How to Make a Hojicha Latte (Hot & Iced): Our Recommended Ratio
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Whisk 4g (2 heaping tsp) of hojicha powder with 60ml of hot water at 80°C until smooth, then combine with 180ml of milk, warmed for hot or cold over ice for iced.
- Hot latte: 4g hojicha + 60ml hot water (80°C) + 180ml warm milk.
- Iced latte: same base, poured over 180ml cold milk and ice.
- This is a recommended starting ratio, not a fixed rule. Adjust to your taste.
Hojicha is having a genuine moment, and for good reason. Roasted rather than shade-grown, it swaps matcha's grassy intensity for something warmer: toasty, faintly caramelised, and naturally low in caffeine. A hojicha latte is one of the easiest ways to fall for it, and getting it right at home comes down to one thing: a good ratio, prepared carefully.
Here is our recommended method, hot and iced, plus how our three single-region hojichas, from Uji, Yame, and Shizuoka, compare in the cup.
Unlike matcha, there is no single traditional ratio for hojicha lattes, brands and cafes vary. The measurements below are the ratio we recommend as a reliable starting point, based on what consistently produces a smooth, well-balanced cup.
As with any roasted tea, the rule that matters most is the same as matcha: whisk the powder with hot water first, then add the milk. This fully dissolves the powder and prevents the small clumps that make a latte feel gritty rather than silky.
- Hojicha powder. A finely milled, single-region hojicha gives the smoothest result and the clearest roast character. Try our Uji, Yame, or Shizuoka hojicha.
- A whisk or frother. Hojicha dissolves more easily than matcha, but a bamboo whisk or electric frother still gives the smoothest, silkiest result.
- A sieve. A quick sift removes any small clumps before whisking.
- Milk of choice. Oat milk is a popular pairing for its natural sweetness, though whole dairy and any milk you enjoy will work well.
- Water around 80°C. Hotter than that can flatten hojicha's toasty, caramel notes.
- 4ghojicha powder (2 heaping tsp)
- 60mlhot water (80°C)
- 180mlmilk, steamed or warmed
- Sift 4g (2 heaping tsp) of hojicha powder into a bowl or cup.
- Add 60ml of hot water at 80°C and whisk briskly until smooth, with no lumps.
- Warm or steam 180ml of your milk, then pour it slowly over the hojicha base.
- Stir gently and serve straight away while warm.
- 4ghojicha powder (2 heaping tsp)
- 60mlhot water (80°C)
- 180mlcold milk
- Iceto fill the glass
- Sift 4g (2 heaping tsp) of hojicha powder into a bowl or cup.
- Add 60ml of hot water at 80°C and whisk until smooth. Whisking with hot water first stops the powder clumping in the cold milk.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour in 180ml of cold milk.
- Pour the hojicha base over the milk, stir, and serve immediately.
Pour the hojicha base slowly over an ice cube rather than stirring it straight in. The temperature difference between the hojicha and the cold milk helps it sit as a separate top layer, similar to a Kyoto-style iced latte, before you stir it through.
This ratio is a starting point, not a rule. Hojicha varies by region, roast, and leaf, and taste is personal. A deeper Yame roast behaves differently to a gentler Uji roast, and the right amount of milk depends entirely on how you like your latte.
Once you have tried it our way, adjust from there:
- Want it more toasty and intense? Add another half teaspoon of hojicha.
- Prefer it lighter and milkier? Add a little more milk.
- Trying a deeper roast like Yame? You may want slightly less powder to start, as the flavour is more concentrated.
- Trying a gentler roast like Uji? You may prefer a touch more to bring out its character.
Use this ratio to get close fast, then fine-tune it into the cup you would order again.
Hojicha is roasted rather than shade-grown, but the base leaf and region still shape the final roast. Here is how our three single-region hojichas tend to differ, and trying all three side by side is genuinely the best way to find your favourite.
One of hojicha's biggest draws is how gentle it is compared to matcha and coffee. The roasting process that gives it that toasty flavour also breaks down much of the leaf's original caffeine.
That makes hojicha a natural afternoon or evening choice, especially if you already drink matcha in the morning and want something calming later in the day without cutting caffeine out completely.
Our Uji, Yame, and Shizuoka hojichas each bring a distinct roast character to this recipe. The easiest way to find your favourite is to try them side by side.
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