Hojicha Brown Butter Cookies (Print Version)

Buttery cookies with roasted hojicha powder, offering earthy tea notes and caramelized brown butter sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brown Butter

01 - 170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter

→ Dry Ingredients

02 - 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 2 tablespoons hojicha powder (roasted green tea)

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 150g (3/4 cup) packed light brown sugar
07 - 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 large egg yolk
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Toppings

11 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# How to Make:

01 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking while swirling occasionally until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and develops a nutty aroma, approximately 5-7 minutes. Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, fine sea salt, and hojicha powder until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
04 - Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly thickened.
05 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix the dough.
06 - Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended for thicker, chewier cookies.
07 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
08 - Using a tablespoon measure or cookie scoop, form dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the centers are just set.
10 - Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The brown butter and hojicha create this unexpected umami sweetness that feels fancy without any fussing around.
  • They're simple enough to make on a weeknight but impressive enough to bring to someone's house and watch their face light up.
  • That flaky sea salt on top transforms them from sweet into something more complex and craveable.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the brown butter, or you'll end up cooking your eggs and creating a scrambled mess instead of a cohesive dough.
  • The hojicha powder can clump, so whisking it with the dry ingredients makes sure you get those earthy notes in every single bite instead of hitting pockets of concentrated tea flavor.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale if you have one, because the difference between scooping and weighing ingredients really shows up in cookie consistency, especially with something as particular as hojicha powder.
  • Flaky sea salt on warm cookies is non-negotiable, it's the difference between a good cookie and one that people think about asking you to make again.
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