MATCHA GREEN TEA CHEESECAKES

Say hello to my newest “favorite” thing. Green tea is the newest obsession in our house. Please please please tell me that your favorites change all the time too. Whenever I say something is my favorite my husband just rolls his eyes at me because he knows it will usually be short lived.

Clothes, style, trends, food, and drinks are all subject to being my “favorite” of the moment. A few years ago I was loving layered tanks and cardigans all the time.

I have been purging all the cute cardis that I have accumulated over the past few years. Partly because it’s way to warm to wear them in Florida, but partly because my clothing style has change again. Now you will usually find me in flip flops, jeans or shorts, and a t-shirt or tank top because it’s comfortable.

I think styles and tastes change and evolve with the current trends too. At least mine do. Anyone else out there with me? Please let me know I’m not the only crazy one who changes things up every year or so.

My first introduction to matcha green tea was in a drink from my favorite coffee shop. If you haven’t tried this flavor yet, let me assure you. It does taste like green tea because that’s the main ingredient. There is no hiding that flavor.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to think after my first sip. Before you know it though, the drink was gone, and I was sold on the flavor.

A few weeks ago I found a bag of Matcha powder at Walmart in the baking aisle. Of course, I had to bring it home with me. My first thought was actually to transform this Dark Chocolate Latte into a creamy matcha latte.

But then my cheesecake brain took over, and I knew I had to do mini Matcha Green Tea Cheesecakes first. Aren’t you glad that I’m still obsessing over making cheesecake? That is one favorite that will never change. Since we love the “tea” flavor of these Chocolate Chai Cheesecakes, I was excited to start baking.

Ingredients

10 Oreo cookies
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons matcha green tea powder
2 eggs
1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
chocolate jimmies
matcha covered Pocky sticks
12 fudge covered mini Oreo cookies

Instructions

Place a large baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven. Fill it halfway with water. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
Crush the cookies (filling included) in a food processor. Stir the butter into the crumbs. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cupcake liners. Press the crumbs into the bottom using a tart shaper.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the heavy cream, honey, flour, and matcha and beat again. Add the eggs and beat until just mixed in.
Spoon the cheesecake batter into the prepared liners. (The liners will be filled almost to the top.) Place the pan on the oven rack directly above the rack with water. Bake for 22 minutes. Remove the pan immediately from the oven and place on a wire rack.
Let the cheesecakes cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then gently remove them and place them on the wire rack for an hour. Refrigerate for a few hours until completely chilled.
Use a piping bag and icing tip 1M to swirl Cool Whip on the tops. Garnish with the Pocky sticks, jimmies, and fudge covered Oreo cookies right before serving, if desired. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.