How to Make a Hojicha Latte at Home

October 22, 2026

Discover how to make a hojicha latte at home with Newby's Hojicha Powder. Smooth, creamy and delicately roasted, this comforting Japanese green tea latte combines rich, nutty flavours with the velvety texture of warm milk. With distinctive notes of toasted nuts, caramel and delicate charred wood, hojicha offers a beautifully balanced flavour that can be enjoyed in both hot and iced lattes.

What Is Hojicha?

Hojicha is a traditional Japanese roasted green tea, celebrated for its distinctive brown colour, warm aroma and smooth, mellow flavour.

Unlike many Japanese green teas, which are known for their fresh, grassy character, hojicha undergoes a roasting process that transforms the tea's natural flavour. The result is a beautifully aromatic tea with notes of toasted nuts, caramel and gentle smokiness.

Hojicha can be enjoyed as a traditional brewed tea or prepared using finely ground hojicha powder, which is particularly well suited to making creamy lattes.

Newby's Hojicha Powder is crafted from Japanese green tea leaves sourced from Kagoshima Prefecture. The leaves are steamed, rolled and dried before being roasted three times to develop their characteristic depth of flavour. They are then stone-milled into a fine powder, creating a smooth, rich tea ideal for an iced hojicha latte.

How to Make a Hojicha Latte

Making a café-style hojicha latte at home is wonderfully simple. With just a few ingredients, you can create a smooth, creamy drink that combines the rich, roasted flavours of Japanese green tea with the velvety texture and subtle sweetness of warm oat milk.

Hojicha Latte Recipe

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

3g Newby's Hojicha Powder
70ml hot water (70°C)
180ml oat milk
12.5ml maple or vanilla syrup (optional)

Method

Sieve the hojicha powder. Sieve 3 g of Newby’s Hojicha Powder into a matcha bowl to remove any lumps. If you don’t have a sieve, skip this step and proceed directly to Step 2.
Whisk with hot water. Gradually add a little water while whisking to form a smooth paste. Then add up to 70 ml of hot water heated to 70°C and whisk vigorously for approximately 30 seconds until smooth and well combined. You can use a traditional matcha whisk.
Heat the oat milk. Gently warm 180ml of oat milk in a saucepan or using a milk frother, ensuring it is hot but not boiling.
Froth the milk. Use a handheld milk frother or steam wand to create a smooth, velvety foam.
Prepare your latte. Pour the whisked hojicha into your favourite cup, then slowly add the warm, frothed oat milk, allowing the creamy foam to settle on top.
Sweeten to taste. Add 12.5ml of maple, caramel or vanilla syrup if desired. Stir gently and enjoy.

Newby's tip: For an exceptionally smooth and creamy hojicha latte, use barista-style oat milk. Its natural sweetness and velvety texture beautifully complement the tea's rich, roasted notes of toasted nuts and caramel.

Where Does Hojicha Come From?

Hojicha originates from Japan, where it was first developed in Kyoto in the 1920s. Newby's Hojicha Powder is sourced from Kagoshima Prefecture, one of Japan's most renowned tea-growing regions.

Shaped by its volcanic landscape, Kagoshima benefits from mineral-rich soils, a warm, humid climate and abundant rainfall. This distinctive terroir, combined with generations of tea-growing expertise, creates ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality Japanese green tea.

What Does a Hojicha Latte Taste Like?

A hojicha latte has a smooth, creamy flavour with rich, roasted notes of toasted nuts, caramel and gentle smokiness.

Unlike matcha green tea, which is known for its fresh, vegetal character, hojicha offers a softer, more mellow taste.

Newby's Hojicha Powder has a distinctive roasted profile, with nutty and chocolate-like notes alongside hints of caramel and delicate charred wood.

When combined with warm, creamy oat milk, these flavours create a comforting, velvety latte with a beautifully balanced and rounded finish.

What Is the Difference Between Matcha and Hojicha?

Although hojicha and matcha are both Japanese green teas, they differ in their production methods, flavour profiles and appearance.

Matcha is made from finely ground, shade-grown green tea leaves and is known for its vibrant green colour, fresh vegetal flavour and umami notes.

Hojicha is made from roasted green tea leaves, giving it a distinctive brown colour and a warm, nutty flavour.

The roasting process creates a mellow tea with toasted, caramel-like notes that pair particularly well with milk.

Hojicha typically contains significantly less caffeine than matcha, making it a great choice for those seeking a gentler tea experience.

For those who enjoy a rich, creamy latte with a gentle roasted character, hojicha offers a delicious alternative to matcha.

Can Hojicha Be Prepared in the Same Way as Matcha?

Yes. Finely ground hojicha powder can be prepared in much the same way as matcha.

Simply sieve the powder into a bowl, add hot water and whisk until smooth.

