Matcha Jelly (Green Tea Jelly)

A recipe for Matcha Jelly (抹茶ゼリー, Green Tea Jelly)! A sweetened matcha mixture is set with kanten for a light and refreshing dessert.

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I first came across Matcha Jelly (抹茶ゼリー, Matcha Kanten, 抹茶寒天) over on Daily Cooking Quest a few years ago and have been having such fun making these little matcha-flavored cubes! This Japanese green tea jello-like dessert uses Kanten as a thickener instead of the animal-based product, gelatin.

Sugar, powdered kanten and water are simmered on the stove until all the powder has dissolved. Matcha is whisked in last before transferring to heat-safe individual serving glasses or an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish. Allow the mixture to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Once fully set, the kanten creates a firm, jello-like texture and will last covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days for an easy make-ahead dessert or addition to other treats/drinks.

Serving Ideas

The Matcha Jelly can be served in a variety of ways. Daily Cooking Quest used theirs in a Strawberry Parfait with ice cream and fresh strawberries. I have also tried a no-bake cheesecake filling before and it is such a delicious combination of flavors.

A few other favorites include topping with sweet cream, sweetened condensed milk (so good!), whipped cream, or even Green Tea Ice Cream (or Hojicha Ice Cream if making Hojicha Jelly) for something a little more decadent.

I also love pairing the jelly with red bean paste (餡子), Shiratama Dango (白玉団子), Kinako (きな粉, Roasted Soybean Flour), and Kuromitsu (黒蜜, Black Sugar Syrup).

After preparing the mixture, it can be divided among individual serving glasses or an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish if you want to cut the jelly into bite-sized cubes. Smaller cubes are a great addition to drinks such as milk for added texture.

Hojicha Jelly

For a fun alternative, swap the matcha for equal parts Hojicha powder to make Hojicha Jelly (ほうじ茶ゼリー)!

Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is formed by roasting green tea leaves over charcoal. This results in a light reddish-brown color with a toasted, more subtle flavor. Due to the roasting process, Hojicha also has a lower caffeine content- making it perfect for an evening tea or dessert.

Check out my recipe for Japanese Coffee Jelly for another delicious option too.

Notable Ingredients 

Matcha is a powder created by grinding whole green tea leaves. There are various grades. The higher quality grades are made from the fine, new leaves from the very top of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. The lower culinary grades are fine for cooking and baking.

Be careful when storing matcha. It can become stale and brownish when exposed to oxygen. I have been able to find matcha at the local markets with Japanese ingredients and more recently in the tea section of larger supermarkets. It is also available on Amazon: Maeda-En Culinary Matcha.

To set the matcha, I used powdered kanten. Kanten (寒天) is a vegan thickener derived from an edible red algae (テングサ, Tengusa) and creates a more firm texture compared to animal-based gelatin. It comes in different forms, but the powder is the easiest to work with.

For those in the Los Angeles area, I have been able to find kanten in Mitsuwa Marketplace and Tokyo Central.

Gelatin

If you are unable to find powdered kanten, this recipe can also be made with powdered gelatin. The way you prepare it will change just a bit and the resulting texture will be a little more wobbly.

Instead of adding straight to the pot, place 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) water in a small bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon (9 grams) gelatin powder evenly over the top. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Simmer the 2 cups (470 milliliters) water, sugar, and matcha in a small pot until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the soaked gelatin until dissolved. If it does not dissolve completely, place back over very low heat briefly. Do not boil the gelatin (only the kanten).

This recipe was originally posted in July 2015 and updated June 2022.

Matcha Jelly (Green Tea Jelly) Recipe

Adapted from Daily Cooking Quest

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5 from 5 votes

Matcha Jelly (Green Tea Jelly)

A recipe for Matcha Jelly (抹茶ゼリー, Green Tea Jelly)! A sweetened matcha mixture is set with kanten for a light and refreshing dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword dessert, green tea, Japan, Japanese, kanten, matcha

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Resting Time: 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups (470 milliliters) water
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons (4 grams) powdered kanten
• 2 teaspoons (4 grams) matcha green tea powder
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) hot water

Instructions

• Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish with parchment for easy removal or set aside 4 heat-safe individual serving glasses.
• In a small pot, whisk together the water, powdered kanten, and sugar over medium high heat.
• Once the mixture comes to a boil and the powder has started to dissolve, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often (especially the bottom and sides), until the liquid is completely smooth, about 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha and 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) hot water until smooth.
• Whisk in the dissolved matcha until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cool to room temperature.
• Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Cut into 1/2-1 inch (1.25-2.5 centimeter) cubes if using the baking dish. Refrigerate until ready to assemble and serve.