Matcha Cheesecake (Green Tea Cheesecake)

Published: Feb 18, 2022 · Modified: Jul 1, 2022 by Colleen 35 Comments

Matcha Cheesecake, or Green Tea Cheesecake is a rich and creamy delight with a gluten-free graham crust. The slightly sweet taste of matcha is perfectly complimented with toasted black sesame seeds in this easy recipe. And kiwi slices make a perfect topping!

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Jump to:

What is Matcha?
Why You'll Love This
Ingredient Notes
How to Make the Recipe
Top Cheesecake Tips
Common Questions
Intrigued About Baking With Tea?
Recipe
Comments

What is Matcha?

Matcha (sometimes spelled macha) green tea is a type of tea made from green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder.

Many studies have documented the health benefits of matcha. The pure, green powder has high levels of antioxidants and flavonoids.

When you steep green tea, you are drinking the tea-infused water, which is great and gives you all of those antioxidants and flavonoids. In small doses.

However, when you drink the powdered matcha version, you are drinking the actual tea, leaves and all. This powdered form is very minimally processed and not exposed to heat.

So it stands to reason that this would multiply the health benefits even further. Get more info on Matcha: What Exactly Is Matcha?

Cheesecake being sliced and placed on a white plate.

Why You'll Love This

Matcha gives this green tea cheesecake a unique flavour and colour.
Matcha lovers will love all the matcha flavor in this delicious, creamy dessert.
This recipe doesn't have a lot of sugar, so it's not overly sweet.
Matcha cheesecake is super easy to make.
This homemade cheesecake freezes beautifully.

Ingredient Notes

Graham wafer crumbs: This green tea cheesecake is gluten free because I used gluten free graham crumbs. You can however, use regular graham crumbs if gluten isn't an issue.
Melted Butter: Regular salted butter works fine in this recipe as there's no other added salt.
Cream Cheese: You'll need two 8 ounce blocks of full fat cream cheese, at room temperature.
Eggs: Two large eggs at room temperature.
Icing Sugar: Also called confectioner's sugar, or powdered sugar. Icing sugar avoids any graininess that granulated sugar may add.
Rice Vinegar: A small amount of vinegar or lemon juice gives a touch of brightness. Feel free to use lemon juice or white vinegar.
Kiwi Slices The kiwi slices are a fun topping because they echo the color of the cheesecake and the black sesame seeds.
Matcha Powder: Matcha can vary in terms of quality. In North America, the tea is categorized as "ceremonial grade" or premium grade, and "ingredient grade", (also called culinary grade). We are using an ingredient grade matcha for this recipe. However, you will still want to look for a quality matcha product.

Some things to look for when buying matcha

Most premium quality matcha comes from Japan, so check the import label.
Look for a vibrant green color. The brighter the color, usually the higher the quality.
The packaging is important; it should be in an airtight container that doesn't allow any light in, and the container should be resealable.
Coarsely ground matcha powder is a sign of low quality, so look for finely ground product.
High quality matcha tea is never bitter. It has a slight sweetness and should smell fresh.

How to Make the Recipe

Make the Graham Crust

Combine graham crumbs and melted butter.
Press the graham mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan.

Steps one and two, making the graham crust, then pressing it into the pan. — Making the graham crust

Make the Filling

Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and eggs until smooth.
Add vinegar, vanilla, and matcha powder and mix until combined.
Gently fold in the sesame seeds.
Spread the filling into the crust. Bake.

Top Cheesecake Tips

For cheesecake recipes, it's especially important to start with room temperature ingredients. For a smooth cheesecake, leave the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge for a few hours before you begin. Cold cream cheese will result in lumpy batter.
Try not to overmix, which incorporates too much air into the batter. Excessive air can lead to cracks and lack of rise. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
Use a springform pan and be sure to grease the sides of the pan to ensure the cake releases cleanly when the spring is opened.
A good cheesecake is the result of low heat and longer cooking time. Oven temperatures vary, so for best results, keep a close eye on the cheesecake as it bakes.
To avoid cracks in the top of the cheesecake without the use of a water bath, put a pan of boiling water in the oven on the rack below the cake. If you don't care about cracks because you are using a topping, skip this step.
Take the cake out of the oven when the center is still jiggly. The cheesecake will set as it cools.
Before unmoulding, allow the cake to cool completely on a cooling rack, then chill it in the fridge for an hour or two.
To unmould your matcha cheesecake, if the sides of the cake have pulled cleanly away from the pan, just release the spring and remove the outside of the pan. Otherwise, run a knife around the cake before removing the pan side.
Matcha cheesecake is best served chilled for 24 hours. This will intensify the green tea flavor and the tangy cream cheese.

Common Questions

What's the difference between NY cheesecake and regular cheesecake?

New York cheesecakes tend to be richer and denser than regular cheesecake. There usually contain more cream cheese, egg yolks and sometimes heavy cream or sour cream. They tend to be unflavored except for fruit toppings. Regular cheesecake, like this matcha cheesecake recipe, are usually lighter and fluffier, not as tall, and are often flavored.

How long can you keep a homemade cheesecake in the fridge?

Keep cheesecake, in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Can you freeze matcha cheesecake?

Yes, cheesecake freezes well. You can freeze the whole cake in an airtight container. Or you can slice the cake and flash freeze in on a tray until the slices are solid. Wrap the slices well in plastic wrap before storing them in a freezer container or bag. For best quality, use by three months. Thaw cheesecake in the fridge.

Do I need to use a water bath?

A water bath, or bain-marie involves placing the cheesecake pan into a larger pan which is filled with boiling water. Baking the cake like this will insulate it from extreme temperatures and can help prevent cracks. However, this is merely for appearances, and if you are topping your cheesecake with a fruit or other topping, cracks aren't a problem. If you do use a water bath, you will need to wrap your springform pan in foil to prevent water from leaking into the cake.

A slice of matcha cheesecake on a white plate.

Intrigued About Baking With Tea?

Try these Earl Grey Scones. Tea can also be a delicious ingredient in cooking and grilling recipes, too, like these Smoky Tea Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Recipe

More Dessert Recipes

Comments

5 from 41 votes (26 ratings without comment)