Matcha’s Rise

Delight in a moist and aromatic quick bread with this Matcha Bread recipe, featuring almond flour, almond extract, and sliced almonds, all while reaping the benefits of green tea powder.

My journey with matcha has been, shall we say, a work in progress. I’ve tried, and tried, and tried again to fully embrace it, with varying degrees of success over the years.

The closest I’ve come to actually enjoying – perhaps “tolerating” is a more accurate description – matcha powder is in this matcha ice cream. Let’s be honest, it’s hard not to love ice cream, right?

The matcha powder used in this recipe was actually leftover from that matcha ice cream adventure, nearly three years ago. A little matcha goes a long way, and while I also made matcha shortbread cookies (perfect for Christmas!), I still had some from that overpriced tea shop.

With a kitchen renovation on the horizon (yay!), I’m decluttering, aiming to empty almost-empty containers and packages to minimize packing. This matcha powder was one of the items on that list.

With just enough left to bake this almond-infused matcha bread, I could finally say goodbye to the bag.

How to Make Matcha Bread

This matcha bread recipe follows the classic quick bread formula: dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, combine, mix, and bake. There’s no yeast involved.

I use a blend of whole wheat pastry flour and blanched almond flour as the base. You can substitute all-purpose flour, a gluten-free blend, or even whole wheat white flour, depending on your preference and dietary needs.

To boost the matcha flavor, I steeped the milk with a green tea bag, doubling the green tea benefits. This isn’t essential; plain milk (any kind works) is fine. I used it as a way to use up a green tea bag, which, admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of drinking.

What Does Matcha Green Tea Bread Taste Like?

Green tea generally has an “earthy” undertone. To be frank, it often tastes like dirt, at least to me. However, I know many people love green tea, so it’s a matter of personal taste.

This matcha bread recipe leans heavily on almond flavor to balance the matcha’s earthiness, and I adore anything almond-flavored (like this strawberry almond galette…swoon).

With almond flour, almond extract, and sliced almonds in and on the loaf, the almond flavor truly shines. Each slice is moist, aromatic, and incredibly flavorful.

Gluten-Free Matcha Bread

To make this bread gluten-free, simply replace the whole wheat pastry flour with your favorite gluten-free flour blend.

I consistently use and recommend this one.

Paleo Matcha Loaf Bread

Adapting this recipe for a paleo diet requires more adjustments than the gluten-free option, as substituting all almond flour alters the ratios of other ingredients.

You can try using paleo baking flour, which I’ve had success with before.

Alternatively, you could experiment with a mixture of almond flour and coconut flour. However, I haven’t tested this specific combination. Coconut flour is highly absorbent, so you’d likely need to use significantly less of it than the 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour the recipe calls for, and you may also need to increase the liquid. This approach would likely involve some trial and error.

Vegan Matcha Bread

You can try using a flax egg or a chia egg in the recipe to make the matcha bread vegan. I haven’t personally tested these substitutions, but I don’t anticipate any major issues.

Sweetener Options

The recipe calls for a stevia baking blend, which I’ve been using more and more lately and really enjoy. It’s twice as sweet as regular sugar, so you need less, resulting in better macros.

You can easily substitute regular granulated sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or turbinado sugar, but you’ll need to use double the amount. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or honey could also work, though you might need to adjust the milk and/or flour to ensure the batter isn’t too wet.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this matcha bread recipe as much as I did. It was a delightful afternoon snack with tea (preferably not green tea for me!), and I loved adding a toasted slice with nut butter to my breakfast. I even crumbled it over ice cream for dessert one night. It pairs wonderfully with simple vanilla bean ice cream!

More Quick Bread Recipes

Craving more quick bread recipes like this matcha almond bread? Try these:

Tart Cherry Tea Bread
Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Spiced Carrot Bread
Granola Pear Bread
Roasted Strawberry Coconut Yogurt Bread
Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread