Matcha brownies combine a rich and dark chocolate brownie, with white chocolate chips and a matcha cheesecake swirl. These fudgy chocolate matcha brownies are the perfect level of sweetness and enticing green tea flavour. They are also incredibly eye-catching.
These matcha brownies, with a stunning green tea cheesecake swirl, are proof that there are seemingly endless ways to take a divine chocolate brownie recipe and have some extra fun with it.
I’m all for baking recipes that combine interesting flavours that play well together. When those ingredients wind up creating something that is also worthy of gazing over for a few extra seconds before setting about devouring it, then I’m in baking heaven. This matcha brownies recipe is certainly taking me to that sweet spot.
Why you’ll love these green tea brownies
Ummm… take a look at them. These green tea brownies are eye-catching, aren’t they? But if you need further convincing to make this matcha brownies recipe consider the following:
- They are very quick and easy to make.
- The rich chocolate flavour is wickedly delicious.
- And it’s a great contrast to the fresh and vibrant matcha cheesecake swirl.
- They are decidedly fudgy.
All-in-all, the recipe for these matcha cheesecake brownies is a great way to introduce a more adventurous flavour to an ever-popular bake.
What is matcha?
Although originating in China, matcha is a green tea more commonly associated with Japanese cuisine. Matcha is green tea that has been ground into a fine powder and, in Japan, it is typically mixed with hot water before being drunk. It can, however, also be used to make lattes or hot chocolates – have you spotted my white chocolate matcha recipe?
There are several grades of matcha:
- Ceremonial grade matcha is a high-quality powder suitable for consuming as a drink brewed simply using hot water. This beverage is one for the purists.
- Premium grade matcha is even more special. It is made from the young leaves at the top of the plant, which impart a particularly fresh taste to the tea.
- Culinary matcha is of lower quality and is suitable for use in fun (less serious) matcha drinks and in baking.
As far as flavour goes, matcha tea is definitely for mature tastebuds. Expect savoury vegetal grassy notes, a touch of nuttiness and some bitterness.
Truthfully, this blend of flavours served straight up is a little out there for me, but when combined with something sweet (i.e. chocolate) I’m totally sold. Hence why this fudgy matcha brownies recipe has come to fruition.
I’ve previously used matcha to make a gorgeous ombre cake and my mind is currently pondering white chocolate and matcha cookies. What this space…
Ingredients notes
Matcha powder: it’s fine to use culinary grade matcha powder for these green tea brownies. Of course, you’re welcome to use higher grades, but they are more expensive.
Cream cheese: use full-fat cream cheese. I have not tested this recipe with low-fat versions, so cannot say with certainty that making such a substitution would work. And, let’s be honest, brownies were never designed to be healthy. Just consume them in moderation rather than ending up with a substandard bake by taking the risk of an inappropriate ingredient substitution.
Chocolate: go with dark chocolate for the brownie batter. It’s the perfect flavour partner to the matcha cheesecake swirl in these green tea brownies. Stirring white chocolate chips through the batter does, however, add lovely additional colour and flavour contrasts.
Muscovado sugar: this is essential for enhancing the fudgy nature of these brownies and it also imparts a great depth of flavour to the brownie base.
Eggs and egg yolks: adding in a couple of egg yolks along with the whole eggs also helps to amplify the fudginess of these chocolate matcha brownies.
Plain flour: these matcha brownies do not need a raising agent added to them so use only plain (all-purpose) flour, not self-raising flour.
Step-by-step instructions
- Make the cheesecake topping by beating the cream cheese, vanilla extract, matcha powder (sieved if lumpy) and 75g caster sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Next, melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl. Either use a bain-marie or heat on moderate power in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Beat until smooth.
- Add the remaining caster sugar and the dark muscovado sugar to the bowl. Use a balloon whisk to mix them in then beat in the eggs and egg yolks along with the vanilla extract.
- Sieve the cocoa powder and flour into the bowl and use the balloon whisk to mix it in until just combined.
- Remove ¼ of the brownie batter and set aside.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the remaining brownie batter then ladle it into a lined baking tin and smooth out.
- Top with the matcha cheesecake mixture and then dollop the reserved brownie batter over the top.
- Use a cocktail pick to gently swirl the ingredients together.
- Bake for 30 minutes then let cool in the tin completely before cutting into portions.
Expert tips
- Sieve your matcha powder to remove any lumps. It will blend easily with the rest of the ingredients as a result.
- The white chocolate chips are optional (but highly recommended). You could use dark chocolate chips in their place if preferred.
- Your brownies will be easier to remove from the baking tin if you line the tin with baking parchment (even if the tin claims to be non-stick).
- Begin testing the brownies for doneness 5 minutes before the end of the specified cooking time. Oven temperatures do vary slightly, so it’s best to keep on testing every few minutes from this point to ensure they come out of the oven at just the right point.
- They are cooked when a cocktail pick inserted into the centre comes out without liquid batter on it. A few crumbs may cling onto the stick, but this is fine.
