Hojicha Cheesecake with Roasted Tea (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake infused with roasted hojicha tea, featuring a buttery graham cracker crust and beautiful marbled swirl perfect for tea lovers.

# Ingredient List:

→ Crust

01 - 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Hojicha Mixture

05 - 2 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 2 hojicha tea bags
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Cheesecake Filling

07 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool.
03 - In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just steaming. Add hojicha tea, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh and cool to room temperature.
04 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla, and flour; mix until just combined.
05 - Divide approximately 1/3 cup of cheesecake batter into a separate bowl. Mix in the cooled hojicha cream until well combined.
06 - Pour the plain cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of hojicha batter on top and use a skewer or knife to swirl gently for a marbled effect.
07 - Place the springform pan on a baking tray. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly.
08 - Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
09 - Remove from oven, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hojicha infusion brings this subtle earthiness that somehow makes the cheesecake feel less heavy and more sophisticated.
  • Those beautiful swirls aren't just for show—they create pockets of deeper tea flavor that surprise you with every bite.
02 -
  • Overmixing the filling—especially after adding eggs—creates tiny air pockets that expand in the oven and cause cracks; mix until just combined, then stop.
  • The center will look slightly underdone when you pull it out, and that's exactly right; it continues to set as it cools and that's what keeps it creamy instead of dense.
03 -
  • If you don't have hojicha powder for dusting, a fine sieve and regular hojicha leaves steeped briefly work just as well to create that final decorative touch.
  • The key to no cracks is resisting the urge to check on the cheesecake while it bakes—every time the oven door opens, temperature drops and stress builds in the filling.
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