Bready or Not Original: Matcha (Green Tea) Almond Cookies

The second edition in our baked-goods-with-matcha book release celebration features sliced cookies: Matcha Almond Cookies!

I found a base recipe for this that produced a very small amount of cookies. I doubled the amounts, added vanilla, rewrote everything… and here we are.

These are essentially shortbread cookies with a vibrant green hue and fresh matcha flavor. The almonds add a sporadic, wonderful crunch.

I found this dough surprisingly easy to work with. As I sliced cookies, some of them crumbled–an inevitable hazard, with nuts in there–but it was easy to shape the dough into a cookie again.

The type of green tea you use may produce different results. I used a Rishi sweet green tea blend that includes sugar, making it ideal for lattes or baked goods.

Like most shortbreads this just begs to be accompanied by a nice hot cup of coffee or tea. Perhaps a book, too. Might I recommend Call of Fire? It’s out next Tuesday! (Was that smooth?)

Print Recipe

Bready or Not Original: Matcha (Green Tea) Almond Cookies

These shortbread-like cookies embody the fresh flavor of matcha powder and the lovely crunch of sliced almonds. Note that the dough needs to chill for at least an hour prior to baking. Different green teas will produce different results in taste and tint; look for a sweet matcha variety to use here.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: chocolate, cookies, shortbread, tea

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sweet matcha powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds lightly chopped

Instructions

• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, matcha powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.
• Slowly add in the flour mixture until dough is formed. Stir in the almonds.
• Stretch out a long piece of plastic wrap. Place dough in the middle to form a 1 1/2 inch log, then wrap well with the plastic. Repeat again so that all of the dough is in logs. Place them in the fridge to chill for at least an hour, or a day or two.
• Pre-heat oven at 325-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. If the dough crumbles, compress it to reshape. Arrange cookies about 2 inches apart on the pan.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes; set cookies on wire rack to completely cool. Store in a sealed container.
• OM NOM NOM!

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