Hojicha Latte
Roasted Japanese green tea whisked into steamed milk: toasty, caramel-like and low in bitterness.
A hojicha latte is made from hojicha, Japanese green tea roasted until it turns brown, ground to a powder and whisked into steamed milk.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 30 mg in one serving (10 oz (300 ml) cup), a concentration of 10 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Whisked hojicha and steamed milk |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 3 g hojicha powder in 40 g water, then 200 g milk |
| Base & finished drink | 3g → 249g |
| Grind size | Hojicha powder, sifted (or 6 g leaf brewed strong) |
| Water temperature | 194°F / 90°C |
| Target brew time | Whisk 20-30 sec |
| Serving | 10 oz (300 ml) cup |
What you need
- 3 g hojicha powder, sifted
- 40 g water at 90-95°C
- 200 g milk (oat milk suits it)
- 6 g brown sugar or honey, optional
Required gear
- Bamboo whisk or small electric frother
- Fine sieve
- Milk steamer or frother
- Scale
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Sift 3 g hojicha powder into a cup. Add the sweetener if using.
- 0:15Add 40 g water at 90-95°C and whisk in quick zigzags for 20-30 seconds until smooth.
- 0:45Steam or heat 200 g milk to 60-65°C with a fine foam.
- 1:15Pour the milk onto the hojicha. Iced: whisk the hojicha the same way, then pour it over ice and cold milk.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
The caffeine count
Roughly 20-40 mg; we list 30 mg. Published figures for hojicha vary widely, and powder (drunk whole) gives more than brewed leaf. It is lower than a matcha latte but not caffeine-free.
Estimate; we found no reliable measurement for hojicha powder.
Gentle on bitterness
Roasting breaks down some of the catechins that make green tea astringent, so a hojicha latte needs little or no sugar to taste smooth.
What to watch out for
- Contains some caffeine. If you are pregnant, nursing, sensitive to caffeine or have been told to limit it, it is a lower-caffeine choice, not a caffeine-free one.
- Contains dairy unless made with a plant milk.
A hojicha latte is made from hojicha, Japanese green tea roasted until it turns brown, ground to a powder and whisked into steamed milk. It tastes of toasted grain, caramel and a little cocoa, with almost none of the grassiness or bitterness of unroasted green tea, and it is usually low in caffeine.
Origin & Story
What hojicha is
Hojicha is Japanese green tea that has been roasted over high, dry heat. Most is made from bancha, the larger leaf of later harvests, though sencha and kukicha (stems) are roasted too. The usual story dates it to Kyoto in the 1920s, when a tea merchant roasted unsold leaf rather than waste it; whether or not it happened quite like that, hojicha has kept an everyday, inexpensive character. Roasting at around 150-200°C turns the leaf reddish-brown, forms roasted aroma compounds such as pyrazines, and breaks down some of the catechins that make green tea astringent. The result is toasty, sweet and soft. Our hojicha page covers the tea itself in more depth.
From teapot to latte
In Japan hojicha is mostly brewed as a plain tea, at home and with meals. The latte is a café drink: hojicha ground to a fine powder, whisked like matcha and topped with steamed milk. It spread through Japanese cafés and then internationally, partly as a gentler alternative to the matcha latte, and it is now on many café menus outside Japan.
Powder or leaf
Hojicha powder is the easiest way to a café-style latte, because you drink the whole leaf, as with matcha. If you only have loose hojicha, brew it strong instead: 6 g of leaf in 80 g of water just off the boil for two minutes, strained, then topped with milk. The flavour is lighter and cleaner, with less body.
Hotter water than matcha
Roasted tea has little of the delicate, easily scorched flavour of green matcha, so hojicha takes much hotter water. Whisk the powder with water at 90°C or more; it brings out the roast. That is also why a hojicha latte holds up well to oat milk and to sweeteners like brown sugar or honey, which echo its caramel notes.
Caffeine
Hojicha is usually described as low in caffeine, but published figures vary widely. It is mostly made from late-harvest leaf and stems, which hold less caffeine to begin with; whether roasting removes much more is disputed. A latte made with powder, where you drink the whole leaf, has more than a cup of brewed hojicha. We estimate 20-40 mg for this recipe, and it is not caffeine-free.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 56/100 |
| Acidity | 12/100 |
| Bitterness | 18/100 |
| Body | 66/100 |
| Aroma | 78/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Hojicha Latte?
One serving, 10 oz (300 ml) cup, contains approximately 30 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Hojicha Latte?
Brew the base at 90°C (194°F). Where the milk is heated, 60–65°C is the target; past about 70°C it tastes scalded and loses its sweetness.
How long should Hojicha Latte be extracted?
Timing: Whisk 20-30 sec. Method: Whisked hojicha and steamed milk. Ratio: 3 g hojicha powder in 40 g water, 200 g milk. Grind or leaf format: Hojicha powder, sifted (or 6 g leaf brewed strong).
Why does my Hojicha Latte taste bitter?
In a milk drink, bitterness comes from the base (espresso pulled too long or tea steeped too long) or from scorched milk. Brew the base to the stated proportion, and if the milk is heated, stop at 60–65°C.
What does a hojicha latte taste like?
Toasty and sweet: roasted grain, caramel and a little cocoa, with very little bitterness. It is softer and less grassy than a matcha latte.
Hojicha latte vs matcha latte: what is the difference?
Matcha is unroasted shade-grown green tea, grassy and vivid green, with more caffeine. Hojicha is roasted green tea, brown, toasty and usually lower in caffeine. Hojicha also takes much hotter water.
Can I make a hojicha latte with loose-leaf hojicha?
Yes. Brew 6 g of leaf in 80 g of water just off the boil for two minutes, strain, and top with steamed milk. It is lighter than a powder latte.
Is hojicha caffeine-free?
No. It is usually lower in caffeine than other green teas, mainly because it is made from late-harvest leaf and stems, but it still contains some.
Who should avoid Hojicha Latte?
Contains some caffeine. If you are pregnant, nursing, sensitive to caffeine or have been told to limit it, it is a lower-caffeine choice, not a caffeine-free one. Contains dairy unless made with a plant milk. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
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In this recipe: Bamboo whisk or small electric frother
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