Matcha cheesecake
Silky baked matcha cheesecake with a crisp digestive base, delicate green tea flavour and a cloud of whipped cream. Chill and slice thin.
This is a baked Japanese-style matcha cheesecake — silky, slightly dense and fragrantly green-tea scented. It sits halfway between a classic New York cheesecake and a lighter Japanese cake: creamy, not cloying.
Make it for afternoon tea, a show-off pudding or whenever you want something elegant and a bit zen. The key is gentle mixing, a water bath and proper chilling — then you get those clean slices and a glassy top.
Ingredients
- 200 g digestive biscuits
- 90 g unsalted butter — melted
- 600 g cream cheese — full-fat, block style
- 140 g caster sugar
- 3 eggs — large
- 220 ml double cream — 120 ml for filling + 100 ml for whipped topping
- 20 g plain flour
- 10 g matcha powder — culinary-grade
- 15 ml lemon juice — about 1 tbsp
- 5 ml vanilla extract — 1 tsp
- 0 ml fine salt
- 30 g icing sugar — for whipped cream
Equipment
- 20cm springform tin
- food processor or rolling pin
- large roasting tin for water bath
- sieve
- electric whisk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C conventional. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm springform tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
Make the base: place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. If you don't have a processor, put biscuits in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Stir the melted unsalted butter into the biscuit crumbs until evenly combined, then press the mixture firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared tin. Set aside on a tray.
Make the filling: in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with half the caster sugar (about 70 g) until smooth and lump-free. Add the eggs one at a time, beating gently after each addition so you don't incorporate too much air.
Stir in the double cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract and plain flour until just combined. Sift the matcha powder and fine salt over the batter and fold through until evenly coloured — avoid overworking.
Pour the filling onto the biscuit base, level the surface with a spatula, then place the springform tin in a large roasting tin. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the springform tin (water bath).
Bake for 60 minutes at 160°C fan/180°C conventional. The centre should still have a slight wobble when you gently shake the tin.
Turn the oven off and crack the door open a little. Leave the cheesecake inside to cool gradually for 60 minutes to reduce the chance of cracking.
Remove the tin from the oven, take the springform collar off once cool, then chill the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set.
Just before serving, whip the remaining double cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks and dollop or pipe on slices. Dust the top of the cheesecake with a light sieve of matcha powder.
Tips
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and eggs so the batter becomes smooth quickly without over-beating.
- Sift matcha into the batter to avoid gritty lumps; fold gently to keep the texture silky.
- The water bath is vital — it prevents the surface from drying and cracking. Wrap the base of the tin in foil if worried about leaks.
- Chill for at least 4 hours; overnight is better for clean slices. Slice with a hot knife (dip in hot water, wipe with kitchen paper) between cuts.
- If you want a firmer, denser cake, bake for an additional 5–8 minutes but watch the wobble carefully.
Substitutions
digestive biscuits → Graham crackers or oat biscuits, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → single cream for filling and 100 ml Greek yoghurt for topping (same totals)
Noticeably differentcream cheese → mascarpone (same weight) for a richer, less tangy result
Stays closecaster sugar → granulated sugar (same weight) — blitz briefly to fine if needed
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 660
- Calories
- 9 g
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 27 g
- Sugar
- 300 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Why did my cheesecake crack on top?
Cracks are usually caused by over-beating the batter, baking at too high a temperature, or cooling too quickly. Mix gently, use the water bath and cool in the oven with the door ajar as instructed.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes — it improves with time. Make up to 48 hours ahead and keep well covered in the fridge. Add whipped cream and dusting just before serving.
Can I use a springform tin larger than 20cm?
You can use a 23cm tin but the cake will be thinner and will cook faster — check after 40–45 minutes for the slight wobble. Adjust baking time accordingly.
What grade of matcha should I use?
Use culinary-grade matcha for baking — it has robust flavour and is more economical. Ceremonial matcha is delicate and better for drinking.
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