Baked Mini Matcha Cheesecakes

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These baked mini matcha cheesecakes are dense, rich, and completely ridiculous. Not in a bad way! The same muffin-pan technique that makes my Ube Oreo Mini Cheesecakes so easy applies here: cream cheese, one egg, a little flour, 325F, and an 18-minute bake. The matcha filling with the graham cracker-coconut crust is a combination that works.

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Featured in: 19 Easy Japanese Desserts

It also made my list of 36 Easy Asian Desserts, alongside a bunch of other favorites.

What Makes These Mini Matcha Cheesecakes So Good

The texture is the MAIN event. Cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, matcha powder, and a spoonful of flour come together into a filling that bakes up dense and rich, exactly what you want from a baked cheesecake. The 325F bake at 18 minutes is the right setup for this small-batch muffin pan format.

The coconut in the crust is what really makes this one. Graham cracker and butter is the standard move, but mixing in shredded coconut gives it a chewier, nuttier texture and a subtle tropical note that pairs well with matcha. Matcha and coconut is a combo that just works, and if you want another matcha dessert with a surprise inside, my Matcha Cake Balls hide a red bean and mochi filling for a completely different but equally satisfying take.

Tips for Making Mini Matcha Cheesecakes

1. Pre-bake the crust

Five minutes in the oven before you add the filling firms up the crust so it doesn’t turn to mush when the batter goes in. Don’t skip this step.

What matcha powder should I use for baking?

Culinary-grade matcha works perfectly in a baked cheesecake. The cream cheese and sugar are bold enough flavors that you don’t need ceremonial grade here. Just make sure your matcha is bright green, not yellowish: dull-colored matcha is stale and will taste flat and overly bitter, which throws off the whole filling.

3. How to keep mini cheesecakes from cracking

Two things help: don’t overbake, and cool gradually. Pull the pan out when the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle. Let them cool at room temperature for a full hour before refrigerating. A sudden temperature swing right out of the oven is what causes cracks.

4. Removing them from the pan

A curved silicone spatula is the move here. Slide it around the edge before you lift. If they’re sticking, they probably need more fridge time: fully chilled cheesecakes release way more cleanly than ones that haven’t set.

5. More matcha treats to try

If you’re deep in the matcha dessert zone (I respect it), my Matcha Muddy Buddies coat crunchy Chex cereal in matcha white chocolate for a completely no-bake snack that takes about 15 minutes. Very different vibe, same matcha energy.

Can You Make Matcha Cheesecake Without a Water Bath?

Yes, and these mini cheesecakes prove it. The muffin pan format and small portion size mean the cheesecake cooks more evenly without the steam a water bath provides. The shorter bake time at 325F keeps them from drying out without any extra equipment. Just watch your timing and don’t push past 18 minutes in the oven.

Storage & Leftovers

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These need at least 4 hours in the fridge to fully set, and overnight is even better. You can also freeze them in an airtight container and thaw in the fridge overnight when you want them.

Equipment

• Muffin pan
• Food processor
• Hand Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Curved silicone spatula
• spouted measuring cups

Ingredients

• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp Matcha Powder
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour, heaped
• 5 graham crackers
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a medium Mixing Bowl, combine Cream Cheese, granulated sugar, Egg, Vanilla Extract, Matcha Powder, and all purpose flour. Mix with a Hand Mixer until smooth.
2. Blend graham crackers and shredded coconut in a food processor until fine crumbs form with no chunks. Melt Unsalted Butter and stir into the crumbs until evenly coated.
3. Spoon the crust mixture into muffin pan sections and press firmly with your fingers to form an even layer.
4. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven. Using spouted measuring cups, pour the cheesecake batter over each crust, filling almost to the top. Return to the oven for 18 minutes.
6. Remove and cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Carefully remove each mini cheesecake with a curved silicone spatula, transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Enjoy!

The crust is the part I have the most fun with, and this one is graham crackers with shredded coconut worked through it. That keeps things a little lighter underneath all the cream cheese, and matcha with coconut is a pairing I’ll take every time.

A muffin pan and eighteen minutes is a low bar for something that eats this rich. That’s most of the appeal. 🙌

Made these? Drop a star rating on the recipe card below and leave a comment letting me know how they turned out. I want to know which cheesecake team you’re on.

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