Matcha Cheesecake

Whenever I visit a Japanese restaurant, I’m excited to check out the dessert list and see if they offer matcha cheesecake. While there are often other matcha desserts, such as a delicate matcha sponge cake that could almost be mistaken for moss or brilliant green crepes layered with sweetened whipped cream, matcha cheesecake is my favorite Japanese dessert—so much so that I decided to learn how to make it at home. A matcha cheesecake recipe is simpler to make than you think!

Leave other Japanese desserts, such as pastries stuffed with mashed red beans, slices of winter squash with custard baked inside, mochi doughnuts or mochi ice cream, for when you go out.

What is matcha?

Usually produced in Japan, matcha is a bright green powder made by grinding tea leaves. If you’ve seen a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, you may be familiar with the process of whisking ground tea leaves into hot water to make tea. But matcha powder can also be added to other foods to impart a spring green color. Some items that are commonly colored with matcha include soba noodles, ice cream, mochi and cakes.

The tea leaves used for matcha must be shade-grown (which leads to reduced bitterness) and free of stems and veins. Outside of Japan, the highest grade of matcha is referred to as “ceremonial” and utilizes the finest leaves. Premium grade matcha has a delicate flavor, and cooking matcha, made from leaves that are lower on the tea plant and manufactured in a less exacting way, may be slightly bitter.

When baking with matcha, your tolerance for bitterness should determine what grade you use. If you want a milder tea taste, choose premium matcha. If you don’t mind a stronger tea flavor with a bitter edge, use cooking matcha.

Ingredients for Matcha Cheesecake

• Matcha: Base your choice of matcha on your taste preferences. Use premium for a delicate matcha flavor, and cooking grade matcha for a more robust flavor with a hint of bitterness. Ultimately, if you’re adding matcha to a sweet dish, the other flavors will help balance any bitter notes.
• Heavy whipping cream: Mixing the matcha into a bit of heavy cream will allow it to be distributed evenly throughout the cheesecake batter. Use whatever brand of heavy cream you prefer.
• Cream cheese: We’re opinionated about cream cheese, so check out our guide to the best cream cheese brands to make sure your cheesecake is as delicious as can be.
• Sugar: You just need your regular kitchen-staple granulated sugar for this recipe. The sweetness balances out the tangy cream cheese and any astringency from the tea.
• Eggs: Room-temperature eggs lighten up the batter and help leaven the cake as it bakes. Look for free-range eggs vs. cage-free eggs if you can find them.
• Whole milk: This is another ingredient that lightens the batter to create the texture you want from a cheesecake. If you’re not sure how to use the rest of the gallon, we’ve got plenty of sweet and savory recipes with milk.
• Vanilla extract: It’s time to commit to pure vanilla and leave imitation vanilla behind. If your budget doesn’t permit for one of the best vanilla extract brands—we know it can be pricey—it’s fine to leave it out.
• Graham cracker crust: You can buy a premade crust for this cheesecake or follow our five-star recipe to make a homemade graham cracker crust.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the matcha

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, milk and vanilla. Stir in the matcha and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the batter

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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, four to five minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low; add the sugar and beat until fluffy.

Editor’s Tip: You’ll have a much easier time blending your filling ingredients, especially the cream cheese and eggs, if they’re at room temperature before you put them in the mixing bowl.

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Add the reserved matcha mixture and mix until smooth.

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Then add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until each is incorporated.

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Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust.

Step 3: Bake and cool the cheesecake

Bake the cheesecake for 30 to 35 minutes. After that, turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the cheesecake sit in the warm oven until the center is set, about 30 additional minutes. Remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate the cheesecake overnight before serving.

Editor’s Tip: You’ll know the dessert is done cooking once it passes the cheesecake test. Give the side of the pan a gentle rap with a wooden spoon. If the filling wobbles only slightly, it’s done—but if it ripples and jiggles a lot, it needs some more bake time.

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Matcha Cheesecake Variations

• Make it fluffy: The most popular kind of cheesecake in Japan is referred to as a souffle cheesecake. It’s fluffier and more delicate than dense New York-style cakes. Try adding matcha powder to our cherry Japanese-style cheesecake recipe for a luscious treat with a lovely, light texture.
• Change the base: A graham cracker crust is classic for certain cheesecake recipes, but it’s not the only option. You could make an Oreo crust, a shortbread cookie crust, a vanilla wafer crust or pull inspiration from our list of ingredients you can turn into a crumb crust. Or, skip the crust altogether if you’re cooking for folks who can’t eat gluten.
• Add a topping: To add elegance to your matcha cheesecake recipe, try drizzling it with a lemon glaze, dusting on confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder, or sprinkling the cake with black and white sesame seeds.

How to Store Matcha Cheesecake

Store matcha tea cheesecake in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. You can also carefully cover the baking pan with storage wrap and then a layer of foil, using toothpicks stuck into the cake to keep the covering from touching the cheesecake’s surface.

How long does matcha cheesecake last?

Finish eating your matcha cheesecake within four days to make sure you’re enjoying it in its peak condition.

Can you freeze matcha cheesecake?

Yes! Freezing cheesecake is a thing. We’ve got all the deets you need to know about how to wrap, chill and thaw your fancy dessert in this handy guide to freezing cheesecake.

Matcha Cheesecake Tips

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How do you know when a cheesecake is done?

A finished cheesecake will be softly set in the center and may pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. If you delicately shake the cake and it jiggles only a tiny bit, that’s a great sign.

How do you prevent cracks in the top of matcha tea cheesecake?

First, don’t whip the eggs for too long, as that creates additional air in the batter and can lead to a cracked cheesecake. Second, make sure that your oven is running at the correct temperature (if you don’t have an oven thermometer, it’s an inexpensive gadget worth getting), as additional heat can cause a cheesecake to crack. Lastly, don’t worry too much about the cheesecake cracking! Your cake will taste amazing even if it has a crack or two. If it really bothers you, you can always pipe some homemade whipped cream on top to cover the cracks.

How do you get a clean slice of cheesecake?

Take a sharp (and, ideally, thin) knife and dip it in hot water. Cut the cake from the edge to the center, rather than the other way around. Wipe the knife, dip it in the hot water and repeat for every slice until the cake is divvied up.

What can you serve with a matcha cheesecake recipe?

Matcha cheesecake is rich and flavorful and can be a good finish to a light, healthy meal of miso soup and some homemade veggie sushi rolls. It’s also a great ending for any other homemade Japanese recipe you may make, such as miso ramen or shoyu ramen, shrimp tempura or crispy tonkatsu.