Indulge in your matcha cravings with these melt-in-your-mouth matcha butter cookies. Made with ceremonial-grade matcha, butter, vanilla, and sugar these delicate cookies are as delicious as they are captivating.
These delicate matcha butter cookies celebrate Japanese flavors with European baking techniques. With each bite, you’ll experience a crumbly texture that turns into a smooth and buttery melt-in-your-mouth experience.
The matcha powder adds distinctive grassy, green tea notes with mild bitterness that intertwines with the rich butter, sugar, and vanilla to create a perfectly balanced flavor profile for your taste buds.
Matcha is a high-grade form of green tea using young leaves grown in the shade and then ground into vivid green powder. Matcha powder has an addicting earthy, smooth green tea flavor.
Depending the grade of matcha purchased, there are flavor and color differences between each of the following types: ceremonial, premium, and culinary grade matcha. I generally like to use ceremonial grade for my baked goods for the best color and taste but you can always opt for culinary grade as well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you love cookies and matcha, there is no doubt that you will love this matcha cookie recipe. Here are the top 3 reasons why you need to make these green tea matcha cookies.
Melt in your mouth texture. These matcha butter cookies have the most delicate crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture that will keep you coming back for more.
Easy to make recipe. This matcha butter cookies recipe is so easy to make with step-by-step photo instructions and a tips and tricks section for a foolproof recipe.
Versatile. You can customize your matcha cookies with different shapes, and additional ingredients like white chocolate and citrus zest to create your own variation.
Kitchen Equipment
You will need the following items of kitchen equipment to make this matcha butter cookies recipe. I’ve linked everything that I used for you below.
Kitchen Scale: a kitchen scale is absolutely NECESSARY if you want to have the most foolproof chai tea cookies. This will ensure you have the exact measurements for each ingredient.
Mixing Bowls:mixing bowls are one of my main kitchen essentials for almost all of my recipes. They allow me to keep an organized kitchen.
Fine Mesh Sieve. You will need a fine mesh sieve or sifter to sift the dry ingredients and matcha powder.
Rubber spatula: you will use a rubber spatula to combine the dough and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
Parchment paper orSilicone mat: You can either line your baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Half-Sheet Baking Trays: you will need at least 2 half-sheet baking trays to bake these green tea cookies.
Piping bag with star tip: you will need a piping bag with a star tip to pipe out the shapes of your matcha butter cookies
Ingredients
You can find all of the ingredients for this matcha cookie recipe at your local grocery store in the baking aisle. I’ve linked everything that I used below.
All-Purpose Flour:all-purpose flour creates a tender yet hearty crumb for these chai tea cookies. Make sure to measure your flour with a scale! If you don’t have a scale, make sure to fluff up the flour before spooning it into your measuring cup and lightly leveling it off with a knife. Do not pack the flour into the cup.
Cake Flour: the addition of cake flour is what makes these butter cookies so delicate and have a softer melt-in-your-mouth crumb texture.
Salt:salt balances and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Matcha powder: Use the best culinary, premium, or ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha powder that you can find. For this matcha cookie recipe, I used ceremonial-grade matcha for a richer matcha flavor with a more brilliant green color.
Unsalted butter: use unsalted butter to control the salt content in your cookies and make sure the butter is room temperature to easily mix it with the sugar.
Granulated sugar: these green tea matcha cookies are sweetened with granulated sugar.
Egg yolks: the egg yolks bind the cookie together and make the matcha cookies crispier and more crumbly.
Vanilla Extract:vanilla extract adds a layer of sweet vanilla flavor.
Whole Milk: whole milk adds moisture to the matcha cookie dough allowing it to be pliable enough to pipe into shapes.
Substitutions and Additions
These are your green tea matcha cookies. This means you can customize them based on your preferences! I’ve listed some suggestions for you below.
Substitutions
All-purpose flour + cornstarch: if you do not have cake flour, you can substitute the cake flour portion with all-purpose flour and cornstarch. You will need to remove 1/2 a tablespoon from 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and add in 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Culinary Grade matcha: you can easily use culinary-grade matcha powder instead of ceremonial matcha. However, the vibrant color will be more muted and the flavor profile not be as pronounced.
Salted butter: if can swap out the unsalted butter for salted butter and remove the addition of salt in the matcha cookie recipe.
Additions
White Chocolate: you can melt white chocolate and dip your matcha butter cookies in white chocolate for garnish.
Lemon Zest: for a citrus spin, sprinkle some lemon zest onto your cookies after baking.
Coarse white sugar: for added texture and crunch you can sprinkle coarse white sugar or sprinkles onto your matcha cookies before baking.
How to Make Matcha Butter Cookies
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this matcha butter cookies recipe. I recommend measuring all the ingredients first before you begin.
