Creamy, velvety matcha cheesecake topped with a cloud of whipped cream and mixed berry sauce. This delicious dessert is perfect for any occasion.
Why you’ll love it
This matcha cheesecake is unlike any cheesecake you may have tried in the past.
It is creamy and velvety with an irresistible graham cracker crust. The cloud of whipped cream and simple berry topping pulls it together to make it a delectable dessert that will satisfy any craving.
The cheesecake itself is flavored with matcha along with notes of vanilla and lemon. If you’ve never had matcha, it has a very delicate almost grassy flavor with subtle floral notes. It is well-known for its many health benefits such as potentially helping with cardiovascular health and brain function. It is also high in antioxidants and is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Because of its powdered form and unique flavor, it is easy to incorporate into your daily habits by adding it into just about any recipe. I find it really lends itself well to this cheesecake.
Ingredient overview
Although this is a very unique cheesecake, most of the ingredients are kitchen staples, and you may already have a lot of the ingredients at home. Let’s review some of the key ingredients we need for this dessert.
- Graham crackers - We use graham crackers to make the crust. I recommend plain or honey graham crackers to best complement the flavor of the matcha.
- Cream cheese - You should always use full-fat block cream cheese to make cheesecake for the best final texture. It is important for the cream cheese to be completely at room temperature.
- Sour cream - Just as with the cream cheese, use full-fat sour cream brought completely to room temperature.
- Matcha - The quality of your matcha matters here since it is the main flavor component of the recipe. I recommend using at least culinary grade matcha, which you may find at matcha.com.
- Lemon - Lemon helps to brighten the matcha and help tie it in with the tanginess of the cream cheese. Only a teaspoon of lemon zest makes a tasty difference in this treat!
- Berries - To add more dimension to the cheesecake, we top with a mixed berry sauce. You can choose your favorite berries. Here, I used strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
About matcha
Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are ground into a very fine powder and used in beverage and food recipes. It is the only beverage where you drink the whole leaf. As such, it requires a lot of care and skill to grow and process the leaves into matcha.
The matcha used in this recipe comes from Matcha.com which is grown on hillsides of Uji, just outside Kyoto, Japan which also happens to be where matcha originates. While the offer a variety of grades, kinds, and price points of matcha to meet the needs of any matcha user, each product is meticulously made and of the best quality.
How to make
Making matcha cheesecake isn’t any more difficult than making any other cheesecake. In fact, there aren’t any special techniques or skills needed beyond what anyone would need to make a plain cheesecake.
- Mix together the ingredients for the crust and press into an even layer on the bottom of your springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth. Add in the matcha, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Beat on low speed until smooth.
- Add in the beaten eggs and beat on low speed until well blended.
- Pour into your springform pan over the graham cracker crust.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for an hour or until the sides are set and the middle is slightly jiggly.
- Leave in the oven until the oven is cool, then leave on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill completely.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You should use a high-quality matcha that is at least culinary grade or ceremonial grade for the best flavor. I recommend browsing matcha.com for matcha that is perfect for this cheesecake.
Beat the cheesecake on a low speed so as not to incorporate any air bubbles. You can leave the cheesecake batter to rest for a few minutes before pouring it into your pan. Using a water bath or placing a pan with water in your oven will also help prevent cracks.
Related recipes
If you love matcha like I do, you should consider following Matcha.com online!
Matcha Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Mixed Berries
- 1 cup mixed berries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Matcha Cheesecake
- 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons matcha
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream chilled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil; place in a large oven bag, tucking ends so the bag is flush with the top edge of the pan.
- Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, packed brown sugar, and sea salt together in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir well.
- Add the crumbs to your springform pan. Press in the the bottom. Use the bottom of a lightly greased cup. to ensure the crumbs are tightly pressed in.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Turn down the oven to 325F.
Mixed Berries
- Add the berries and sugar to a small saucepan and heat on medium-high heat while the crust is baking.
- Continue to cook until the juices start to thicken into a syrup.
- Remove from saucepan and allow to cool completely.
Matcha Cheesecake
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Stir together the sugar and matcha powder and then add to the cream cheese. Beat until well-combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, lemon, and salt and beat until well-combined.
- Beat the eggs, then mix the eggs into the cheesecake mixture. Be careful to gently mix in until it is combined without overwhipping the mixture.
- Pour the batter into the crust and spread the mixture evenly. Place the pan into a large roasting pan and add hot water until it reaches about an inch up the sides of the pan.
- Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 25 minutes, or until the sides are set, but the middle still slightly jiggles. Loosely top the pan with aluminum foil to prevent browning, if needed.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven until the oven cools.
- Remove the pan and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Store covered in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
Whipped Cream and Assembly
- Pour the heavy cream and powdered sugar into a bowl. Whip with a wire whisk until it reaches medium peaks.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake, then top with the berry mixture.
Carole says
Do you have any healthy option recipes with less sugar, fewer calories, less fat and cholesterol?