Hi! I’m Cassandre from Caramel Loafing. Today, I’m excited to share a sweet treat you might have lined up for in Japan: the Hokkaido BAKE-style Cheese Tart.
This mini cheese tart, with its soft, creamy center and crisp shell, is iconic across Asia and beyond. Shops like Hokkaido BAKE Cheese Tart and PABLO have made it a must-try, and you’ll find it from Japan to the US. It’s one of the most beloved modern Japanese pastries—a "national dessert" people adore time and again.
This version isn’t a straight copycat—it’s a hybrid: the filling is inspired by a lightly adjusted Basque Burnt Cheesecake (airy and rich), and the tart crust follows the classic buttery French pâte sucrée style from Le Cordon Bleu. It’s a perfect contrast: crisp, tender, and deeply flavorful.
Making it is easier than you’d think. You’ll blind-bake the tart shells first, cook the filling to thicken it, then fill the crusts and finish with a quick bake to achieve that golden top. If you want a taste of Hokkaido’s famous tarts right at home, don’t miss this recipe!
More Japanese dessert classics to try:
Mr. Cheesecake Earl Grey Soft Cheesecake – a must-try Tokyo favorite.
Japanese Strawberry Shortcake – did you know the 22nd of each month in Japan is “Strawberry Shortcake Day”?
Snow-Filled Chiffon Cake – perfect if you love airy, cream-filled cakes.
And a timeless French favorite loved in Japan: Soufflé.
Plus, a Tokyo gem featured in the famous TV show Solitary Gourmet (孤独のグルメ): Honey Castella Pancakes.
Hokkaido Cheese Tart Recipe & Method
Ingredients
📍Tart mold size: top diameter 7 cm (2.75 inches), bottom diameter 4 cm (1.6 inches), height 2 cm (0.8 inches)
📍Yields: 6 mini cheese tarts
☞ Tart Crust
- Cake flour 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Almond flour 16 g (0.6 oz)
- Powdered sugar 35 g (1.2 oz)
- Cold unsalted butter 60 g (2.1 oz)
- Salt, a pinch (about 1 g / 0.04 oz)
- Whole egg, beaten, 20 g (0.7 oz)
☞ Cheese Filling
- Cream cheese 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Granulated sugar 45 g (1.6 oz)
- Egg 44 g (1.5 oz)
- Heavy cream 75 g (2.6 oz)
- Cake flour 4 g (0.14 oz)
- Lemon juice 5 g (0.18 oz)
Use our Nutrition Calculator to see the nutrition info for this recipe.
How to Make Hokkaido Cheese Tarts
- Sift cake flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar into a food processor. Add salt and mix well.
- Add cold diced butter. Pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs, then add beaten egg and blend until just combined.
- Use a bench scraper to smear the dough slightly, or use your palm to push and fold a few times for a smoother texture. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (1 hour in warm weather).
- Roll the dough to 0.3–0.4 cm thick. Cut out circles about 2.5–3 cm wider than the mold. Gently press into molds and trim excess dough by cutting vertically along the sides.
- Place a slightly smaller muffin liner inside each tart shell and fill with pie weights (chill another 20 minutes if needed).
- Preheat oven to 356°F (180°C); blind-bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, then bake 15 more minutes. Cool slightly on a rack before unmolding (adjust times for your oven).
- For the filling: add cream cheese and sugar to a small pot over low heat. Stir gently until melted and smooth, then remove from heat.
- Add heavy cream, stir, then mix in beaten egg and lemon juice (add eggs gradually for large batches). Sift in cake flour and mix well.
- Return to low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to about 176°F (80°C). Small lumps may form; keep stirring until smooth and silky, then remove from heat.
- Strain the cheese filling and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface (like custard). Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Beat the chilled filling for 3–4 minutes until fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe evenly into the tart shells. Smooth tops with a warm spoon, then freeze for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 428°F (220°C). Mix 1 egg yolk with 1/4 tsp water or milk; brush onto tops for a glossy finish. Bake 15–18 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool slightly and enjoy warm, at room temperature, or chilled—they’re delicious every way!
Watch the full step-by-step video here: Hokkaido BAKE-style Cheese Tart
FAQs & Tips for Perfect Cheese Tarts
Even though these soft-centered cheese tarts are easy, a few details help ensure success. Here are the top questions and handy tips:
How thick should the crust be? What if I don’t have a cutter?
Roll the dough to about 0.3–0.4 cm thick (1/8–1/6 in)—thick enough to stay crisp yet tender. Cut circles roughly 2.5–3 cm (1 in) wider than your tart mold so you have enough dough to press in without stretching it too thin. No cutter? Use a knife—it doesn’t have to be perfect; the mold will shape it.
No pie weights? Any substitutes?
You can use uncooked rice, beans, lentils, or even sugar instead. After baking, cool and store them for next time—zero waste!
For small tart molds, muffin liners plus rice or beans work great—they keep the crust flat and add pretty ridges inside the shell. So easy and cute!
Why cook the filling first?
Baking raw filling with raw crust is tricky since they cook at different speeds. Blind-baking the shell and pre-cooking the filling means you only need to color the top in the final bake—so you keep that soft, custardy center and crisp shell without overbaking either part.
Why freeze the filled tarts for 2 hours?
This sets the shape and keeps the filling from overcooking. Freezing helps you get a soft, semi-molten middle with a beautiful golden top—the signature texture!
How do you get that perfect golden top?
Bake at 428°F (220°C) for a short time to caramelize the top. Brushing with egg yolk or milk helps it shine like a brûlée. Keep an eye on them—you want color, not dryness!