Winter Treats That Go Well With Matcha Tea

Are you tired of hot cocoa being your default go-to cold weather drink every winter? If so, we have great news – Bokksu to the rescue. To switch things up this season, we have a list of perfect matcha tea and winter snack pairings. If you are not already familiar with matcha tea, it is a very old type of green tea traditionally known for usage in ceremonies. However, today, its popularity has spread like wildfire, and it is now a common ingredient in many beverages, snacks, and baked goods. It is a green tea finely ground into a soft powder, whose leaves have been processed such that their stems are removed. It is known for being higher in caffeine levels and for being prepared not through a tea bag or loose leaf diffuser but through mixing it directly into a liquid, typically milk or water. We bring you a wintertime-ready list of snacks featuring the bold and traditional flavors of matcha tea.

1. For a fulfilling and refreshing dessert pairing, we recommend the Hoshino Matcha Latte Sticks with the Hojicha Tea Waffle Cookies. The Hoshino matcha packs a double punch. It provides the ideal mix of tangy, from the matcha tea, and sweet, from the powdered milk. This tea is perfect for when you can’t decide between a latte and a cup of tea. Simply pour the contents of the packet into your cup and add in hot water! The cookie consists of two crumbly and thick biscuits separated by a decadent layer of cream infused with hojicha, a type of green tea that is earthy and aromatic. The cookie’s notes of green tea flavoring and the creamy texture of the filling will be delicious companions to your matcha latte.

2. Alternatively, if you are looking for an easy, on-the-go, but very satisfying snack to get you through a busy day at work, we suggest having the same Hoshino Matcha Latte Sticks, but instead with the Buson Haiku Senbei. This fun snack packet includes an assortment of crunchy treats in a wide variety of flavors and shapes. The snacks are inspired by a haiku written by master poet Yosa Buson! The flavors featured are red pepper, shrimp, shoyu, sesame, sweet potato, sakura, matcha, and kombu, a type of kelp. The crispness and saltiness of the snack is a perfect contrast to the matcha latte’s smoothness.

3. If you are more of a blended brew kind of tea drinker, go with the Genmaicha Tea with Matcha Powder and the Funwari Meijin Mochi Puffs: Kinako. The Tea is a flavorful mixture of matcha powder and genmaicha tea, which is a unique green tea mixed with roasted and popped grains of brown rice. The rice grains add a nutty flavor to the brew. Moreover, this particular genmaicha uses ichibancha leaves, the plant’s first round of leaves in the year’s harvest season, leading to a bolder and richer flavor. The matcha powder intensifies the tea’s freshness. Combine this tea with the rice puff, as it also has a nutty flavor profile that will complement the tea. The puffs are made from crushed rice that is put through a secret company process to transform it into this cloud-like and airy confection. Then, the puffs are coated in a dusting of kinakao, soy bean flour, to enhance the texture.

4. Combine the Ceremonial-Grade Matcha: Unryu with the Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts for a hearty and satisfying snack. This matcha powder is top of the line and comes from Japan’s very prestigious Uji region. It is ground into the finest of powders, bringing out the tea’s mellow aroma and robust flavor. The donuts, which are filled with anko red bean paste, accompany the tea’s rich flavor perfectly. The pastry’s fluffy texture is comforting and perfect to get you through a cold, dreary day.

We would love to hear what you thought of these flavorful combinations. Or, if you have any new pairings you came up with on your own, let us know! We are always looking to upgrade our snack game too. In the meantime, as winter deepens, this list will keep you warm and comforted, we promise. Hopefully, you have found something that caught your eye because it is time to switch up your winter drink routine! Move over hot cocoa; matcha is the new star of the winter beverage show now!