Hojicha Creamy Cheesecake with Swirl (Print Version)

Creamy cheesecake infused with roasted hojicha tea, featuring buttery crust and beautiful swirl pattern.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 Make It:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hojicha gives you that warm, earthy complexity without being bitter—it's like cheesecake discovered its favorite tea.
  • That marbled swirl isn't just pretty; it creates pockets of roasted flavor in every bite that keep surprising you.
02 -
  • Don't skip the water bath if your oven runs hot—a springform pan on a baking tray is fine, but wrapping the outside with foil and placing it in a larger pan filled with hot water creates the most even bake and prevents cracks.
  • The center should jiggle like soft custard, not like a liquid, when you remove it—this single detail is what separates a beautiful cheesecake from a sunken disaster.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is your foundation—if you forget to soften it, sit it on the counter for 30 minutes rather than trying to speed it up, because microwaved cream cheese behaves unpredictably.
  • The springform pan should be completely cool before you add the batter, because any residual heat will cause the bottom to cook faster than the filling.
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