Enjoy your afternoon tea with these crisp and buttery Matcha Cookies. The unique flavor combination of matcha and white chocolate is surprisingly delightful!
I have always had a sweet tooth starting at a young age. As I got older, my taste bud for sweets has evolved and I’ve come to appreciate baked goods and confectionaries that have different tones of flavor and are preferably not overly sweet. When comes to flavoring in the sweet department, my absolute favorite is matcha (green tea powder). The earthy, slightly bitter taste with a sweet hint of vanilla-like aroma of matcha is utterly dreamy and alluring, which makes it a delightful ingredient to work with. It is subtle but unmistakable.
And good news for matcha lovers! You can now find every imaginable snack and sweet available in matcha flavor. Specialty stores, mini markets, and even food courts at the departmental stores in Japan are offering matcha flavored goodies with an astonishing array of selections. Since I’ve been inspired to cook and bake with matcha, I’m excited to share one of my favorite butter cookies, Matcha Cookies (抹茶クッキー) with you today.
What is Matcha?
Before I begin talking about these cookies, let me share a bit of info on Matcha with you.
Matcha is a type of tea leaf powder that has a beautiful vivid green color. However, it’s different from the “green tea” that you drink with Japanese meals. That’s green tea too, but matcha leaves are grown and harvested differently. The leaves are grown under shade.
For those of you who want to try this recipe, I hope you can find 100% pure matcha powder in your local Asian grocery store. The good quality ones should have very beautiful green, not dull green. Japanese grocery stores around my area sell Maeda-En matcha and you can also get it on Amazon. It’s a bit pricey but matcha is expensive in Japan as well.
Adding White Chocolate Chips
These cookies are really delicious even without white chocolate chips (if you’re not a fan of white chocolate). However, I highly recommend it as matcha brings its characteristic bitter flavor to the cookies, and the sweetness from white chocolate chips actually balances out the cookies quite well.
If you add regular chocolate chips, the milk chocolate can be too strong and it ruins the unique matcha flavor and fragrance so I don’t recommend it.
Instead of white chocolate chips, I’ve also tried rolling the chilled cookie logs over white sparkling sugar (large sugar crystals) before slicing the dough. This is a great way to add more sweetness to the cookies. The large sugar crystals will keep their shape and give a nice sweetness and sparkles to the cookies.
I’ve also seen JOC readers adding macadamia nuts instead of white chocolate chips. Great idea!
Buttery and Crispy Texture
This type of cookie is known as butter cookies or icebox cookies. They also go by shortbread cookies or sable cookies. They are unleavened cookies, which means that leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda are not used in the recipe.
The ingredients are simple: butter, sugar, and flour. They often include vanilla extract, but I omit it because it’s too strong for matcha flavor.
These cookies are crisp rather than chewy or soft. If you have tried and love shortbread cookies, you can expect a similar crispy texture.
Don’t Skip Chilling the Dough!
Chilling the dough intensifies the flavor of the dough and retains its shape in the oven (so the butter in the dough doesn’t melt fast). Hold tight for just 2 hours. You can clean up the kitchen and preheat the oven during this time.
If you like to cut out the cookie dough, roll the dough into a large disk, chill, then roll it out again before cutting it out into shapes.
I hope you enjoy making this Matcha Cookie recipe. They are perfect for a cozy afternoon snack or for your cookie swap during the holiday season!
More Cookie Recipes
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Matcha Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) (weigh your flour or use the “fluff and sprinkle“ method and level it off)
- 2½ Tbsp matcha green tea powder (1 Tbsp matcha is 6 g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature)
- 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 130 g confectioners’ sugar (1 cup + 2 tsp)
- 2 large egg yolks (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup good-quality white chocolate baking chips
Instructions
Before You Start…
- Please note that this recipe requires a chilling time of 2 hours. Gather all the ingredients. I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale for this recipe. Click on the “Metric“ button at the top of the recipe to convert the ingredient measurements to metric. If you‘re using a cup measurement, please follow the “fluff and sprinkle“ method: Fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle the flour into your measuring cup, and level it off. Otherwise, you may scoop more flour than you need.
To Make and Chill the Dough
- Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) and 2½ Tbsp matcha green tea powder in a large bowl.
- Sift the flour and the matcha powder.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat ¾ cup unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Tip: It’s important to soften the butter ahead of time. Leave the butter out on the counter for 1 hour or microwave it in 5-second increments until it‘s softened.
- Add 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt and blend.
- Add 130 g confectioners’ sugar (1 cup + 2 tsp) and beat well until soft and light. As you blend, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl occasionally.
