Lumps happen when you toss dry matcha straight into the blender with cold liquid. Matcha is fine powder, and it clumps on contact with cold water—like flour in cold milk. The fix is simple: dissolve the matcha first.

Take your matcha (1–2 teaspoons) and add about 2 ounces of warm water—around 175°F, not boiling. Whisk it for 10–15 seconds until you see a smooth, frothy layer. That's your base. Then add it to the blender with the rest of your ingredients. This step alone eliminates 90% of clumping issues.

If you're in a hurry, you can blend the matcha with a small amount of warm liquid before adding the cold ingredients. Just don't skip the warm-water step—it's the difference between a creamy smoothie and a gritty one.