Soft and chewy Japanese-inspired hojicha cookies with dark chocolate chips. These cookies have a deeply roasted flavor, perfectly complemented by dark chocolate chips.
This post is dedicated to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, please see below for more details on how to donate this Christmas.
Table of contents
Deeply roasted and decadent hojicha cookies with dark chocolate chips. Made with hojicha powder and dark chocolate chips, these cookies are a perfect treat that’s not too sweet and perfectly decadent.
Hojicha cookies have a deep, roasted flavor and chewy texture. Sprinkled with dark chocolate chips, these addictive cookies are perfect for coffee lovers!
If you’re a fan of Japanese flavors or love experimenting with matcha desserts, these hojicha cookies are a must-try. The roasted green tea flavor of hojicha has rich, toasty notes similar to light coffee. Combined with the sweetness of brown sugar, these cookies are a delightful twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie.
Perfect for tea lovers and dessert enthusiasts, this Hojicha Cookies recipe is simple to make and comes out perfectly every time.
Looking for more delicious cookie recipes? Check out these fresh and light Matcha Sugar Cookies, nutty Black Sesame Cookies, chewy and sweet Mochi Cookies, reader favorite Ube Cookies.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Unique flavor: The hojicha flavor brings a toasty, caramel-like sweetness to these cookies. So if you love Japanese green tea desserts, this recipe is perfect for you!
- Perfect texture: Soft in the center with slightly golden edges, these cookies have the ideal balance of chewiness and crispness.
- Easy to make: This Hojicha Cookies recipe is super easy to follow and makes the perfect delicious batch of cookies every time. It only takes 5 minutes to make the cookie dough!
- Customizable: Swap dark chocolate for your favorite type of chocolate or sprinkle with sea salt flakes for a more unique flavor.
Ingredient round-up
- Butter: Unsalted butter is needed for this recipe. Make sure it’s softened to roomtemperature for easier mixing.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a caramel-like sweetness that complements the roasted flavors.
- Hojicha powder: The star ingredient, made from finely ground green tea leaves roasted at a high temperature. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores or online.
- All-purpose flour: The base for these tasty cookies. Self-rising flour cannot be used.
- Eggs: Use room temperature large eggs to ensure smooth mixing.
- Vanilla extract: Optional, but adds depth to the flavor.
- Dark chocolate chips: Balance hojicha’s earthy notes with rich sweetness. Substitute with white chocolate chips if desired.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Ensure the cookies spread just right for a chewy texture.
How to make Hojicha Cookies
1. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter on medium-high speed using a hand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, brown sugar and salt, mixing until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and hojicha powder. Whisk to fully combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until a dough forms.
3. Use a small ice cream scoop to portion out 8-10 dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced 2 inches apart. For thinner cookies, gently press down each dough ball with your palm.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookie centers should still look slightly soft. Cool on the sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Flavor Variations
- Cocoa powder: Add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a chocolatey twist.
- Dried raspberries: Mix in ¼ cup of freeze dried raspberries for a fruity burst.
- White chocolate chips: Swap out dark chocolate for white chocolate chips to create a sweeter, creamier cookie.
- Chopped nuts: Add ½ cup of chopped almonds or pecans for extra crunch and a subtle nutty flavor.
- Sea salt caramel drizzle: Drizzle cooled cookies with salted caramel for an indulgent sweet-salty topping.
Success Tips & Tricks
- High quality hojicha: High-quality hojicha tea powder will give the cookies the best flavor. It doesn’t need to be ceremonial grade, but still choose a good quality culinary hojicha powder.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure the butter and egg are at room temperature. This makes then mix seamlessly, resulting in a better cookie texture.
- Don’t overmix: Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together to avoid tough cookies. If in doubt, combine with a spatula instead of a hand mixer.
- Chill the dough: For a thicker cookie, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20-30 minutes before baking. The colder the cookie dough, the less they will spread when baking.
- Black food colouring:If you want the cookies to look more grey, add a drop of food colouring to the wet ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen, add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Yes, but then you’re making Match Cookies, so the flavor is different, fresher. If you want to use matcha, I recommend using my recipe for Matcha Sugar Cookies.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you will love these too:
If you’ve tried this recipe out, please don’t forget to rate and comment on this post. I love hearing from you, so feel free to reach out to me on social media as well and tag me in your posts!
Looking for more delicious recipe? Pair your hojicha cookies with this delicious Tiramisu dip!
Recipe
Hojicha Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 medium egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1 ¼ cups plain flour
- 1 tablespoon hojicha powder
- ⅔ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter until pliable and soft. Mix in the egg, salt and sugar until fully combined. If desired, add vanilla extract at this stage and mix well.
- Separately, in a medium bowl sift the flour, baking soda and hojicha powder. Use a whisk to fully combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, then mix until a sticky cookie dough forms. Do not overmix, and stop mixing once the dough is combined.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to form 12 hojicha cookie dough balls.
- Add the extra ¼ cup of sugar to a deep plate or bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball through sugar until fully coated.
- Place the sugar cookies on the lined cookie sheet, at least 2-3 inches apart. The cookies spread while baking, so they need space.
- Optional, for thinner cookies, gently press them down with your palm to flatten to about ½ inch thickness.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges look a little golden. The cookies will be quite soft whilst hot, so let them cool on the sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Nutrition
Pin this recipe for later!
The Sweetest Season
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids' Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
Since 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.
Help us raise money for this important cause! Donate through our fundraising page.
Another exciting thing is that Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, meaning OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2024, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!
Leave a Reply