Matcha Swirl Cheesecake Brownies
Founders
16 squares
20 minutes
30 minutes
Fudgy dark chocolate brownies swirled with a creamy matcha cheesecake layer — rich, earthy, and stunning on a dessert board or Pinterest feed. This is the kind of bake that looks like it took all day but comes together in under an hour.
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
- 200g dark chocolate (70%), chopped
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Matcha Cheesecake Layer
- 225g cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp ceremonial or culinary grade matcha powder, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
Melt butter and dark chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (or microwave in 30-second bursts). Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Whisk sugar into the chocolate mixture, then add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until glossy.
Fold in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Sift the matcha powder through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the bowl, then add egg and vanilla. Mix until just combined and vibrant green — stop as soon as it’s smooth to avoid overbeating.
Dollop the matcha cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter in spoonfuls.
Use a skewer or knife to swirl the two layers together in a figure-eight motion — don’t over-swirl.
Bake for 30–35 minutes. The edges should be set with a slight jiggle in the centre — this is correct. These brownies firm up significantly as they cool; if there’s no jiggle, they’re overbaked.
Cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing for clean cuts.