Iced Hojicha with Cinnamon (Printer-friendly)

A refreshing Japanese-inspired iced tea with roasted hojicha, creamy milk, and warming cinnamon. Perfect for warm weather.

# Ingredient List:

→ Tea Base

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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted, nutty flavor of hojicha creates this beautiful bridge between coffee and tea that feels sophisticated yet completely approachable
  • Cinnamon might seem unusual, but it amplifies the natural caramel notes in hojicha like they were always meant to be together
  • You can make a big batch of the tea base and keep it in your fridge for instant refreshing drinks all week long
02 -
  • Hojicha steeps differently than other teas, and oversteeping creates this unpleasant bitter taste that no amount of milk or sweetener can fix
  • The temperature matters more than you would think, and adding milk to hot tea creates this strange curdled appearance even if it still tastes fine
  • Cinnamon can clump when it hits cold liquid, so whisk it with a tiny amount of the milk first to create a smooth paste before adding it to the drink
03 -
  • Invest in decent hojicha because the difference between restaurant quality and bargain tea is genuinely noticeable in a simple preparation like this
  • Letting the tea cool completely before adding ice prevents the melting ice from creating that sad watered down flavor that ruins so many iced drinks
  • Using a clear glass makes a surprising difference because this drink is genuinely beautiful and half the pleasure is visual
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