Like matcha, hojicha powder can be combined with milk to create a latte or enjoyed on its own as a concentrated tea.

Newby's Hojicha Powder is stone-milled into a fine consistency, making it ideal for whisking into both hot and iced drinks.

Do You Need a Whisk to Make a Hojicha Latte?

A hojicha latte can be prepared in the traditional matcha style, using a matcha bowl and a Japanese bamboo whisk, known as a chasen. This method helps disperse the hojicha powder evenly in water, creating a smooth, velvety texture.

Alternatively, you can use a handheld milk frother for a quick and convenient preparation. For the best results, sieve your hojicha powder before whisking to minimise lumps.

What Is the Best Water Temperature for Hojicha Powder?

For Newby’s Hojicha Powder, we recommend using hot water heated to 70°C.

When preparing a hojicha latte, we recommend whisking 3g of hojicha powder with 70ml of hot water at 70°C until smooth, before adding warm, frothed milk.

Using a lower water temperature helps reduce astringency while preserving the tea’s rich, roasted notes, resulting in a smoother, creamier and beautifully balanced hojicha latte.

Does a Hojicha Latte Need to Be Sweetened?

No. Hojicha has a naturally mellow flavour with gentle caramel-like notes, making it delicious without added sweeteners. The roasted character of Hojicha Powder pairs particularly well with the subtle sweetness of oat milk.

However, if you prefer a sweeter iced hojicha latte, maple, caramel or vanilla syrups are excellent additions. Start with half a tea spoon and adjust according to your preference.

What Milk Is Best for a Hojicha Latte?

Oat milk is an excellent choice for a hojicha latte because its naturally creamy texture and mild sweetness complement the roasted flavour of the tea.

However, hojicha is versatile and pairs with different types of milk.

Oat milk: Smooth, creamy and subtly sweet, ideal for an iced hojicha latte.
Whole milk: Rich and velvety, creating a classic creamy latte.
Almond milk: Adds a gentle nuttiness that complements the roasted tea.
Soy milk: Offers a smooth, creamy alternative with a balanced flavour.

For an iced hojicha latte recipe, we recommend 180ml of chilled oat milk.

How to Make an Iced Hojicha Latte

Hojicha is equally delicious served cold, making it a refreshing alternative to a traditional hot latte.

To make an iced hojicha latte, sieve 3g of Newby's Hojicha Powder into a bowl and whisk with 60ml of hot water at 70°C until smooth.

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and pour in 180ml of chilled oat milk, leaving a little space at the top.

Slowly pour the whisked hojicha over the milk to create a beautiful layered effect.

Add maple or vanilla syrup if desired and stir gently to combine.

The result is a smooth, creamy and refreshing iced hojicha latte with rich, roasted notes of toasted nuts and caramel, perfect for warmer days.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hojicha

Is Hojicha or Matcha Better?

Matcha is known for its vibrant green colour and fresh, vegetal flavour, while hojicha offers a smoother, roasted character with notes of toasted nuts. Both hojicha and matcha offer distinctive flavours, so the choice comes down to personal preference.

Hojicha typically contains less caffeine than matcha, making it an appealing choice for those who prefer a lower-caffeine tea.

What Does a Hojicha Latte Taste Like?

A hojicha latte tastes smooth, creamy and gently roasted, with notes of toasted nuts, caramel and subtle smokiness. When combined with oat milk, it develops a mellow, rounded flavour with a naturally comforting character.

What Flavour Is Hojicha?

Hojicha is known for its warm, roasted flavour, often featuring notes of toasted nuts, cocoa, charred wood and caramel.

Is Hojicha Lower in Caffeine Than Matcha?

Hojicha typically contains less caffeine than matcha. However, it is not caffeine-free, and the exact caffeine content depends on the tea leaves used and the amount prepared.

Can You Make an Iced Hojicha Latte Without a Bamboo Whisk?

Yes. A handheld milk frother or small kitchen whisk can be used to combine hojicha powder with hot water. Sieving the powder first helps achieve a smoother consistency.

Can You Make a Hojicha Latte Without Syrup?

Absolutely. Hojicha's mellow, roasted flavour pairs beautifully with milk without the need for added syrup. Sweetening your latte is entirely optional.

Discover Newby's Hojicha Powder

Our Hojicha Powder is a Japanese green tea sourced from Kagoshima Prefecture, expertly triple-roasted and stone-milled into a fine powder. It offers a smooth, mellow flavour with notes of toasted nuts, caramel and delicate charred wood.

Whether enjoyed in a refreshing iced hojicha latte, a comforting hot latte or as a traditional tea, Newby's Hojicha Powder invites you to discover a distinctive expression of Japanese tea craftsmanship.

Shop Newby's Hojicha Powder and create your perfect hojicha latte at home.