This matcha tiramisu has layers of ultra creamy matcha filling and matcha soaked ladyfingers. It’s full of matcha flavor! It has that perfectly creamy texture of traditional tiramisu, but doesn’t contain any coffee or raw eggs. It’s the perfect make ahead cake if you love matcha, or want a delicious twist on a traditional tiramisu.
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☕ Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Creamy tiramisu: It's similar to a tiramisu with its soaked ladyfinger layers and light, creamy mascarpone filling. Except it doesn't have raw eggs.
- No raw eggs: The filling is cooked which gives it that eggy richness without using raw eggs. It uses whipped cream to give it the mousse-like texture instead of whipped egg whites.
- Matcha: There's matcha in the mousse-like creamy filling, the ladyfingers are dipped in matcha, and there's even more on top! So much matcha flavor.
For more tiramisu flavors, check out my strawberry tiramisu, lemon tiramisu, and oreo tiramisu recipes.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Matcha: Ceremonial or culinary grade matcha work for this recipe. Ceremonial is less bitter, brighter, and will taste better in this recipe (it's what I used here).
- Milk: Use your favorite milk, I used whole milk for extra richness in this tiramisu.
- Cream: Heavy whipping cream (at least 35%) is essential for whipping and making the filling light and fluffy.
- Mascarpone cheese: This is what gives the filling that traditional tiramisu flavor. If you can't find mascarpone cheese, replace with cream cheese. It will be tangier but the texture will be the same! Don't substitute with ricotta because it will be grainy.
- Ladyfingers: Depending on the dimensions of your baking dish, you may need more or less ladyfingers. I used two 5 oz packages of Milano giant ladyfingers. You can use your favorite vanilla cookies or sandwich cookies instead.
✔️ Ingredient substitutions
Ladyfingers: Use your favorite ladyfingers or cookies to layer inside the cake. You can use gluten free cookies for a gluten free version.
Tea soak: Use strong tea, milk, or matcha for soaking the ladyfingers. You can also add ¼ cup of mild flavored alcohol like sake or white rum to spike this tiramisu. Limoncello will give a beautiful lemon twist.
Strawberry matcha tiramisu: Add sliced strawberries on top of the ladyfingers when assembling. Or make this strawberry tiramisu instead.
For more traditional coffee tiramisu flavors, try this oreo tiramisu! And my popular lemon tiramisu for a tangy, refreshing version.
👩🍳 How to make matcha tiramisu
This recipe is divided into two parts: the filling and assembly.
Filling step by step
Step 1: Sift matcha into a medium bowl to break up any lumps. Add hot water to the matcha and whisk well using a matcha whisk or regular wire whisk to combine until smooth.
Step 2: Add milk into the dissolved matcha and stir to combine. Set the matcha milk aside in the fridge.
Step 3: Combine yolks, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and ½ cup of the previously prepared matcha milk mixture in the heat safe bowl. Whisk until combined.
Step 4: Pour a few inches of water into a medium saucepan. Find a heat safe bowl that fits well on top of the pan without touching the bottom or the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer.
Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and whisk.
Step 5: Continue whisking with a wire whisk until the mixture foams up and thickens considerably. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Step 6: While the matcha egg mixture cools, whip the heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks with a whisk or stand mixer. Be careful not to overwhip or it will become grainy. Set aside in the fridge.
Step 7: In a separate large bowl, add mascarpone cheese and whisk or beat briefly until smooth. Do not overmix or it will become liquidy and won’t set. This is just done to remove any lumps.
Step 8: Pour the thickened and cooled matcha filling into the mascarpone cheese and whisk or beat together very briefly until combined, being careful not to overmix.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture with a whisk until even and smooth.
Assembling step by step
Step 1: One by one, briefly dip a ladyfinger in the reserved matcha milk mixture and place a single layer inside a casserole dish.
Step 2: Spread half of the filling over the ladyfingers, smoothing the filling all the way to the edges. Dip more ladyfingers in the tea, arranging them on top of the filling in a single layer.
Tip: If you're running out of the matcha milk tea, add milk to stretch it. If you have any leftover, pour it into a glass, add ice and extra milk, and enjoy your iced matcha tea latte.
Step 3: Add the rest of the filling and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: The day of serving, decorate by sifting some more matcha on top.
Optionally: To create a flower design, place cut out parchment paper flowers on top of the tiramisu before dusting with matcha powder. Carefully remove the parchment paper flowers and pipe small dollops of yellow whipped cream or frosting into the middle of each flower for the flower centers.
Expert Tiramisu Tips
- Use non-metal dishes for making matcha dessert. Metal gives matcha a metallic aftertaste.
- Don't overwhip the mascarpone. It needs an initial mix to smooth out any lumps but after that, mix gently. If mascarpone is overmixed it will become liquidy and won't set.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold it into the filling very gently. This helps thicken the filling and sets the tiramisu. It adds a lot of air into the tiramisu giving it a mousse-like texture. This tiramisu uses whipped cream instead of raw whipped egg whites like traditional tiramisu does.
