These delicious Kiwi Lime Matcha Cheesecake Cups are the perfect dessert to serve this St. Patrick's Day. ☘️ However, they're gorgeous enough to serve any day of the year. So the next time you are craving cheesecake but don't feel like making a whole cheesecake, make these Matcha Cheesecake Cups instead!
Why This Recipe Works
These mini Matcha cheesecakes are so cute! I used Matcha to give them their gorgeous lime-green color. If you don't know about matcha yet, let this be your official introduction.
Instead of using food coloring, I opted to use Matcha (green tea ground into a powder). Not only does it make this cheesecake GOOD FOR YOU, but it doesn't have any weird, undesirable taste.
If anything, the lime glaze and kiwi flavors mask any unpleasant Matcha flavor. However, if you want a stronger Matcha flavor, you may want to increase the amount of Matcha to 1 tablespoon.
As if all that wasn't enough, this mini Matcha Cheesecake Dessert is really easy to put together. Any imperfections can be hidden behind the beautiful glaze and sliced kiwi.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Matcha— Green tea powder can be purchased on Amazon or other health food stores. More can be added for darker green cheesecake or if you desire a stronger Matcha flavor. It can also be added to the glaze ingredients to tint the glaze color green.
- Cream Cheese— As always, I recommend using Kraft Philidelphia Cream Cheese.
- Kiwi— The kiwi slices can be added right before serving so that they don't dry out. You should have enough glaze to glaze the top of the kiwi slices as well if you'd like to give the kiwi slices a little shine.
- Therma Flo— Thema Flo is a modified food starch. It is used in canning and as a food thickener, similar to cornstarch. It can be used to thicken pie fillings or anytime you want a clear jell.
How to Make Matcha Cheesecake
Cheesecake Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat oven to 325°F
STEP 1: Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
STEP 2: Add graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
STEP 3: Divide the crust mixture between the liners. Compact the crumbs with the bottom of a glass or small ramakin and Pre-bake for 5 minutes.
Matcha Cheesecake Batter
STEP 4: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl down then add the Matcha. Mix to combine then add yogurt and vanilla extract and mix. Finally, add the egg and beat just until combined.
STEP 5: Divide the batter between the 12 cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cheesecake cups on a wire rack while you make the glaze.
Lime Glaze/Topping
STEP 6: Dissolve Therm Flo (or cornstarch) into the water and pour into a small saucepan. Whisk in the remaining glaze ingredients. Continue to whisk over low heat until the glaze thickens. This should take a few minutes. Cool.
STEP 7: The cheesecake cups will sink in the center. We will use this to our advantage by filling the dips with the lime glaze and topping them with a slice of kiwi each before serving.
Recipe FAQs
When a recipe calls for 1 cup of graham crackers, do you know how many graham crackers you will need? Well, it takes 7 pieces, or 14 squares of graham crackers to make up 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs.
Some people describe Matcha as having a sweet grassy taste, while others say it has a strong, bitter taste. For me, Matcha has a hint of seaweed flavor.
For this reason, only a small amount of Matcha is needed or the taste will be overpowering. For example, I only use 2 teaspoons in this Matcha dessert which is just enough to tint the batter and add nutrients, without adding unpleasant or bitter Matcha flavor.
Matcha, a 100% pure green tea, is ground into a fine powder and used to make Matcha tea. The powder can also be mixed into other recipes, like Matcha Cheesecake, to reap some of the amazing health benefits.
Matcha is grown in the Uji and Kagoshima regions of Japan.
Recipe Expert Tips
- To make the Matcha cheesecake layer thicker either use 1-½ or double the amount of cheesecake batter.
- If you do make the cheesecake layer thicker, the cooking time will need to be increased slightly.
- These mini Matcha cheesecakes are a perfect make-ahead dessert and they freeze well.
- When you need to make a green dessert, these little Matcha Cheesecake Desserts are perfect. Whether it's for St. Patrick's Day or Dr. Seuss Day, they work beautifully!
- If you want the cheesecake batter to be a darker shade of green, or if you want the Matcha flavor to be more prominent, increase the amount of matcha ½ a teaspoon at a time. Taste the batter after each addition.
Related Recipes
Kiwi Lime Matcha Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients
Cheesecake Crust
- 14 Graham cracker squares (1 cup ground)
- 3 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon white or brown sugar
Matcha Cheesecake Layer
- 1 8 ounce Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoon matcha powder purchase here
- 3 tablespoon vanilla yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Lime Glaze
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ teaspoon Therm Flo ( purchase here or use cornstarch)
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon lime zest
- 2 kiwi (sliced)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust (Preheat oven to 325°F)
- Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
- Add graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Divide the crust mixture between the liners. Compact the crumbs with the bottom of a glass or small ramakin and Pre-bake for 5 minutes.
Matcha Cheesecake Layer (Preheat oven to 350°F)
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl down then add the Matcha. Mix to combine then add yogurt and vanilla extract and mix. Finally, add the egg and beat just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the 12 cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cheesecake cups on a wire rack while you make the glaze.
Lime Glaze/Topping
- Dissolve Therm Flo (or cornstarch) into the water and pour into a small saucepan. Whisk in the remaining glaze ingredients. Continue to whisk over low heat until the glaze thickens. This should take a few minutes. Cool.
- The cheesecake cups will sink in the center. We will use this to our advantage by filling the dips with the lime glaze and topping them with a slice of kiwi just before serving.
Notes
- To make the Matcha cheesecake layer thicker either use 1-½ or double the amount of cheesecake batter.
- If you do make the cheesecake layer thicker, the cooking time will need to be increased slightly.
- These mini Matcha cheesecakes are a perfect make-ahead dessert and they freeze well.
- When you need to make a green dessert, these little Matcha Cheesecake Desserts are perfect. Whether it's for St. Patrick's Day or Dr. Seuss Day, they work beautifully!
- If you want the cheesecake batter to be a darker shade of green, or if you want the Matcha flavor to be more prominent, increase the amount of matcha ½ a teaspoon at a time. Taste the batter after each addition.
Kathy Fisher says
I'm a cheesecake lover and these are perfect for likeminded people. And, any hint of lemon or lime puts me over the top. I highly recommended these beautiful cheesecake cupcakes - and not only for St Patrick's Day.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kathy. I had frozen the last one and ate it frozen earlier today, so good!
Kelly Methey says
These are delicious and oh so pretty! Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, a Spring garden party or a ladies’ afternoon tea.
Thanks Hilda for another wonderful recipe!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kelly! I appreciate the reveiw.