matcha lattes or smoothies and want to replicate that at home, our pick would be Matcha Wellness’ matcha green tea powder.

Unlike other powders we tried that had a bitter taste, this one was more smooth . . . and strong! Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Great for smoothies, lattes.

• Organic.

• Grown on Japanese farm in Uji region.

• Stone ground.

• Bold, strong flavor.

What Needs Work

• Pricey. 

Best Non-GMO, Baking Matcha: Ujido Japanese Matcha Green Tea

We liked Ujido’s Japanese Matcha Green Tea as a good non-GMO option. That said, it isn’t organic—but it did work well in baked goods we tested. Another bonus: this brand is easier on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Sourced and packed in Uji, Japan.

• Stone ground.

• Hand picked.

• 2nd harvest.

• No GMO’s.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Bitter. This matcha is great for baking, not so much for drinking in smoothies or lattes. We judged it to be more bitter than others we sampled.

• Not organic.

Best Budget-Friendly Matcha: Kiss Me Organics Matcha Green Tea Powder

Yes, matcha green tea powder is wonderful . . . but very pricey! If you prefer a brand that is easier on the wallet, we suggest Kiss Me Organics. Good quality with a smooth flavor profile.

If you are matcha-curious, this would be a good place to start!

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• USDA Organic.

• Great for baking.

• No additives.

• Sourced from Japan.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Bitter. A minority of the testers we had try this matcha powder thought it was bitter . . . too bitter for some. That’s especially true if you drink it alone as tea.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home, families and children since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported! So we appreciate you reading this article!