Easy matcha cookies made with green tea powder and white chocolate chips. Eye-popping green with a deliciously chewy center, these simple gooey treats will be your new go-to baking recipe.
Matcha cookies combine the unique flavors of the famous green tea powder with the gooey textures of baked cookies to form something truly unique. The result is a chewy and sweet homemade snack that’s unlike anything you’ve baked before.
Best of all, this easy matcha cookie recipe only needs a few ingredients and 15 minutes in the oven. It’s the perfect recipe for baking beginners and something interesting for you seasoned pros out there too.
Find out how to make these green matcha powder cookies with this easy step-by-step guide. Let’s get into it!
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a popular variety of green tea from East Asia with a uniquely mild and earthy taste. Traditionally it’s been enjoyed in teas and hot milk drinks, but now the best matcha recipes include smoothies, ice cream, cakes, and cookies. While it does have a unique flavor, it’s the striking green color of matcha that has made it so popular in so many baking recipes.
Matcha is cultivated in a specific way to yield the distinct powder we now know. Before being finely ground and processed, it’s deliberately grown in shaded areas to ensure a high caffeine content. The result is a tea powder with up to 44 mg of caffeine per gram, which is similar to black coffee.
Best Matcha Powders for Baking
The best type of matcha powder to use is culinary-grade matcha. While some people do use ceremonial grade powder, it’s primarily designed to be used in tea. This means that when baking, the matcha green color and flavor we want won’t transfer effectively enough.
Culinary-grade matcha powder, on the other hand, has a stronger taste and will blend well in the dough and stand out among the sugar and flour to stand out.
The matcha powders I recommend are (Disclaimer: Amazon links):
Quick Tips
For great cookies that don’t crack or harden upon cooling, consider these quick tips.
- Add your dry ingredients as slowly as possible while maintaining a consistent mix. Use a sieve for the best results.
- The best way to reduce the bitterness of matcha is to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time. Adding honey, maple syrup, agave, and even some water to your dough can also help reduce bitterness when the matcha becomes heated during the baking process.
- Ensure your butter is at room temperature before mixing. This will not only make it easier to form a consistent batter with the other ingredients, but it will also trap air and rise better in the oven.
Always Chill Your Cookie Dough
The key to soft and chewy cookies is to chill the dough prior to baking. While planning a half-hour window in your baking time to chill the dough might not sound worthwhile, there are two big reasons why this can make all the difference.
- The white sugar in your mixture will absorb moisture, creating better browning and caramelization across the entire cookie surface. In turn, this yields a chewier center.
- Allowing the dough to chill will give it time to firm up. Not just because the butter will chill, but also because the flour will start to absorb moisture. This will stop the dough from spreading on the baking tray and retain its shape.
Though some recipes call for a 2-hour chill time, 30 minutes will be enough to start to see the benefits of resting in the refrigerator.
How to Make These Cookies Vegan-Friendly
Fan of vegan cookie recipes? These easy ingredient substitutes will turn this recipe into a plant-based treat.
- Replace the butter with a plant-based alternative like a cashew and coconut oil spread.
- To replicate the effects of eggs, use a blend of ground flaxseed and water. While this doesn’t work for recreating the rise we’d normally want in cakes, it does create the binding effect that we need for cookies. Stir together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water, and allow it to sit for a few minutes until thickened.
- For the white chocolate chips, King David’s chocolate-flavored coins are a great dairy-free option. They melt well and taste as close to the real thing as you can get (Amazon link)
Storage
To store matcha dough instead of immediately baking it, turn your dough into a log by rolling it out and then wrap it in plastic wrap. You can then freeze it for up to two months and thaw it to room temperature before baking.
For storing your matcha cookies once already baked, make sure your cookies have cooled to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. Keep them in a cool, dry pantry or storage space for up to a week.
FAQ
Are There Any Matcha Substitutes?
While there are no real substitutes for matcha powder, the closest ingredient is green tea. Even though green tea and matcha are technically derived from the same plant, green tea is cultivated differently, giving it a different taste and aroma.
Matcha Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp matcha powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour and butter