Injeolmi Vanilla Matcha Latte
Every Korean New Year starts the same way — family gathered around the table, sharing a bowl of tteokguk (rice cake soup). You eat a bowl, you're officially a year older. Some years, you try to skip it. Not everyone's in a hurry.
Tteok (rice cake) shows up at almost every milestone in Korea — first birthdays, weddings, a new home. Injeolmi is the one people reach for first: soft, chewy, rolled in roasted soybean powder, nutty and warm, the way a hug from your grandmother feels.
We introduced the Injeolmi Latte this Lunar New Year. No rice cake in the cup — just the flavour of it, reimagined. Roasted soybean powder whipped into cream with vanilla, layered over matcha or hojicha. It's the kind of flavour you can't quite name but somehow already miss.
We learned our lesson with previous seasonal specials. Some drinks earn their place. This one made the case fast — and now lives on the menu permanently. Here's how we make it.
Making it at TOKKIA
This recipe works with both matcha and hojicha — same process, same measurements. Simply swap one for the other. This recipe video shows the hojicha version.
Ingredients
For the injeolmi cream
- 50 ml double cream
- 50 ml single cream
- 10 ml milk
- 52 g sugar
- 25 g roasted soybean powder
- 4 ml vanilla extract
Vegan tip. Replace the creams and milk with 100 ml plant-based cream.
For the drink base
- 3.5 g matcha or hojicha
- 35 ml hot water (70°C)
- Ice cubes and milk, to fill
To finish
- A sprinkle of roasted soybean powder
Method
- Combine the double cream, single cream, milk, sugar, roasted soybean powder, and vanilla extract in a container. Whip until thick, smooth, and creamy.
- Measure 3.5 g of matcha or hojicha into a bowl. Add hot water at 70°C and whisk gently until silky.
- Pour the matcha over milk, creating a warm earthy base.
- Gently pour the injeolmi cream over the top, letting it settle into a rich, velvety layer.
- Sprinkle roasted soybean powder on top.
Making it at Home
Roasted soybean powder. Look for injeolmi powder (볶은 콩가루) at Korean grocery stores, or kinako (きなこ) at Japanese stores. Essentially the same thing — and both easy to find online.
Water temperature. 70°C sounds precise, but here's an easy way: boil your kettle, then let it sit for three or four minutes. Too hot and the matcha turns bitter; too cool and it won't dissolve.
The cream. Whip it until it's thick enough to hold its shape when poured, but still pourable. You want it to float on top of the drink, not sink.