Iced Hojicha with Cinnamon (Printable)

Roasted hojicha meets creamy milk and cinnamon in this refreshing Japanese-inspired iced tea.

# What You Need:

→ Tea

01 - 2 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 2 hojicha tea bags
02 - 2 cups water

→ Dairy & Sweetener

03 - 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based such as oat or almond milk)
04 - 1–2 teaspoons honey or simple syrup (optional, adjust to taste)

→ Garnish

05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling
06 - Ice cubes

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add hojicha tea leaves or tea bags, reduce heat and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the tea into a heatproof pitcher and allow to cool to room temperature. For quicker chilling, refrigerate for 10 minutes.
02 - Fill two glasses with ice cubes. Pour cooled hojicha tea over the ice, filling each glass halfway.
03 - Stir in milk and sweetener to taste. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over each glass and stir gently. Garnish with an extra pinch of cinnamon on top and serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted, nutty flavor of hojicha makes this feel indulgent without being heavy or overly sweet
  • It comes together in minutes but looks and tastes like something from a specialty café
02 -
  • Over-steeping hojicha makes it unpleasantly bitter rather than more flavorful, so respect that 5-minute timer
  • Adding milk to hot tea before cooling can cause curdling, especially with plant-based alternatives
03 -
  • Buy hojicha from a Japanese grocer or specialty tea shop for the most authentic roasted flavor profile
  • If you only have cinnamon sticks, steep one in the hot tea for 2 minutes before removing for a subtler spice infusion
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