Hojicha Creamy Swirl (Printable)

Velvety roasted hojicha swirled into creamy cheesecake filling on a buttery graham crust.

# 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 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Cheesecake Filling

07 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
08 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - ½ 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 - 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. Allow to cool completely.
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. Fold in sour cream, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour until just combined.
05 - Divide approximately ⅓ cup of cheesecake batter into a separate bowl. Mix in the cooled hojicha cream until well incorporated.
06 - Pour the plain cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of hojicha batter evenly across the surface and use a skewer or knife to gently swirl for a marbled effect.
07 - Place the springform pan on a baking tray. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are set but the center appears slightly jiggly.
08 - Turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly. Let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
09 - Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a luxury tea house dessert but comes together in your own kitchen with ingredients you can actually find.
  • The hojicha flavor is sophisticated without being intimidating—it's earthy and gentle, not bitter or overwhelming.
  • That marble swirl is pure magic and makes every slice look like you spent hours perfecting it.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable—cold cream cheese and eggs won't blend smoothly no matter how long you beat, and you'll end up with lumps in your filling.
  • That jiggle in the center is your friend, not a sign of failure—a slightly underbaked cheesecake sets up perfectly during cooling and stays creamy, while a fully baked one becomes dense and cracks easily.
  • Hojicha powder can replace loose leaf tea if you prefer, but use only 1 tablespoon because it's more concentrated and a little goes a long way.
03 -
  • A water bath (bain-marie) is optional but brings incredible insurance—wrap your pan in foil and set it in a larger roasting pan filled with hot water halfway up the sides to bake the cheesecake more gently and evenly.
  • If cracks appear despite your best efforts, don't panic—a quick swirl of sour cream mixed with a tiny bit of powdered sugar smooths right over them and tastes delicious too.
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