- This recipe produces fudgy brownies. Do not cook them for longer to try to make them less fudgy as the cheesecake swirl will dry out.
- To get neat squares let the brownie cool entirely before cutting into it.
Frequently asked questions
The clue is in the title here, I’m afraid. Only matcha tea will do when making these green tea brownies. Of course, if you happen to have a funky flavoured matcha tea (apologies to any purists reading this) feel free to include that. I’ve tried a raspberry version in my bakes before with great success.
This is a hotly debated topic in the baking world. Cheesecake brownies do, after all include cream cheese.
When it comes to these matcha cheesecake brownies I recommend storing them at room temperature for up to, but no longer than, two days. The sugar in the bake will help preserve the cheesecake swirl.
I class myself as a risk taker when it comes to baking – meaning I am partial to raw cake batter. My mum always let me have the pleasure of scraping the bowl once we’d baked and it’s a delight I’ve never grown out of. I’m a true 1970s kid – I’m so out there!
However, those with concerns about the safety of storing cheesecake brownies at room temperature for any length of time should feel free to stash them in the fridge from the outset. Just ensure that you bring them to room temperature before serving.
When stored at room temperature these brownies stay fresh and perfectly edible for 2 whole days. After this time, they should be transferred to the fridge where they will continue to stay fresh for a further 2-3 days.
Chocolate matcha brownies stored in the fridge from the outset will, however, stay fresh for longer (up to 7 days).
Once baked (and cooled) these fudgy matcha brownies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Try slicing and wrapping individually so squares can be pulled out as and when required.
More brownies to try
I’ve always loved how versatile a good brownie recipe can be. If you like the sound of these dark chocolate matcha cheesecake brownies, take my other brownie recipes too. They’r all divinely and gloriously fudgy.
Have you made this matcha brownies recipe? Please consider leaving a comment and/ or rating – it really helps other readers know that they can trust my recipes. And why not show me your creation by posting a picture on Instagram. You’ll make my day if you tag #littlesugarsnaps so I can see it too.
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Matcha Brownies
Equipment
- 1 8-inch square baking tin
Ingredients
For the Matcha Cheesecake Swirl
- 200 g Cream cheese full-fat
- 75 g Caster sugar
- 1 Egg large, free-range
- 2½ teaspoons Matcha powder ciulinary grade is fine
- 1½ teaspoons Vanilla extract
For the Brownie Batter
- 170 g Dark chocolate
- 120 g Butter
- 100 g Caster sugar white
- 110 g Dark muscovado sugar
- 2 Eggs Large, free-range
- 2 Egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 30 g Cocoa powder
- 85 g Plain flour
- 60 g White chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4 and grease and line an 8-inch x 8-inch baking tin with baking parchment.
Make the Matcha Cheesecake Swirl
- Put the cream cheese, vanilla extract, matcha powder (sieved if lumpy) and 75g caster sugar into a small mixing bowl and beat, using a small handheld whisk, until smooth. Set aside.
Make the Brownie batter
- Put the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Melt the ingredients either using the bain-marie method (suspending the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water) or heat on moderate power in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Beat until smooth.
- Add the remaining caster sugar and the dark muscovado sugar to the bowl. Use a balloon whisk to mix them in then beat in the eggs and egg yolks along with the vanilla extract.
- Sieve the cocoa powder and flour into the bowl and add the salt. Use a balloon whisk to mix the ingredients in until just combined.
- Remove ¼ of the brownie batter, place in a small bowl and set aside.
- If including white chocolate chips stir them into the remaining brownie now then ladle the batter into a lined baking tin and smooth out.
- Top with the matcha cheesecake mixture, spreading it out to cover the base layer and then dollop the reserved brownie batter over the top – do not spread this out.
- Use a cocktail pick to gently swirl the ingredients together
- Bake for around 30 minutes, testing for doneness 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Poke a cocktail pick into the centre of the bake. If liquid batter is evident, keep on baking for a few minutes more and test again. Of not, it is cooked sufficiently (a few crumbs may attach to the pick, this is fine).
- Let the matcha brownies cool in the tin completely before unmolding and cutting into portions.
Notes
- Sieve your matcha powder to remove any lumps. It will blend easily with the rest of the ingredients as a result.
- The white chocolate chips are optional (but highly recommended). You could use dark chocolate chips in their place if preferred.
- Your brownies will be easier to remove from the baking tin if you line the tin with baking parchment (even if the tin claims to be non-stick)
- Begin testing the brownies for doneness 5 minutes before the end of the specified cooking time. Oven temperatures do vary slightly, so it’s best to keep on testing every few minutes from this point to ensure they come out of the oven at just the right point.
- They are cooked when a cocktail pick inserted into the centre comes out without liquid batter on it. A few crumbs may cling onto the stick, but this is fine.
- This recipe produces fudgy brownies. Do not cook them for longer to try to make them less fudgy as the cheesecake swirl will dry out.
- To get neat squares let the brownie cool entirely before cutting into it.
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