Nutty, slightly sweet, and with a hint of caramel, Hojicha Latte is a creamy and frothy hot drink that is very popular in Japan. Powdered hojicha (roasted green tea) contains much less caffeine than matcha or coffee, making it a great alternative! {Vegan-Adaptable}
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re on a hojicha kick lately! I’ve enjoyed this roasted Japanese green tea in cold brew and iced latte, and in desserts. Today, I’ll show you how to make a warm cup of Hojicha Latte (ほうじ茶ラテ) at home.
During chilly months, this hojicha latte makes a perfect drink to start your day or enjoy during your afternoon break. My family still absolutely loves our Matcha Latte, but it’s been so much fun to have another drink option that we get to enjoy at our ‘home cafe,’ as my daughter calls it.
What is Hojicha?
Originated in Kyoto, hojicha (焙じ茶, ほうじ茶) is a type of roasted Japanese green tea that has been enjoying its moment as a popular beverage in Japan.
The tea leaves are first steamed before undergoing a roasting process that gives hojicha its reddish-brown color and imparts a caramelized note. The roasting also significantly reduces its caffeine levels without impacting its health benefits, such as antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E.
Many people enjoy hojicha for its distinctive toasty and mildly sweet flavor, as well as its soothing effect. I love both its versatility and its allure, and I’m looking forward to crafting more interesting recipes with the tea.
You can find hojicha in loose tea or in powder form. Since we’re making a latte, I use hojicha powder so we can easily whisk it with hot water and steamed milk.
How to Make Hojicha Latte
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Hojicha (roasted green tea) powder – You can buy ready-made powder, or make your own from hojicha tea leaves.
- Hot water, about 176ºF or 80ºC
- Milk of your choice – Whole milk is best but I use 2% lactose-free milk in this recipe. For vegan/vegetarian, you can substitute with oat or almond milk
- Sweetener of choice – I used granulated sugar in this recipe but I usually make a batch of Homemade Simple Syrup for a week so I can make different beverages (mostly Matcha Latte or Iced Matcha Latte) at home. You can also use other sweeteners.
The Preparation
- Sift the hojicha powder into a bowl or cup. This will minimize any lumps and yield a smooth latte.
- Add the hot water to the bowl.
- Whisk briskly, drawing a letter W, not the usual circular pattern. Blend the hot water and hojicha powder until no lumps remain. The matcha should be smooth and a little foamy.
- Steam the cold milk with a steaming wand or froth the warmed milk with a handheld milk frother.
- Pour the milk into the hojicha mixture. Sprinkle additional hojicha powder on top.
Recipe Tips
- Remove hojicha powder lumps: If you’re not using a chasen (bamboo whisk), sift the hojicha powder and make sure there are no lumps before adding hot water.
- Use 2% (that’s what we use) or whole milk for a richer latte. I don’t recommend using skim milk as there will be no foam.
- Froth the milk to 140-155ºF to get the frothy foam. If you are not using an espresso machine, microwave or heat the milk on the stovetop or microwave using the food thermometer.
Vegan Variation
Want to make a vegan hojicha latte? Oat milk would be the best choice; it froths well, just like dairy milk. Compared to almond milk, it has a nice creamy, neutral flavor. However, you might not get as thick a foam as dairy milk.
“Dirty” Variation: Dirty Hojicha Latte
A dirty latte is blended with two-thirds of fresh, cold milk topped with a double shot of espresso. The espresso shot must be poured slowly and with care. This ensures the coffee flows through the low-temperature milk, allowing you to enjoy the two visibly separated layers when served in a clear glass.
Where to Buy Hojicha Powder
I get my hojicha powder from Hojicha Co. The tea is roasted in small batches in Kyoto and packaged in Japan for optimal freshness and taste.
Can You Make Hojicha Powder?
Yes! I included the instructions in the recipe card below. You will need a small-capacity food processor or spice/coffee grinder (I used the Nutribullet).
The grinder doesn’t grind the tea leaves into superfine powder; therefore, you will need to grind it further with a mortar and pestle.
If you don’t grind hojicha into superfine powder, your latte will have big black specs from the tea leaves and you will taste it in your mouth.
If you make beverages with matcha or hojicha powder, I highly recommend getting these two tools.
- A bamboo whisk – To minimize clumps, it’s worth getting a bamboo whisk called chasen. It blends tea powders and liquid really well, introducing air to the mixture to create foam and froth. Alternatively, you can use a flat whisk, which works great for whisking small amounts of dry and wet ingredients.
