Iced Hojicha with Cinnamon (Printer-friendly)

Roasted Japanese tea meets creamy milk and aromatic cinnamon for a refreshing chilled beverage perfect for warm days.

# Ingredient List:

→ Tea

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

→ Dairy and Sweetener

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

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. 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 faster 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 Advice:

01 -
  • It takes five minutes to prepare once the tea cools, making it perfect for those moments when you want something special without the fuss.
  • The roasted warmth of hojicha paired with cinnamon tastes like a cozy secret hiding in a cold glass.
  • Unlike sugary iced drinks, this one actually makes you feel nourished and calm, not jittery.
02 -
  • Oversteeping hojicha makes it bitter and chalky—five minutes is exactly right, and going beyond seven transforms it from elegant to regrettable.
  • Cold milk poured into warm tea creates an entirely different texture and flavor profile than milk added to cooled tea, so patience with that cooling step actually matters.
  • The cinnamon needs to be stirred in gently or it'll sit on top like decorative dust instead of integrating into the drink.
03 -
  • Buy your hojicha from specialty tea shops or online if possible—supermarket versions are often stale and taste like burned paper instead of toasted grain.
  • The exact moment you pour cold milk into ice-cold tea matters—do it slowly and deliberately, and you'll get better visual separation and a more complex flavor experience with each sip.
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