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Creamy, Earthy, Light & Not-Too-Sweet Matcha Tiramisu
Matcha Tiramisu: Tiramisu’s Cooler, Greener Cousin
Classic tiramisu has had a great run. Espresso, cocoa, mascarpone… a total icon. But this Matcha Tiramisu strolled in wearing all green and said, “hold my whisk.” Instead of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, we’re using a matcha soak that brings earthy, slightly grassy depth instead of a caffeine jolt. The result? A dessert that’s creamy, light, subtly sweet, and just fancy enough to make people think you trained in a Kyoto tea house and an Italian nonna’s kitchen.
Why This Matcha Tiramisu Works
The magic is all about balance — rich mascarpone and whipped cream keep things luxuriously creamy, while the matcha (both in the soak and the cream) adds an earthy bitterness that keeps this dessert from tipping into “too sweet” territory.
What You’ll Need for Matcha Tiramisu
Egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone, heavy cream, matcha powder, vanilla, ladyfingers, and a little dry milk powder for extra body. Nothing exotic — just pantry regulars teaming up for something unexpected.
Tips for the Creamiest Matcha Tiramisu
Use culinary-grade matcha for the soak and cream (save the ceremonial-grade stuff for sipping), don’t over soak the ladyfingers or they’ll turn to mush, and let it chill at least 4 hours — overnight is even better if your patience allows.
Try our other matcha recipes…
Matcha Chia Seed Pudding
Meet your new morning ritual: Matcha Chia Seed Pudding. It’s the lovechild of your beloved matcha latte and a protein-packed chia bowl — creamy, subtly sweet, gorgeously green, and ready to keep you full for hours. Vegan-friendly, endlessly customizable, and honestly? Prettier than most of us before coffee.
Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream
Say goodbye to pale, “green-tinted vanilla” imposters. This authentic matcha green tea ice cream is unapologetically bold, earthy, and perfectly sweetened. Made with a rich egg-yolk custard base, it delivers the ultimate creamy texture and a deep matcha kick that real green tea lovers dream about.
Visual Step-by-Step Guide for Assembling Matcha Tiramisu:
What’s in the matcha tiramisu
- matcha powder
- heavy cream
- mascarpone cheese
- egg yolks
- lady fingers
- dry milk powder
- vanilla extract
Matcha Tiramisu
A creamy matcha tiramasu made with mascarpone, whipped cream, matcha-soaked ladyfingers, and a snowy dusting of matcha. Light, earthy, and not too sweet.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (no-bake)
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Matcha Mascarpone Cream
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (70 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (225 grams) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (350 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon of matcha powder
- 1 tablespoon dry milk powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Matcha Soak
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) hot water
- 24 to 30 ladyfingers
Topping
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
Instructions
- Make a double boiler. Simmer 1 inch of water in the pot. In the boil of the double boiler, whisk the eggs yolks and granulated sugar. Keep whisking until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the simmering pot.
- Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the heavy cream, matcha powder, dry milk powder, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Add the whipped cream mixture to the egg/mascarpone mixture and fold together with a silicone spatula.
- In the tiramasu dish, spread a very thin layer of the matcha mascarpone cream across the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
Matcha Soak & Assembly
- In a small bowl, combine the matcha powder, sugar and hot water. With a matcha whisk, milk frother or regular whisk, whisk until the matcha powder and sugar are dissolved and the mixture looks frothy, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish wide enough to dip the ladyfingers in. (I use a creme brûlée dish.)
- In a quick motion, dip a ladyfinger in the matcha soak and turn it over to coat both sides. This whole dip should take less than 2 seconds. Do not let the ladyfingers soak too long or all the way through because it will get mushy very quickly.
- Place the soaked ladyfingers on the tiramisu dish, arranging them side by side until you fill up the bottom in an even layer.
- Using half of the remaining mascarpone cream, spread that over the layer of ladyfingers. Repeat by soaking more ladyfingers and arranging them in an even layer over the cream mixture. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers. Smooth the surface of the cream with a bench scraper or spatula.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the cream to firm up and the lady fingers to soften.
- Right before serving, dust a layer of matcha powder over the cream layer. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 12 servings)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 77 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 151 mg
❓ FAQ’s for Matcha Tiramisu
Structurally, yes — same creamy mascarpone layers and ladyfingers. Flavor-wise, no — we traded the espresso jolt for matcha’s earthy, gentle bitter charm.
Nope! A regular whisk (or even a fork with ambition) works fine for blending matcha into the cream and soak. A milk frother works great too.
You can, but culinary-grade is more affordable and has a stronger, slightly more bitter flavor that holds up beautifully against the sweet mascarpone cream.
Patience, grasshopper — this dessert needs a solid chill in the fridge (at least 4 hours, ideally overnight) to set properly.
Yes! Just swap in gluten-free ladyfingers — the matcha cream itself is naturally gluten-free.
Not overly — that’s actually the point. The matcha’s natural bitterness balances the sugar so it reads more “elegant dessert” than “sugar bomb.”
No, not for the same flavor or texture. Matcha is finely ground green tea powder, so it dissolves into the cream and soak. Brewed green tea would add extra liquid and a much milder flavor.
Matcha can taste bitter when too much is used or when it is mixed with very hot water. Use a good-quality culinary or ceremonial-grade matcha and avoid boiling water. The cream, sugar, and mascarpone help balance its natural bitterness. But a little bitterness is the whole point of matcha.
It is better to bring the mascarpone to room temperature first. Softer mascarpone blends more smoothly and helps prevent lumps in the cream.
Keep it covered and refrigerated at 40°F/4°C or below. Best if enjoyed within 2 to 3 days.
Serve it with unsweetened green tea, hojicha, jasmine tea, or a small cup of coffee. A little fresh fruit on the side also adds a bright contrast.
SHOP FOR THIS RECIPE
Jade Leaf Matcha is pure green tea leaf matcha powder with no sweetener, just one ingredient! And our matcha is certified organic, meaning it is grown without pesticides or harmful fertilizers, and sourced directly from the pristine tea fields of Uji and Kagoshima, Japan.
Discover the richness of Z Natural Foods' Whole Milk Powder, giving you the convenience of pure, creamy whole milk in a powdered form. Sourced from Wisconsin cows, savor the real flavor of genuine dairy in every scoop.
Baking, whipping, mixing, kneading. It's worth the investment.
When I went to Amazon to look up the link for this item, it shows my purchase history and I have this exact set of mixing bowls since 2016. I own other sets but this truly is a better quality set. The bowls are thick and the plastic lids are still perfect and snug. I use these daily.
Maestri House electric milk frother offers you 4 temperature settings: Ordinary Temp, 120℉, 140℉, 160℉, and it also provides 3 different froth thickness options: low, medium, and high froth thickness. The ability to control the temperature makes for a superior latte experience.
A kitchen scale is not negotiable. The variation in weight and volume can make or break a recipe.
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