Hojicha Lab Hojicha Powder Review: A Smooth, Roasted Alternative to Matcha

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know I’m a bit of a tea person. I’ve loved green tea for years, and matcha in particular has become one of those little rituals that makes me feel like I’m doing something nice for myself (even if I’m drinking it while answering emails or stepping over a trail of toddler toys).

So when Hojicha Lab kindly sent me their hojicha powder to try, I was genuinely intrigued. I’d heard of hojicha, but I’d never properly explored it at home. It felt like the perfect “new-to-me” ingredient: still in the tea family, but with a completely different flavour profile.

In this post I’m sharing my honest thoughts on Hojicha Lab’s hojicha powder, what it tastes like, how we’ve been using it (including a few family-friendly ideas), and who I think it’s best suited to.

What is hojicha, and how is it different from matcha?

Hojicha is a Japanese roasted green tea. Unlike matcha, which is vibrant, grassy and sometimes a little sharp if you’re not used to it, hojicha is all about warmth and depth. The leaves are roasted, which changes both the colour and the flavour.

When hojicha is made into a powder, it becomes incredibly versatile. You can whisk it into hot water like you would with matcha, but it also works beautifully in milky drinks, baking, and desserts.

As a matcha fan, I expected something “green tea-ish”, but the first thing that struck me was how different it is. Hojicha has a smooth roasted flavour — think toasted hazelnut, cocoa and caramel — and it feels more like a comforting treat than a bright, energising green tea moment.

A little background on Hojicha Lab

Hojicha Lab is a small, women-led London start-up with a really lovely mission: giving Britain’s tea lovers a new kind of comfort drink.

Their roasted green tea is slow-fire-crafted in the hills of Kyoto, then packed in the UK in pouches that are designed to slide straight through your letterbox.

What you get is a smoky-caramel style brew with around 80% less caffeine than coffee, and it’s positioned as a calmer alternative to both coffee and matcha — none of matcha’s grassy bitterness, but still that satisfying “tea moment”. I can absolutely see why they describe it as ideal for a calm evening Netflix session or a gentle morning boost.

A few other details that stood out to me:

• Low caffeine, high L-theanine: the idea is gentle focus without jitters — basically a hug-in-a-mug when you’d normally reach for a 4 p.m. latte.

• Roasted by artisans in Kyoto: authentic flavour, not mass-produced.

• Women-led indie brand: every purchase supports female entrepreneurship.

They also highlight the craft and sourcing behind the product, including:

• Sourced sustainably: multi-generation farms in Uji and Nara that follow JAS organic standards.

• Roasted at 200°C for 3½ minutes: designed to unlock those nutty-cocoa notes.

• Packed in the UK: in letterbox-friendly pouches.

I love when a brand gives you that extra bit of context, because it makes the whole experience feel more intentional — not just “here’s a powder”, but “here’s why it tastes the way it does, and why we’re proud of it”.

First impressions of the hojicha powder

When the hojicha powder arrived, I was immediately excited to open it. I’m the sort of person who loves anything that feels like a “new pantry ingredient” — especially if it can be used in multiple ways.

The aroma was the first standout. It’s hard to describe without sounding like I’m being dramatic, but it genuinely smelled comforting. Roasted, warm, slightly sweet — like the scent you get when you toast hazelnuts or when something caramelised is just starting to turn golden.

If matcha smells fresh and grassy, hojicha smells cosy.

What does it taste like?

Hojicha Lab’s hojicha powder has a smooth roasted flavour, and the tasting notes they describe — toasted hazelnut, cocoa and caramel — are spot on.

It’s not bitter (which is something people sometimes worry about with green tea products), and it doesn’t have that sharp “green” edge that matcha can have if you make it too strong or use water that’s too hot.

To me, hojicha tastes like the bridge between tea and dessert. It’s still clearly tea, but it has the kind of flavour you’d happily pair with milk, vanilla, chocolate, or even coffee-style drinks.

