Description
Enjoy these beautiful Matcha Cheesecake Bars, a perfect sweet treat for spring gatherings. They offer a creamy texture with a lovely hint of green tea flavor, making them feel special yet simple to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar (for crust)
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted
- 16 ounces Cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup Granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Culinary grade matcha powder
- 1 Tablespoon Hot water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Prepare the crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Pour in melted butter and mix until combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, prepare the matcha: Whisk the matcha powder with 1 tablespoon of hot water until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 cup of sugar and the flour until just combined.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, mixing only until incorporated after each addition. Do not overmix.
- Divide the cream cheese batter in half. Gently fold the dissolved matcha mixture into one half of the batter.
- Pour the plain batter over the baked crust. Carefully spoon or pour the matcha batter over the plain batter.
- Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the two batters together for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has only a slight wobble.
- Turn off the oven and let the bars cool inside the oven with the door propped open for 30 minutes. This prevents cracking.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before slicing into bars.
Notes
- For an extra special touch, top with a light dusting of extra matcha powder before serving.
- If you do not have graham crackers, shortbread cookies work well for the crust base.
- Ensure your cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in your filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Sweet Treats
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg