Matcha Soda Float Recipe

Bloom matcha

Place the matcha powder in a small bowl. Add 1–2 tablespoons of the whole milk and whisk vigorously until a smooth, lump-free paste forms.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining whole milk, heavy cream, and granulated sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling (steam will rise and small bubbles may form at the edge), about 5–6 minutes.

Temper the matcha: pour a small ladle of the hot milk mixture into the matcha paste while whisking to loosen, then pour the matcha-milk back into the saucepan and whisk until fully combined and uniformly green.

Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, stir to combine. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until fully cold.

Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (usually 20–25 minutes). Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2–4 hours to firm up to scoopable texture.

If you don't have an ice cream maker: place the chilled mixture in a shallow, freezer-safe container. Freeze 30 minutes, then vigorously whisk or beat to break ice crystals; repeat every 30 minutes for 2–3 hours until creamy, then freeze until scoopable.

Chill serving glasses in the freezer for 10–15 minutes, or add a few ice cubes to each glass to chill (remove ice cubes before pouring soda if desired).

If using, stir simple syrup into the cold soda to sweeten. Taste and adjust sweetness—use plain soda water for a more refreshing, lightly bitter matcha pairing or lemon-lime soda for a sweeter, brighter float.

Pour 10–12 oz (300–350 ml) of cold soda into each chilled tall glass, leaving room at the top for the ice cream scoop and a little foam.

Using an ice cream scoop, add one generous scoop (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) of the firmed matcha ice cream on top of the soda. The soda will foam around the ice cream to create the float.

Garnish with a small sprinkle of sifted matcha powder if desired (use very little to avoid clumping) and a fresh mint sprig. Serve immediately with a long spoon and a straw.

Notes on variations: For a vegan version, substitute coconut cream and a non-dairy milk for the dairy in the ice cream base and use a vegan-friendly sweetener. For a stronger matcha flavor, increase matcha to 2 tsp in the ice cream base, but taste the chilled mix before churning to avoid overly bitter results.