Van Leeuwen is an ice cream chain that started in New York City. Now, you can find scoop shops across a large swatch of the United States and in Korea. According to their website, in the U.S. their name is pronounced “Van (like the car) Lou (like the name) Inn (like the hotel).”

Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream

A delightful Earl Grey Tea ice cream (photo above, left) is on their regular menu. Earl Grey tea is traditionally made with a black tea flavored with the oil of a bergamot orange. Nowadays, however, you can find lots of variations and other ingredients added.

I’ve tried many Earl Grey ice creams from different brands and this is my favorite so far! This flavor of Van Leeuwen’s French-style ice cream boasts complex notes. A combination of citrus and floral flavors, along with the tea base, make their Earl Grey Tea ice cream particularly delicious.

Hojicha Spring Special

On their spring specials menu for the last few years, Van Leeuwen features a delicious Hojicha ice cream. (See the photo above, right). It contains: “[s]weet cream blended with Japanese roasted green tea.” The hojicha magic comes through beautifully in this tea ice cream. I agree completely with their description on their Instagram. They share: “It’s a little toasty, it’s a little nutty, it’s a little caramel-y.”

The biggest problem I have one I’m getting a scoop of tea ice cream at Van Leeuwen in spring or summer is which flavor to get! It’s my kind of problem.

If you’re a fan of these two teas, two of my recipes on the blog might interest you. You can check out my soft Earl Grey Shortbread recipe or the Hojicha Banana Smoothie recipe. I provide some variations in the cookie recipe–chocolate and/or orange peel can be added. The icy smoothie is a great antidote to the summer heat!

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About Hojicha

Hojicha is a roasted, Japanese green tea. The roasting makes the tea leaves a dark, brownish color. The roasted impacts more than the color, too. Hojicha has a very different flavor profile from steamed Japanese teas. Instead of tasting vegetal, hojicha’s flavor notes can include nuts, caramel, chocolate, and toasty flavors.

Dear Tea Co., for instance, shares the following tasting notes for their hojicha powder: “Toasted Almonds, Chocolate Pudding.” I love their hojicha powder! It’s the one I use at home. I drink it whisked, in a hojicha latte, and to make this Hojicha Banana Smoothie. I paid full price for it. This post isn’t sponsored.

Hojicha generally brews up a golden-to-reddish brown color. To make this recipe, you want to use hojicha POWDER. The tea leaves are finely ground. That way, they blend more easily and harmoniously into the Hojicha Banana Smoothie. Hojicha powder is traditionally prepared whisked with hot water, like matcha, but at a lower temperature. Most importantly, it’s delicious in this smoothie recipe!

Hojicha Banana Recipe

Print

Hojicha Banana Smoothie

Easy to make.

Four ingredients.

Icy cold.

Delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 145kcal

Equipment

• blender
• freezer

Ingredients

• 1 medium/large ripe banana, sliced in coins and frozen
• 1/3-1/2+ cup milk or milk substitute
• 1/2 tsp hojicha powder
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Make sure your ripe banana is already cut in coins and frozen.
• Put about 1/2 the amount of the milk or milk-substitute that you think you'll use into the blender with the hojicha powder and ground cinnamon. Blend until mixed well.
• Add about 1/2 the the remaining liquid and the frozen banana slices to the blender. Blend until smooth.
• Check the consistency–if it's too thick, add more liquid. If the smoothie is not thick enough, add more frozen banana slices.
• Pour the Hojicha Banana Smoothie into a glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

Serving size: With a medium banana and 1/2 c. of liquid, one serving makes 6-8 ounces of smoothie.

Milk and milk substitutes: This recipe works well with milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Since oat milk has a more pronounced flavor than the other two types, you may choose to add a bit extra hojicha powder and cinnamon.

Variations: Add 1 T. peanut butter powder, peanut butter, or any other nut butter.

Calories: The calorie estimate is using the base recipe and unsweetened almond milk. 

Caffeine: 1/2 tsp. of hojicha powder is half the amount most tea sellers recommend per serving of a whisked cup of this tea. So, 1 serving of the smoothie has about half the caffeine of a cup of whisked hojicha.

Tried the Hojicha Banana Smoothie?

If you make this Hojicha Banana Smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! If you added anything else, please share that, too.

My daughter and I, for example, love it as is OR with added peanut butter powder!

I also think making a double recipe all for yourself would be delicious!

Use the “leave a comment” feature to share your experience or ask a question.

More Recipes?

Here are some more recipes from the Tea Infusiast website that you might enjoy.

• Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
• Grapefruit Bee’s Knees Mocktail
• Rose Cardamom Latte

And, if you are looking for other cool, refreshing drinks, check out my 10 Iced Tea Hacks!

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