Fluffy Hojicha Pancakes (Café-Style, 15 Minutes)

Fluffy Hojicha Pancakes (Café-Style, 15 Minutes)

Soft, aromatic stacks infused with roasted Japanese green tea—perfect for slow mornings or brunch with friends. Ready in 15 minutes, with simple dairy-free and egg-free swaps.

Why you’ll love these: Hojicha adds gentle roasted-caramel notes without the strong caffeine of coffee or matcha. This whisk-and-cook batter delivers cloudlike pancakes that stay plush even as they cool.

Ingredients (Grams + Cups)

  • 190 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 12 g (2 tbsp) hojicha powder
  • 25 g (2 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 300 ml (1¼ cups) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 35 g (2½ tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (or neutral oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Neutral oil or butter, for the pan

Tip: Sift hojicha powder with flour if slightly coarse for a uniform batter.

Step-by-Step

  1. Whisk dry: Mix flour, hojicha powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly colored.
  2. Whisk wet: In a jug, whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Combine: Pour wet into dry; fold gently until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
  4. Rest: Let batter sit for 2 minutes while heating a non-stick pan over medium.
  5. Cook: Lightly oil pan. Pour ¼ cup batter per pancake. Cook 1½–2 mins until edges set; flip and cook 1–1½ mins more.
  6. Serve: Stack and top as desired.

Substitutions

Dairy-Free

  • Use oat or soy milk.
  • Swap butter for neutral oil; add 1 tsp extra sugar for tenderness.

Egg-Free

  • Replace egg with ¼ cup applesauce or a flax egg (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp warm water).
  • Add ¼ tsp extra baking powder for more lift.

Topping Ideas

  • Maple syrup + butter
  • Whipped hojicha cream
  • Berry yogurt drizzle
  • Black sesame tahini + maple
  • Miso-honey butter
  • Chocolate hazelnut spread
  • Banana & walnut
  • Vanilla or sesame ice cream

Make-Ahead & Storage

  • Rest batter 2–5 mins for fluff; for overnight, mix dry and wet separately until morning.
  • Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (90°C) for up to 20 mins.
  • Store in fridge up to 3 days; reheat in toaster or dry pan.
  • Freeze up to 2 months with parchment between; reheat from frozen.

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Approximate values for 2 pancakes.

Calories Carbs Protein Fat Saturated Sugars Sodium
270 kcal 37 g 7 g 10 g 6 g 10 g 330 mg

Note: Values vary with ingredient brands and substitutions.

Troubleshooting

  • Flat: Check baking powder freshness; avoid overmixing.
  • Burning: Lower heat; aim for ~2 mins per side.
  • Gummy: Batter too thick or heat too high—thin with milk and reduce heat.
  • Bitter: Start with less hojicha powder if sensitive; dust more on top after cooking.
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