- Add 2 large egg yolks and mix well until combined.
- Gradually add the flour and matcha mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add ¼ cup good-quality white chocolate baking chips and mix until just incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a cylinder about 1½ inches (4 cm) in diameter and 7 inches (18 cm) long.
- Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours. Tip: You can place the logs on a bed of uncooked rice while chilling. It’ll keep the dough in a nice cylindrical shape so your cookie slices won’t be flat on one side. To Freeze for Later: You can also freeze the unbaked logs of dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. To bake, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking. Do not let the dough fully defrost.
To Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic wrap. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into rounds about ⅓ inch (7 mm) thick. If the dough is too hard to slice, wait 5 minutes or so before slicing. Place the sliced dough on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the rounds.
- Bake the cookies at 350ºF (175ºC) for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to get slightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely before serving.
To Store
- You can keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for at least 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on November 11, 2011. Since then the post has been updated with a new video, new pictures, and an updated recipe in July 2016.
Hi Nami,
I don’t know if you remember but you featured my blog post on your site over a year ago after I made your cookies? I just wanted to tell you I’m still baking, and loving, them. Thank you for sharing the delicious recipe! Although I have now ran out of matcha and am using the less-green tea powder I bought in Korea. I wish I stocked up on more when I was in Japan.
I hope you’re well and congratulations on how well your site is doing.
Best wishes,
Laura
Hi Laura! Yes I remember! 🙂 I’m so glad to hear you enjoy this recipe and thanks so much for your kind feedback! Is it hard to find matcha there? Maybe online shop? These days there are many online matcha shops, and I hope you can find a good source. Thank you for your kind words! My blog is fortunate to have good readers like you. 🙂
This is a wonderful recipe. I don’t usually bake, but this was a very easy to follow recipe. Green tea flavor comes through very well. I couldn’t find white chocolate chips at any grocery stores, so substituted with Ghirardelli’s white chocolate baking bar (used only 1/2 bar) chopped to chip size.
This is more like shortbread than cookie, but I LOVE shortbread, so absolutely no complaint. I will be making 2 more batches and giving away for Christmas (with read bows).
Hi Hisayo! Yes I’d say this is sable style cookies than American style cookies. So glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Hi! i tried making this cookie, but as i was cutting it (after leavig it it the refrigerator for about 3 hours), the dough crumbled and so didn’t make a nice full circle. Is it because my knife wasn’t sharp enough? i think it was the white choc chips that were hard to cut thought so the dough just came apart
Hi Ruth! I think I mentioned in the recipe or post about the amount of white chocolate chips – they do make it tricky to cut (by the way a sharp knife always makes cutting very easy and makes a huge difference). A lot of readers made these cookies with the exact recipe (same amount of chocolate chips) and they said cookies were fine. I feel it’s a bit hard too just like you said. Please adjust the amount of chips next time if you had trouble. The original recipe requires same amount of chips too. Also keeping the dough overnight in the refrigerator might help too. 🙂
matcha is the best!! ur cookies look so tempting, nami can i subtitute white choco chip with sliced almond? since my dad having diabetics 8 years ago we put small amount of sugar in food and drink
a little bit out of topic, regular mirin you used to cook, takara hon mirin and honteri mirin mizkan are there difference among them? i would like to buy mirin but there are some types of mirin in grocery store. hope you can give enlightment to me 😀
thanks before nami!!
Hi Riska! Sure, you can substitute the white chocolate chip with sliced almond. 🙂 I hope your dad can still enjoy this green tea cookies!
Regarding your question about mirin, have you read this Pantry page about Mirin?
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/mirin/
I mentioned the difference in these two products. I recommend using “hon mirin”. 🙂
Hope this helps!
Can i use almond flour for this recipe?
Hi Micah! Good question…. I’ve never tried making these cookies (Sables in general) with almond flour, so I’m not sure. If you go ahead and try, please let us know how it went. I’m curious to know. Thank you! 🙂
Sensei!!!! Please advice, i make your cookie dough but no time to bake, how long can I keep in the fridge or should i freeze it? Becos it contains egg i am not sure if i can keep in fridge for days. Help!
Hi Ivy! Sorry for my late response. I just read your comment here but we discussed over Facebook. I only leave the dough overnight but should be safe in fridge for 2-3 days or freezer for longer time. 🙂
Hi,
I tried this and turned out really great. I had a tough time to save it for my friends!
What would be your suggested baking time if I want to make a tiny bite size version which is 1 inch is diameter and 1/4 thick?