How we’ve been using it at home

I always think the best way to review a product like this is to actually live with it for a bit — not just try it once and move on. So I’ve been testing it in a few different ways, and (importantly) seeing how it fits into real life with Steve and our three year old.

1) Hojicha latte (my favourite)

This is the first thing I made, because it’s how I most often use matcha.

A hojicha latte is genuinely lovely. The roasted flavour comes through beautifully, and it feels like a café-style drink you can make at home. It’s also a bit more forgiving than matcha — I find matcha can be fussy, whereas hojicha seems to blend more easily and tastes great even if you’re not being precious about it.

This has become my mid-afternoon “sit down for five minutes” drink. Steve tried it too (he’s not as into green tea as I am), and he actually really liked it — which says a lot, because he’s usually more of a classic tea/coffee person.

2) Stirred into yoghurt or porridge

If you like adding cocoa powder or cinnamon to porridge, hojicha is a fun alternative. It gives that warm, toasty flavour without being overly sweet.

I’ve also stirred a small amount into plain yoghurt with a drizzle of syrup. It feels like a simple dessert, and it’s a nice way to use the powder without baking.

3) Baking and desserts

This is where hojicha really shines.

Because the flavour has those cocoa/caramel notes, it works beautifully in baked goods. I’ve been thinking about trying it in:

• Hojicha cookies (especially with white chocolate)
• Hojicha sponge cake
• Hojicha brownies (for a subtle twist)
• Hojicha tiramisu-style dessert
• Hojicha ice cream or no-churn frozen yoghurt

Even if you’re not a confident baker, it’s the kind of ingredient that can elevate something simple. You could add it to a basic vanilla cupcake recipe, or even mix it into pancake batter.

4) Toddler-friendly ideas

Obviously I’m not making caffeinated lattes for my three-year-old, but I do like the idea of using small amounts in family baking.

One of the nicest things about a roasted flavour like this is that it pairs well with familiar “kid-friendly” tastes like vanilla and chocolate. If you’re baking something the whole family will share, a little hojicha can add a subtle twist without making it taste too grown-up.

It’s also a fun way to introduce new flavours gently. My daughter is at that age where she’s curious about what I’m doing in the kitchen, and anything that involves whisking feels like a big event.

Tips for using hojicha powder (especially if you’re new to it)

If you’re used to matcha, you’ll probably already have a sense of how to work with powdered tea, but here are a few tips I’ve found helpful:

• Start small: You can always add more, but it’s easier to build up flavour gradually.
• Whisk or froth it well: A small whisk or milk frother helps avoid clumps.
• Pair it with creamy flavours: Milk (dairy or plant-based), vanilla, and even a little sweetener really bring out the caramel notes.
• Use it in simple recipes first: Try it in a latte, yoghurt, or porridge before you attempt more elaborate baking.

Who I think this is for

Hojicha Lab’s hojicha powder is a great option if:

• You love matcha and want something different, but still in the tea world
• You enjoy warm, roasted flavours like cocoa, caramel, and toasted nuts
• You like making lattes at home
• You enjoy baking and want a new flavour to experiment with
• You want a tea-based ingredient that feels more “cosy” than “fresh and grassy”

If you’re someone who finds matcha too intense or too grassy, hojicha might actually be the easier entry point.

Final thoughts

Trying Hojicha Lab’s hojicha powder has been a genuinely fun little discovery. As someone who already loves green tea (and matcha in particular), it’s been interesting to explore a roasted green tea flavour that feels completely different — smoother, warmer, and more dessert-like.

It’s the kind of ingredient that fits into real life: quick enough to whisk into a latte when you’re juggling work and family life, but also versatile enough to experiment with in baking when you’re in the mood to be creative.

If you’re curious, you can find Hojicha Lab at www.hojichalab.co.uk. And if you’ve tried hojicha before (or you have a favourite recipe idea), I’d love to hear it — I’m always up for adding something new to my list of cosy kitchen staples.