- Chill the tiramisu for 8 hours or overnight to set. This allows enough time for the ladyfingers to soak through and soften up, and for the filling to set.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
This tiramisu is the perfect make ahead dessert because it needs to set in the fridge! I like to set the tiramisu and let all the flavors combine overnight. It needs at least 8 hours in the fridge.
This tiramisu will keep well in the fridge for up to four days. Freeze, wrapped tightly, for up to two months. It keeps really well in the freezer and tastes like ice cream when frozen.
✔️ What makes this the best matcha tiramisu
This recipe stays as close to a traditional tiramisu recipe as possible, without using coffee or raw eggs.
Yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and matcha milk tea are cooked over a double boiler while whisking continuously. This takes about 10-15 minutes. As you whisk and heat the filling, it will froth up and thicken.
After it cools to room temperature, mix it with mascarpone cheese, and fold in whipped cream to make it extra creamy and light, like a mousse.
❔ What kind of matcha should I use?
Preferably use ceremonial grade matcha in this recipe. You can also use culinary grade if that's what you have instead.
Ceremonial matcha is the least bitter and has a beautiful grassy flavor. It's also a brighter green flavor. I used ceremonial grade in this recipe.
Don't use matcha drink mixes because they usually have other ingredients like sugar and this recipe doesn't account for that.
📖 Recipe FAQs
This version doesn't, making it safe for everyone to eat. The eggs are cooked with sugar, vanilla, and matcha on top of a double boiler to make it thick and creamy. Whipped cream is used instead of whipped egg whites to give it a light and fluffy texture. This gives this version a similar flavor and texture to traditional tiramisu without using raw eggs.
Use your favorite vanilla cookie or oreos (golden or chocolate) like in this oreo tiramisu.
Use gluten free ladyfingers or cookies. The filling is naturally gluten free.
You can use cream cheese instead. It won't have such a mild and creamy flavor that mascarpone cheese gives but the texture will be very similar! With cream cheese it will have a bit more of a tang. Don't substitute the mascarpone with ricotta because the texture will be grainy.
I don't recommend trying this because it's not meant to hold its shape for very long. The creamiest tiramisus are made in casserole dishes!
🍰 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Matcha Tiramisu
Equipment
- 8” by 11” oval dish or any non-metal dish of similar size
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder see notes, plus extra for dusting
- ¼ cup water boiling hot
- 1 cup milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 lb mascarpone cheese
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Assembly
- 2 packages ladyfingers about 22 large ladyfingers, see notes
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder for dusting on top
Instructions
Filling
- Sift matcha into a medium bowl to break up any lumps. Add hot water to the matcha and whisk well using a matcha whisk or regular wire whisk to combine until smooth.2 tablespoons matcha powder, ¼ cup water
- Add milk into the dissolved matcha and stir to combine. Set the matcha milk aside in the fridge.1 cup milk
- Pour a few inches of water into a medium saucepan. Find a heat safe bowl that fits well on top of the pan without touching the bottom or the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer.
- Combine yolks, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and ½ cup of the previously prepared matcha milk mixture in the heat safe bowl. Whisk until combined.4 large egg yolks, 2 large eggs, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and whisk. Continue whisking with a wire whisk until the mixture foams up and thickens considerably. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- While the egg mixture cools, whip the heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks with a whisk or stand mixer. Be careful not to overwhip or it will become grainy. Set aside in the fridge.1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- In a separate large bowl, add mascarpone cheese and whisk or beat briefly until smooth. Do not overmix or it will become liquidy and won’t set. This is just done to remove any lumps.1 lb mascarpone cheese
- Pour the thickened and cooled matcha filling into the mascarpone cheese and whisk or beat together very briefly until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture with a whisk until even and smooth.
Assembly
- One by one, briefly dip a ladyfinger in the reserved matcha milk mixture and place a single layer inside a casserole dish.2 packages ladyfingers
- Spread half of the filling over the ladyfingers, smoothing the filling all the way to the edges. Dip more ladyfingers in the tea, arranging them on top of the filling in a single layer. Add the rest of the filling and smooth the top. If you're running out of the matcha milk tea, add milk to stretch it. If you have any leftover, pour it into a glass, add ice and extra milk, and enjoy your iced matcha tea latte.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- The day of serving, decorate by sifting some more matcha on top. Optionally: To create a flower design, place cut out parchment paper flowers on top of the tiramisu before dusting with matcha powder. Carefully remove the parchment paper flowers and pipe small dollops of yellow whipped cream or frosting into the middle of each flower for the flower centers.2 teaspoons matcha powder
- Scoop or slice and serve!
Notes
- Use non-metal dishes for making matcha dessert. Metal gives matcha a metallic aftertaste.
- Don't overwhip the mascarpone. It needs an initial mix to smooth out any lumps but after that, mix gently. If mascarpone is overmixed it will become liquidy and won't set.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold it into the filling very gently. This helps thicken the filling and sets the tiramisu. It adds a lot of air into the tiramisu giving it a mousse-like texture. This tiramisu uses whipped cream instead of raw whipped egg whites like traditional tiramisu does.
- Chill the tiramisu for 8 hours or overnight to set. This allows enough time for the ladyfingers to soak through and soften up, and for the filling to set.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!