Prep the refrigerator and the baking sheets. Make room in your refrigerator for a baking sheet so the shaped cookies can chill. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Sift dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift the flour, cake flour, salt, and matcha powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until smooth about 1 minute. With the mixer still running on low, slowly add in the sugar. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
Incorporate egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. While mixing, add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. Continue to mix on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to combine.
Combine dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the mixer in two additions, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined and there are no more traces of flour.
Pipe the cookies. Transfer cookie batter to a large piping bag with fitted a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch cookies (rosettes, pretzels, circles, squares) on a prepared baking sheet. Space cookies at least 1 inch apart. If desired, sprinkle the dough with festive sprinkles and/or coarse sugar. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Prepare the oven. While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake. Bake each sheet one at a time for 9-11 minutes or until edges are JUST lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Tips for the Best Matcha Butter Cookies
Measure your flour with a scale! Adding too much flour to the cookie dough will make it taste like flour. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. The second best is to fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into a measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
Use room-temperature butter and eggs. Room-temperature butter and eggs will be easier to blend into the matcha butter cookie dough to create a smooth, uniform textured batter.
If the batter is too thick, add more milk. The consistency may vary depending on the type of matcha that you use. If the matcha cookie dough is too thick to pipe, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Use an oven thermometer! Not all ovens are created equally. The best way to know the most accurate temperature is to place an oven thermometer in your oven and adjust your oven accordingly.
Chill for at least 1 hour. Chilling the cookies will allow the butter to solidify and allow the flour to hydrate which improves the taste and texture and prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly.
For round traditional cookies: shape your dough into a tube shape with a 2-inch diameter with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator before slicing and baking.
Storage Instructions
You can store baked matcha butter cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Alternatively, you can chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if chilling for longer than 1 hour.
Freezing baked cookies: you can freeze the baked green tea matcha cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To freeze cookie dough: You can also freeze the un-baked-shaped dough for up to 2-3 months. Bake the frozen-shaped dough for an extra couple of minutes at 330 degrees F. You do not need to thaw the dough.
Frequently Asked Q’s and A’s
What is the best butter to use for butter cookies?
I recommend using European salted butter at room temperature for butter cookies. European butter has a higher fat content which means more butter flavor. Since these cookies only have a few ingredients the quality of your ingredients matters for the final taste of the cookies. You can always opt for using unsalted butter and adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Why do I need to chill my matcha cookie dough before baking?
Chilling the cookie dough before baking amplifies the flavors, hardens the butter which will prevent overspreading, and allow the cookies to hold their shape in the oven.
What type of matcha powder should I use for matcha cookies?
There are three types of matcha powders that you can choose from for this matcha cookie recipe. I used ceremonial-grade matcha for the best color and flavor.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha: The ceremonial grade matcha is the highest quality matcha powder that has the most vibrant green color, smooth texture, delicate flavor, and minimal bitterness.
Premium Grade Matcha: premium grade matcha is slightly lower quality with a less vibrant green texture but still has a delicate flavor and minimal bitterness.
Culinary Grade Matcha: the culinary grade matcha is the lowest quality matcha that has a more yellow, muted green color and more added bitterness. It is also the least expensive choice.
Indulge in your matcha cravings with these melt-in-your-mouth matcha butter cookies. Made with ceremonial-grade matcha, butter, vanilla, and sugar these delicate cookies are as delicious as they are captivating.
Prep your refrigerator and baking sheets. Make room in your refrigerator for a baking sheet so the shaped cookies can chill. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Sift dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift the flour, cake flour, salt, and matcha powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until smooth about 1 minute. With the mixer still running on low, slowly add in the sugar. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Scrape the edges of the bowl to combine.
Incorporate egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. While mixing, add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. Continue to mix on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to combine.
Combine dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the mixer in two parts, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined and there are no more traces of flour.
Pipe the cookies. Transfer cookie batter to a large piping bag with fitted a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch cookies (rosettes, pretzels, circles, squares) on a prepared baking sheet. Space cookies at least 1 inch apart. If desired, sprinkle the dough with festive sprinkles and/or coarse sugar. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Prepare the oven. While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake. Bake the cookies one tray at a time for 9-11 minutes or until edges are JUST lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Notes
Measure your flour with a scale! Adding too much flour to the cookie dough will make it taste like flour. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. The second best is to fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into a measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
Use room-temperature butter and eggs. Room-temperature butter and eggs will be easier to blend into the matcha butter cookie dough to create a smooth, uniform textured batter.
If the batter is too thick, add more milk. The consistency may vary depending on the type of matcha that you use. If the matcha cookie dough is too thick to pipe, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Chill for at least 1 hour. Chilling the cookies will allow the butter to solidify and allow the flour to hydrate which improves the taste and texture and prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly.
Storage Instructions: You can store baked matcha butter cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Alternatively, you can chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if chilling for longer than 1 hour.
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