Matcha Cheesecake Brownies

Bring on Halloween or your earthly wild side with these wickedly good Matcha Cheesecake Brownies!  Moist, rich dark chocolate brownies infused with Matcha cheesecake swirls are so bewitching with vibrant, green color, don't you think?

So, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tenzo Tea, a Matcha green tea company based in Los Angeles asked if I would be interested in creating a recipe using their product in a recipe on the blog.  How could I resist? Of course, you know me...brownies came to mind, like always.

We can never have enough brownie recipes!

What is Matcha? 

Matcha is a finely ground Green Tea powder made from the young and nutrient rich leaves of the green tea plant.  It is traditionally whisked with hot water to make a rich and frothy green tea, but can also be used to make lattes, smoothies, baked goods, and much more!

It has the highest antioxidant rating of all major superfoods and naturally comes with a perfect dose of caffeine for a clean and focused energy boost.  The best Matcha Green Tea in the world comes from Japan. The Japanese have spent the last 1,000 years refining the process of growing green tea and have perfected the art of producing Matcha.

Matcha Green Tea Health Benefits Are Super Powerful 

• Matcha Green Tea is a Powerful Detoxifier
• Prevent Cancer Cell Growth
• Promote Weight Loss
• Limit Invasion and Growth of Viruses and Bacteria
• Prevent Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Caffeine + L-Theanine = Clean Energy

Because Matcha does have a unique earthy, bittersweet taste and a lingering sweet aftertaste, I chose to put it in some in cheesecake batter and swirl it in some yummy dark chocolate brownies.  I think they look super cool for Earth Day, Halloween, Christmas, Easter and St. Patrick's Day!

If you've never tried green tea, try it out!  I remember when I first tried it, it took some time to get used to the flavor, but, if you think it's too bitter, you can sweeten it with some honey.  I like it for the benefits.  You cannot beat that!  For more information on Tenzo Tea go here.

Ingredients You Need For Matcha Brownies with Cheesecake

• unsalted butter
• sugar
• natural unsweetened cocoa powder, I used ½ Black cocoa powder and ½ natural unsweetened cocoa powder to give it a rich, chocolate flavor
• salt
• baking powder
• eggs
• chocolate extract or vanilla extract
• all purpose flour or gluten-free flour, like Bob's Red Mill
• mini chocolate chips

Matcha cheesecake topping

• cream cheese, at room temperature
• egg yolk
• sugar
• Tenzo Tea Matcha Powder
• vanilla extract

How to Make Matcha Brownies!

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, crisscrossing them, making sure that the paper is long enough to go up the sides a couple of inches. Grease the parchment paper.

Brownies Phase I

1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Can also microwave butter.
2. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the cocoa powder(s) and stir until the ingredients are incorporated well. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
3. While the mixture is cooling, make the Matcha cheesecake topping.

Matcha cheesecake topping

1. In a separate bowl for the cheesecake topping, using a mixer beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, sugar, Matcha powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

Brownies Phase II

1. Add the eggs to the wet mixture, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the mixture well blended and shiny. Mixture will be thick.
2. Add the chocolate or vanilla extract, mix and then add in the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir until you no longer see streaks of flour. Then beat vigorously for 50 strokes with the wooden spoon or spatula.
3. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. 
4. Portion about ¾ of brownie batter into the prepared pan.
5. Add the matcha cheesecake to the top of the brownie batter in tablespoon dollops.
6. Add the remaining ¼ of the brownie batter to the top of the matcha cheesecake layer in tablespoon dollops.
7. Use the tip of a paring knife to swirl the brownie batter & matcha cheesecake into a marbled pattern.
8. Bake 35 to 40 minutes on the lower rack in the oven, until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set.
9. Let cool, then lift the brownies out holding the parchment paper and peel it away. Cut the brownies into squares.

Storing Brownies

Brownies will last 2 days at cool room temperature, 5 days in the refrigerator, or 1 month double wrapped in the freezer.

If you have some matcha around the house, why not give these a try?  Get your superfood boosting benefits with dark chocolate and matcha together!

More Brownies We Are Crazy About!

• Vanishing Black Cocoa Brownies
• OMG Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
• Super Easy Homemade Brownies
• Kiss Me’ Red Velvet Brownies
• Best Caramel-icious Frosted Brownies
• Ultimate Gooey Brownies
• Double Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Buttercream Brownies
• Orange Butter’Scream’ OREO Brownies

For a triple chocolate treat, you'll love this Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pound Cake!

Matcha Cheesecake Swirled Dark Chocolate Brownies

Kim Lange

Matcha Cheesecake swirled in dark, decadent chocolate brownies have a green tea kick to 'em!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Course Dessert

Calories

Ingredients

  

Brownies

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder I used ½ Black cocoa powder and ½ natural unsweetened cocoa powder to give it a rich, chocolate flavor
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons chocolate extract or vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup all purpose for gluten free, use gluten free flour like Bob's Red Mill
• ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips

Matcha cheesecake topping

• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon Tenzo Tea Matcha Powder
• ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, crisscrossing them, making sure that the paper is long enough to go up the sides a couple of inches. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Brownies Phase I

• Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat or microwave until melted.
• Add the sugar and mix. Then, add the cocoa powder(s) and stir or whisk until the ingredients are incorporated well. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
• While the mixture is cooling, make the Matcha cheesecake topping.

Matcha cheesecake topping

• In a separate bowl for the cheesecake topping, using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, sugar, Matcha powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

Brownies Phase II

• Add eggs to the wet chocolate mixture, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the mixture well blended and shiny. Mixture will be thick.
• Add the chocolate or vanilla extract and mix together.
• Add flour, baking soda and salt and stir until you no longer see streaks of flour. Then beat vigorously for 50 strokes with the wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the chips.
• Portion about ¾ of brownie batter into the prepared pan. Add the matcha cheesecake to the top of the brownie batter in tablespoon dollops.
• Add the remaining ¼ of the brownie batter to the top of the matcha cheesecake layer in tablespoon dollops. Use the tip of a paring knife to swirl the brownie batter & matcha cheesecake into a marbled pattern.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes on the lower rack in the oven, or until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set.
• Let cool, then lift the brownies out holding the parchment paper and peel it away. Cut the brownies into squares.

Notes

• If you want to tone down the green tea taste, decrease to ½ tablespoon of the Matcha.
• To achieve a beautiful green hue with your matcha cheesecake, it is recommended to use a top quality culinary matcha like Tenzo. Low quality matcha will not be vibrant green, and instead will result in a dull brownish color.

Keyword brownies, cheesecake, chocolate, cream cheese, green tea, matcha

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