Green Tea Matcha shortbread cookies are crisp and buttery, and easy to make! The green tea powder adds a subtle flavor and a gorgeous green color.
Love this flavor combo? Make sure to try my Chai Shortbread recipe too!
This recipe was developed in partnership with my friends at Imperial Sugar. Find the full recipe HERE!
These super pretty Matcha Shortbread cookies are so easy to make, with a buttery, crisp edge, a sweet and tender center all with the subtle flavor of green tea throughout. Only 4 ingredients are needed and they are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Drizzle them with a little white chocolate and you have a Matcha Latte Cookie! The naturally vibrant green color is festive for St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, or Springtime in general!
What Is Matcha Green Tea Powder?
Matcha’s literal translation is “powdered tea”. When you make green tea you steep the leaves into hot water and remove the tea bag (or leaves) from the water and enjoy! With Matcha Green Tea the leaves are pulverized and whisked into the water or milk so you are actually drinking the leaves.
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Matcha Green Tea has a unique flavor. It’s a little earthy and grassy, but also a slight sweetness to it, which makes it perfect in cookies. The flavor can be intense if too much is added, but you can adjust the amount of the Matcha you add to tea and cookies as you like!
Matcha Shortbread Ingredients:
Find the full recipe and ingredient list HERE.
- Salted butter at room temperature. Using salted butter in this recipe means you don’t have to use salt in the recipe as well. If you prefer using unsalted butter you can add in 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt!
- Powdered sugar. Using powdered sugar in this recipe adds a smoothness to the texture of the cookie.
- Matcha powder. You can find matcha at your local stores or online. There are varying grades of matcha powder, but I have found that in this cookie recipe you don’t need to spend more for fancy matcha. You will notice that the intensity of the flavor will change brand to brand.
- All purpose flour
- Optional – white chocolate to drizzle or dip
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and the powdered sugar, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute, until smooth. Add in the matcha powder and mix for an additional minute, scraping the sides as necessary, careful to incorporate all the matcha powder.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add in the flour, mixing until just combined.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface, and form the dough into a log 2- inches in diameter. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/4- inch slices with a knife.
- Place the sliced dough onto the prepared baking sheet 2- inches apart and bake for 13 – 15 minutes, until the cookies begin to get golden at the edges.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional – Melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 15 second increments until melted and smooth. Drizzle on top of the cookies and allow the chocolate to set before storing.
Why You Should Chill Your Dough:
Chilling the dough before you make the cookies will give the green tea flavor time to intensify. Also chilling the dough makes them easy to slice, and prevents too much spreading.
Storing Leftovers:
These cookie are great stored up to 5 days at room temperature. You can also freeze them airtight for up to 30 days for best freshness.
NOTE: I have noticed that the longer Matcha Shortbread cookies are exposed to air, the color can oxidize a bit, turning less vibrantly green. The flavor remains the same, but if you want to keep the green color as bright as possible, the less exposure to air, the better!
