Tropical Pineapple Matcha Cooler Drink

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 2 tall glasses
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold pineapple juice, preferably fresh
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold water or coconut water
• 2 teaspoons culinary-grade matcha powder
• 2–3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
• 1 cup ice cubes for blending, plus more for serving
• Small pinch fine sea salt
• Optional: pineapple wedges, lime slices, and fresh mint for garnish

Do This

• 1. If using fresh pineapple, juice or blend and strain enough to get 1 1/2 cups (360 ml); chill well.
• 2. Sift 2 teaspoons matcha into a small bowl to remove lumps.
• 3. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cold water to the matcha and whisk until very smooth and frothy.
• 4. In a blender, combine pineapple juice, remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) water, matcha mixture, honey or maple syrup, lime juice, sea salt, and 1 cup ice.
• 5. Blend on high for 20–30 seconds until the drink is smooth, lightly frothy, and pale greenish-yellow.
• 6. Taste and adjust sweetness or lime. Serve immediately over fresh ice in 2 chilled glasses, garnished as desired.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright tropical pineapple meets earthy matcha for a refreshing but grounded flavor.
• Naturally energizing from green tea caffeine, without being overly sweet or heavy.
• Comes together in about 10 minutes with basic equipment and simple ingredients.
• Easy to customize: make it creamier, fizzier, or more tart to suit your taste.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh pineapple (or high-quality pineapple juice), limes, fresh mint (optional for garnish)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Matcha powder, honey or maple syrup, fine sea salt, coconut water (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Pineapple–Matcha Cooler

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold pineapple juice
  • From about 1/2 medium fresh pineapple, juiced or blended and strained, or
  • Good-quality, 100% pineapple juice (not from concentrate), well chilled
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold water or unsweetened coconut water
• 2 teaspoons culinary-grade matcha powder
• 2–3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
• 1 cup ice cubes (about 8 standard cubes) for blending
• Small pinch fine sea salt (about 1/16 teaspoon)

For Serving and Garnish (Optional but Recommended)

• Additional ice cubes, to fill glasses
• 2 small pineapple wedges or spears
• 2 lime slices or wheels
• 4–6 fresh mint leaves

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pineapple juice

If you are using fresh pineapple, peel it, remove the core, and roughly chop the flesh. Add pineapple chunks to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the puree through a fine-mesh sieve or nut-milk bag into a bowl or jug, pressing to extract as much juice as possible. Measure out 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of juice.

Chill the pineapple juice in the refrigerator or in the freezer for 10 minutes until very cold but not frozen. Colder juice makes a more refreshing cooler and helps it stay at a pleasant serving temperature of about 4–7 °C (40–45 °F).

Step 2: Make a smooth matcha base

Place a small fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl or mug. Add the 2 teaspoons matcha powder to the strainer and gently tap or use a spoon to push it through. Sifting breaks up clumps and gives you a smoother drink.

Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cold water (or coconut water) into the bowl with the sifted matcha. Using a small whisk (a bamboo matcha whisk if you have one, or a regular mini whisk), whisk briskly in a zigzag motion for 20–30 seconds, until the matcha is fully dissolved and a light foam forms on top. This is your concentrated matcha base.

Step 3: Blend the cooler

In a full-size blender jug, combine the chilled pineapple juice, the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) water or coconut water, the matcha base, 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, the lime juice, the pinch of sea salt, and 1 cup ice cubes.

Secure the lid and blend on high speed for 20–30 seconds, until the ice is mostly crushed, the mixture looks smooth and slightly frothy, and the color is a pale, glowing yellow-green.

Step 4: Taste and fine-tune the flavor

Pause and taste a spoonful of the cooler. If you prefer it sweeter, add up to 1 additional tablespoon honey or maple syrup and blend briefly to combine. For more brightness, add another teaspoon or two of lime juice.

If the matcha flavor is too subtle for you, you can whisk 1/2 teaspoon more matcha with a splash of water in the small bowl, then add it to the blender and blend again. Adjust until the balance of tropical sweetness, citrus tang, and earthy green tea suits your taste.

Step 5: Chill the glasses and add ice

While you adjust the flavor, fill two tall glasses with ice cubes. If your freezer is very cold, you can also briefly chill the empty glasses in the freezer for 5 minutes before adding ice for extra frosty results.

Having well-chilled glasses and plenty of ice helps the drink stay at that ideal fridge-cold range of about 4–7 °C (40–45 °F) even as you sip it slowly.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

Give the blender a final quick pulse to re-froth the top, then pour the pineapple–matcha cooler evenly into the two ice-filled glasses. You should see a light foam on top and some tiny ice crystals throughout.

Garnish each glass with a pineapple wedge and a lime wheel on the rim. Lightly slap the mint leaves between your palms to release their aroma, then tuck a few leaves into each glass. Serve immediately while icy cold and lightly frothy.

Pro Tips

• Use very cold ingredients. Chill the pineapple juice, water, and glasses first. The colder everything starts, the longer your drink stays refreshing without the ice diluting it.
• Sift the matcha. Skipping the sifting step often leads to little green clumps that are hard to blend out. A quick sift makes a big difference in smoothness.
• Adjust sweetness after blending. Pineapples vary in sweetness. Start with less sweetener, blend, then add more to taste so the drink is balanced rather than sugary.
• Do not over-blend the ice. Blend just until the cubes are mostly crushed. Over-blending can turn the drink slushy and watery instead of cool and lightly textured.
• Matcha quality matters. Use a fresh, vibrant green culinary-grade matcha. Dull, yellowish matcha will taste flat and slightly bitter.

Variations

• Creamy coconut version: Replace half of the water (1/2 cup / 120 ml) with full-fat canned coconut milk. The result is richer, creamier, and almost like a tropical matcha smoothie.
• Lightly sparkling cooler: Blend everything except 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the liquid. After blending, stir in 1/2 cup chilled plain sparkling water or club soda to add a gentle fizz. Pour gently over ice.
• Thicker smoothie style: Use frozen pineapple chunks instead of juice, reduce water by 1/4 cup (60 ml), and add 1/2 banana. Blend until thick and creamy for a breakfast-style drink.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pineapple–matcha cooler is best enjoyed immediately after blending, when the foam is fresh and the flavors are brightest. If you need to make it ahead, blend as directed, transfer to a covered jar or bottle, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake well before serving, as some separation is natural and the foam will diminish over time. For a partial make-ahead option, you can mix and chill the pineapple juice, water or coconut water, sweetener, lime juice, and salt up to 2 days in advance, then whisk and add the matcha just before serving to preserve the vivid green color and fresh tea aroma.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per serving (1 tall glass, assuming water rather than coconut water and 2 tablespoons honey total): about 160–180 calories; 0.5 g fat; 40–44 g carbohydrates; 1–2 g protein; 1–2 g fiber; 34–38 g sugars (mostly from pineapple and honey); 15–25 mg sodium. Matcha also provides beneficial antioxidants and a gentle boost of caffeine.