First time I baked this in regular size, I followed the time, and the bottom turned out to be brown, luckily it didn’t affect the taste!
LOVE your recipes! I appreciate your work!
🙂
Hi Apa! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies. 🙂 The bottom tends to turn brown when you use dark baking sheet. Baking time should be adjusted based on your oven and baking sheet, and of course your preference for cookie texture. For small bites, I am not sure exact time, as I have never tried with small bites, but for the first batch, stay around in the kitchen and when the edge of cookies start to turn brown, take out the baking sheet. And as soon as it cools down a bit, transfer to a wire rack so it won’t burn the bottom. Hope it’ll work out! Thank you so much for your kind words! xo
Since there is more than one Emily from the feedback here so i add my daughter’s name Athena following my name. (I am the one asked for Osaka shopping tips 😉 My daughter failed many times making cookies. The cookies usually came out in rough texture,chewy and dry. She followed recipe step by step and had chilled the dough too. She is guessing something had went wrong when combining butter,sugar and flour. We usually use Japanese flour and soft brown sugar三温糖. Combine ingredients with a spatula. Do you have any advice for us,Nami?
Hi Emily! Thank you for asking the questions. It’s very hard to answer why it went wrong as I wasn’t in the kitchen, and anything can be a reason why it went wrong. I need to see each step to pin point what could be the cause, but it’s obvious I can’t do that… 🙁 But since you mentioned she used 三温糖, try using regular granulated sugar for this recipe. It’s “butter cookie” texture and it works great with regular white sugar. Hope this helps!
I tried granulated sugar. It works great! Thanks Nami.
Great! Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂
Hi Nami! The cookies look awesome!!! Going to try bake some tomorrow! But I just got a question, is it necessary to chill the batter in the fridge for serveral hours before baking? I’m sorry if I’m asking a silly question as I’m still new to baking. Thanks!
Ops! I think I found the answer while reading the previous feedback.
Hi Jasmine! No problem. I hope you enjoy(ed) the cookies. 🙂
Hi thanks for the recipe! Your cookies look great unlike mine which are incredibly dry. I think it might be due to the size of my egg yolks? Do you mind specifying the weight of the egg yolks you used? Thanks!
Hi W! According to Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_egg_sizes), American size large egg is greater than 57 gram. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi, May I know if these cookies are crispy or chewy?
They look wonderful !
Thank you Xuan! More crispy like sables. I hope this helps. 🙂
After the dorayaki I wanted to try this, these cookies are so delicious!
I bought the matcha tea specifically to make this recipe, was the first time that I tasted this green tea and I love the flavor.
Thanks for the recipe! =)
http://14th-division.deviantart.com/art/Green-Tea-and-White-Chocolate-Cookies-452804425
Hi Shiva! So glad to hear you enjoyed these cookies! Thank you so much for trying, and sharing the link with me. I just shared it on my Facebook fan page. 🙂
Made these today for colleaugues, these cookies are so delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe! ^^
Hi Lea! I’m so glad you happy to hear you enjoyed these cookies! 😀 Thank you so much for letting me know! <3
this recipe works so well! Though the dough kept crumbling, putting in the fridge works 😀
thank you!!
Hi E! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, and thank you for confirming that refrigeration is necessary (some readers asked before if they can skip this process). I appreciate your feedback! 🙂
Hi Nami,
Refrigeration is definitely necessary if possible overnight as what you’ve mentioned as the dough tend to fall apart if it gets soft. Just passed some to my friends today and they loved it!
Thank you!
So happy to hear that! Thank you E! 🙂
Hi Nami,
How long does the matcha powder last? Can you use expired matcha to make dessert. I found it on amazon dot com for $10. Would love to try this greentea cookies. Thank you.
Hi ZZ! I checked a tea company online and it says 3-6 months in airtight bag (unopened), and should be kept in refrigerator, freezer, or cool place. Once it opens, it should be consumed in less than 2 weeks (that’s recommended because the best quality goes down after that).
When did it expire? I would open and taste and if the color is still good (not dull green), I may use it…. just the quality is not perfect… maybe use for a practice run for some recipe? Or make one cup of matcha latte to decide? 🙂
Thanks Nami for the information.
One more question: How do you store your matcha powder (the one you used in your greentea & white chocolate cookies recipe). I dont use it regularly so want to make sure it would last a lot longer and not having to get another new can.
Freezer, refrigerator, or cool place. 🙂
Hi I have a super quick question! Instead of wrapping the dough in cling film to cool in the fridge, could I cool the dough on its own, and shape it after? I don’t use cling film and don’t want to get some just for one recipe 🙁 thanks!