- A spouted matcha bowl (optional) – Called katakuchi, a spouted bowl is specially designed to make whisking and pouring much easier. I use this beautiful katakuchi from Only Way Is Up.
- Milk frother – You can get this handheld milk frother. We use Mr. JOC’s espresso machine, which comes with a steaming wand. You can skip frothing the milk if you like, but you will miss out on the airy mouthfeel of the latte’s warm milk foam.
What to Serve with Hojicha Latte
Hojicha Recipes To Enjoy
Let me know if you have other hojicha recipes you’d like to see on the blog. I’ll add them to our recipe request list!
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Hojicha Latte (plus Dirty Hojicha Latte)
Nutty, slightly sweet, and with a hint of caramel, Hojicha Latte is a creamy and frothy hot drink that‘s very popular in Japan. Powdered hojicha (roasted green tea) contains much less caffeine than matcha or coffee and makes a great alternative! {Vegan-Adaptable}
Ingredients
For Dirty Hojicha Latte (optional)
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
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Gather all the ingredients. I used hojicha powder from Hojicha Co. here. If you‘d like to make hojicha powder from scratch, see the instructions at the end of the recipe. To make a Dirty Hojicha Latte, make a double shot of espresso.
To Prepare the Hojicha Mixture
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Into a bowl with a pouring spout (I use a matcha bowl called a katakuchi), add 1½ tsp hojicha (roasted green tea) powder. If you want to sweeten your beverage, add ½ tsp sugar (optional; I don‘t add it). Tip: If you‘re using a regular whisk instead of a bamboo whisk, I recommend sifting the hojicha powder into a cup using a fine-mesh strainer. Fine powders become lumpy once you add hot water.
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Add 2 Tbsp hot water. Why hot water? Hojicha powder does not mix well into cool/cold water. With a bamboo whisk (chasen) or flat whisk, mix the tea powder and hot water briskly back and forth, drawing a letter W. Mix until no lumps remain, about 20 seconds. The hojicha mixture should be smooth and a little foamy. If it‘s not fluid, you can add a tiny bit of water (a teaspoon at a time) until it‘s a pourable consistency. Tip: Use as little water as required to make a fluid suspension that you can pour into a cup. We want to keep a rich, concentrated flavor by limiting the amount of water we use.
To Steam and Froth the Milk
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With a Handheld Milk Frother: Heat ¾ cup milk in the microwave or a pot on the stove until warm, about 140ºF or 65ºC. Then, with a handheld milk frother, froth the milk until foamy, about 10–15 seconds. If you don‘t have a frother, skip this step.
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With an Espresso Machine with a Steaming Wand: Start with ¾ cup milk. Learn to steam milk by following this video tutorial by a World Champion latte artist. For this recipe, Mr. JOC used the auto-steaming function.
To Make the Hojicha Latte
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Pour the tea mixture into the cup.
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Pour the steamed milk into the center of the hojicha mixture, ending with light foam. Sprinkle additional hojicha powder on top using the fine-mesh strainer. Serve hot and enjoy!
To Make the Dirty Hojicha Latte
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Pour the hojicha mixture into the cup and add 2 shots espresso.
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Pour the steamed milk into the center of the hojicha mixture, ending with light foam. Sprinkle additional hojicha powder on top using the fine-mesh strainer. Serve hot and enjoy!
To Make Hojicha Powder (optional)
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To make hojicha powder from scratch, weigh 1 oz or 30 g of hojicha leaves. I used hojicha from Ippodo Tea, which measures roughly ¾ cup (12 Tbsp) per 30 g; however, every brand of hojicha is different, so please weigh your tea. Next, add the tea leaves to a small-capacity food processor or spice/coffee grinder. I used the Nutribullet here.
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Cover firmly with the lid and begin processing.
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Grind the tea leaves for 3 minutes, without stopping, until the leaves turn into powder.
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Tap the carafe on the counter a few times to release any powder attached to the lid. Then, remove the lid. The texture of the tea will resemble a fine grind size.
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To make it superfine to use in a beverage, further grind the hojicha powder by hand. Add 1 Tbsp of tea powder to a mortar and grind it with a pestle until it‘s ultrafine. Transfer to a container. Continue hand-grinding the remaining powder, 1 Tbsp at a time. You‘ll get about 5 Tbsp of superfine hojicha powder. Store the hojicha powder in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dark place (or refrigerator if you live in a hot, humid environment) for up to a month.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Hojicha Latte (plus Dirty Hojicha Latte)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
