Classic Matcha Green Tea Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe

Hey guys, it’s Sierra! Today I have for you an easy recipe to make amazing melt-in-your-mouth matcha green tea shortbread cookies!

Lately, I’ve been making a lot of different kinds of matcha cookies. As much as I love melty, chewy cookies, nothing beats the flaky, crisp ones — particularly the shortbread style. I’ve made this for my sister, my coworkers, Kevin, and his family, and I got an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. It was such a big hit that I wanted to share this simple, quick recipe with you.

Shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit, and it is not the same thing as sugar cookies! It’s called “shortbread” because the high proportion of butter creates a crumbly texture, in result, shortening the pastry. There are many variations and twists to baking shortbread cookies, but I stayed true to the classic way of making them, following the 321 ratio.

What is the 321 ratio? It’s the weight ratio of flour to butter to sugar (notice there is no egg in this recipe). These three are the main ingredients along with nothing else besides a pinch of salt, some vanilla extract, and matcha powder. Shortbread cookies also require the least amount of sugar among other types of cookies. Definitely a better choice if you are watching your sugar intake!

Getting the ratio right in a recipe is extremely important. Baking is no joke! In order for me to stay on top of these ratios, I did use a kitchen scale. But don’t worry–I have converted metric units to US Customary units for you.

One thing to keep in mind before getting started: feel free to substitute granulated sugar with powdered sugar for softer, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I kept it as granulated sugar to keep mine a little crispier, but don’t worry, these will still melt in your mouth. Read more about it here.

For this recipe, I decided to add an Asian twist to the traditional Scottish shortbread cookie recipe. Matcha has been a popular baking ingredient lately, and I can definitely understand why.

Unlike many Western desserts, for Asian desserts, the goal is to create a “not-too-sweet” dessert. When you buy something at an Asian bakery, the first flavor you notice should never be “sweet”. You’ll probably taste the main flavor, such as fruit or matcha, and the sweetness will be used to complement that flavor.

That was the goal with adding matcha to these shortbread cookies. The slightly bitter taste of the green tea powder helps offset the sweetness of the sugar, and it adds a bit more complexity to the flavor. The combination of the butter, matcha, and sugar creates an amazingly refreshing and light flavor compared to the normal richness of the classic shortbread cookie.

Now let’s get started on this addicting matcha green tea shortbread cookie recipe!

These matcha green tea shortbread cookies are so delicious that you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make! By enhancing the flavor of traditional shortbread cookies with matcha, this is a modern take on a classic cookie that won’t go out of style any time soon. You have the melt-in-your-mouth texture of shortbread complemented by the smooth taste of matcha, creating a perfectly balanced cookie.

Leave a Comment