Hojicha Latte Recipe: How to Make a Hojicha Latte at Home
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A hojicha latte tastes like a cozy blend of toasted grain, caramel and gentle tea, without the grassy bite of matcha. If you want to know how to make a hojicha latte at home, the short version is this: whisk about 1 teaspoon of hojicha powder into a small splash of hot (not boiling) water until smooth, then pour in warm frothed milk and sweeten lightly. It takes five minutes and no special equipment.
Below you will find the full recipe card, the reasons each step matters, and five variations, from iced to dirty hojicha with espresso.
What is hojicha, and why it makes a great latte
Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that is roasted rather than only steamed. The leaves are traditionally roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal at around 150°C (302°F), which turns them brown and gives the brewed tea a reddish-brown color and a nutty, toasty taste with very little bitterness. Most hojicha is made from bancha, a later-harvest tea, and some versions include stems.
Its origin story is pleasingly practical: it is credited to a Kyoto tea merchant who, around 1920, roasted leftover bancha he could not sell and found a new flavor. Roasting also lowers caffeine compared with many green teas, which is why hojicha is often served in Japan in the evening.
Those toasty, caramel-like notes are exactly what makes it so good with milk. Where matcha can turn muddy or bitter when made carelessly, hojicha is forgiving. If you are curious how the two lattes compare in practice, see our guide to the dirty matcha latte.
How to make a hojicha latte: the recipe
Serves: 1 (about 8 oz / 240 ml) · Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Hojicha powder | 1 tsp (heaping for stronger) | 2–3 g |
| Hot water, about 175°F | 2 tbsp | 30 ml |
| Milk of your choice | 3/4 cup | 180 ml |
| Sweetener (honey, maple, brown sugar) | 1–2 tsp | 5–10 ml / 4–8 g |
Steps
- Sift the powder. Tap the hojicha through a small sieve into your mug. Fine tea powders clump, and sifting is the easiest way to avoid lumps.
- Make a paste. Add the hot water, about 175°F (80°C). Whisk with a bamboo whisk, a small milk frother or a fork until no dry specks remain.
- Sweeten now. Stir the sweetener into the paste, where it dissolves fastest.
- Heat and froth the milk. Warm the milk to steaming but not boiling, around 140–150°F (60–65°C), and froth it with a steam wand, handheld frother or by shaking it in a jar. Our guide on how to froth milk covers every method.
- Combine. Pour the milk over the paste, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top. Dust with a pinch of hojicha if you like.
Why these steps work
- Water below boiling keeps the flavor round and sweet. Very hot water can push roasted tea toward a sharp, smoky edge.
- A paste first spreads the powder evenly. Dumping powder straight into milk almost always leaves clumps.
- Milk below boiling stays naturally sweet. Scalded milk tastes flat and cooked.
Iced hojicha latte
Whisk the same 2–3 g of powder with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of warm water and your sweetener. Fill a glass with ice, pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) of cold milk, then pour the hojicha paste on top for a two-tone look. Stir before drinking. Use a liquid sweetener here, because sugar will not dissolve in cold milk.
Five variations worth trying
- Oat milk hojicha latte (dairy-free): oat milk is the best plant match for hojicha because its grainy sweetness echoes the roasted notes. Barista versions froth best. For more on choosing one, read our oat milk latte guide.
- Brown sugar hojicha: swap the sweetener for 1–2 tsp of brown sugar or a brown sugar syrup for a toffee-like cup.
- Dirty hojicha: add a single shot of espresso to the finished latte. A chocolatey, medium-dark coffee like our African Espresso blend stands up to the tea without hiding it.
- Vanilla hojicha: add a drop of vanilla extract to the paste. Easy, comforting, great in winter.
- Lighter version: use 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk and 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water, and skip the sweetener. It tastes closer to a tea with milk than a dessert drink.
Troubleshooting a hojicha latte
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lumps or gritty specks | Powder not sifted, or added straight to milk | Sift, then whisk into a small amount of water first |
| Tastes weak or milky | Too little powder for the milk | Use a heaping teaspoon or reduce the milk to 1/2 cup |
| Smoky or harsh | Water too hot or too much powder | Use water around 175°F and level the scoop |
| Thin foam | Milk too hot or low in protein and fat | Froth cooler milk or use a barista plant milk |
| Sediment at the bottom | Powder settles over time | Stir or swirl before each sip, as with any tea powder drink |
Hojicha powder vs loose-leaf hojicha for lattes
You can make a latte with loose-leaf hojicha too: steep about 1 tablespoon of leaves in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of hot water for 3–4 minutes, strain, and top with frothed milk. The result is lighter and clearer. Powder gives a fuller body and stronger roasted flavor because you drink the whole leaf, which is why most café hojicha lattes use it.
Our Hojicha is a stone-milled roasted green tea powder made from tea leaves and stems, with notes of toasted cereal and gentle umami, and it is designed for exactly this kind of latte. If you like an earthier cup, Hojicha With Mushrooms blends hojicha with Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps and Reishi mushroom powders and whisks up the same way, using about 3 g per cup. Browse the full tea collection for more latte-friendly blends.
Hojicha latte FAQ
Does a hojicha latte have caffeine?
Yes, a little. Hojicha is made from tea leaves, so it contains caffeine, but roasting lowers it compared with many green teas. It is usually a gentler choice than coffee or matcha for the afternoon.
What does a hojicha latte taste like?
Toasty, nutty and slightly caramel-like, with a smooth, almost cereal-like finish and very little bitterness.
Can I make a hojicha latte without a whisk?
Yes. A handheld milk frother, a small jar with a lid, or even a fork will mix the paste. Sifting the powder first makes any method work better.
Which milk is best for a hojicha latte?
Whole milk gives the creamiest result. Among plant milks, oat milk pairs best with the roasted flavor; soy also froths well.
Is hojicha the same as matcha?
No. Both can be green tea powders, but matcha is made from shaded, unroasted leaves and tastes vegetal and grassy, while hojicha is roasted and tastes toasty and sweet.
Sources
- Hōjicha, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026.
Facts checked in October 2026.
Keep reading: Coffee vs matcha · How to froth milk · Tea