Buttery Matcha Shortbread Cookies – Bakes by Brown Sugar

My purpose for this recipe was to recreate the flavour of the scrumptious matcha latte I had in Tokyo. That latte made me fall in love with matcha within the first place. The latte was easy and barely candy, with a creamy richness from the milk that balanced the earthy notes of the inexperienced tea.

I elevated the sugar to 125 grams to mellow out the bitterness of the matcha. The cookie was good, however too candy, and the matcha taste was too delicate. It didn’t fairly seize the magic of that Tokyo latte.

Then I had an thought: what if I added milk powder to imitate the creamy taste of the latte? In my subsequent check, I saved the unique quantity of sugar (114 grams) and added 2 tablespoons of milk powder together with 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste.

That was the trick. The milk powder added a delicate milky, vanilla-like sweetness that enhanced the matcha as a substitute of overpowering it. The result’s a cookie that tastes like a matcha latte in shortbread kind, easy, balanced, and simply the correct quantity of inexperienced tea goodness.

Key Elements for Matcha Shortbread Cookies

This straightforward shortbread recipe comprises the essential shortbread components (flour, sugar, and butter) and under I clarify the significance of the components that make this cookie so good.

• Matcha (Inexperienced Tea) Powder: Matcha powder is the important thing ingredient for that brilliant inexperienced colour and grassy taste. There are totally different grades of matcha, so be certain that to get the one particularly processed for desserts or lattes. Some matcha powders are purposely bitter and designed for extra savory dishes.
• Non-Fats Milk Powder: The milk powder provides a creamy vanilla taste that enhances the matcha taste and recreates that yummy matcha latte I had in Tokyo. Since I do not use a whole lot of milk powder, I purchase it in bulk since you solely want somewhat for this cookie recipe, and it might spoil.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: Including vanilla bean paste is such a sport changer for this recipe. It enhances the matcha powder and milk powder to provide the cookies a naturally candy taste with out including extra sugar. If you do not have vanilla bean paste substitute with an equal quantity of pure vanilla extract.

Full components, measurements, and directions are within the recipe card on the backside of this submit.

The right way to Make Matcha (Inexperienced Tea) Shortbread Cookies

Earlier than your begin mixing, measure out all of the components. This step is known as mise en place and can assist keep away from errors.

Step 1: Place the butter, sugar, and matcha powder on a big mixing bowl.

Step 2: Cream the sugar, butter, and matcha powder till the combination is creamy and nicely mixed.

Step 3: Add the dry components to the dough.

Step 4: Combine the flour in till the dough comes collectively.

Step 5: Roll out the cookie dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a floured work floor.

Step 6: Reduce out cookies and prick the floor with a fork.

Step 7: Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 8: Bake the cookies at 300°F for 20-22 minutes.

The right way to Retailer These Cookies

These cookies will flip a lighter inexperienced, so retailer them in an hermetic container to keep up the sunshine inexperienced colour. The cookies may be saved for as much as 10 days, however the colour will fade the longer they sit.

See the recipe card to learn to freeze these cookies.

Ideas for Excellent Matcha Shortbread

I need you to get the most effective outcomes, so listed here are a couple of key ideas:

• Weigh Your Elements. Shortbread depends on a exact 3-2-1 ratio (flour-butter-sugar by weight). Utilizing a kitchen scale ensures the proper texture. I diminished the quantity of flour to account for the addition of the milk powder.
• Watch the Baking Time.  These cookies bake low and gradual at 300°F for 20-22 minutes to protect the fragile matcha taste. Overbaking will make the cookies exhausting and intensify the slight bitterness.
• Poke the Dough Earlier than Baking.  Pricking the unbaked cookies with a fork permits steam to flee, serving to them bake evenly and keep a easy floor.

Extra Cookie Recipes

If you would like extra cookie recipes take a look at a few of my favorites:

In the event you make this buttery scrumptious shortbread cookies please go away a ranking and a remark under.