These large, chunky Matcha Cookies are soft on the inside with crunchy edges and made in just 20 minutes using a few pantry ingredients. Infused with distinctive matcha powder and butterscotch chips, they boast a vibrant green color, delightful aroma, and exceptional flavor.
Table of Contents
I first tried these cookies at a friend’s house and was amazed by how the earthy tea flavor complemented them. Intrigued, I had to recreate them at home, and after several tests, I’ve perfected the recipe I’m sharing today. I love these cookies for their green tea infusion and earthy flavor, which beautifully enhances their taste.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These Matcha Cookies have thin crispy edges and are gooey and soft in the inside with an aromatic green tea flavor.
- Make them using only a handful of pantry ingredients in just 20 minutes.
- These cookies are amazing just like my Orange Shortbread Cookies, Butter Pecan Cookies, Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies, Nankhatai, Southern Tea Cakes, Pinwheel Cookies, Lemon Crinkle Cookies.
What is Matcha Powder?
Matcha powder, a special Japanese green tea with an earthy, slightly bitter, and sweet flavor, has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies since the 12th century. Unlike regular green tea, which grows in direct sunlight, matcha leaves flourish in the shade, giving them a subtle bitterness balanced by their natural sweetness. The leaves are steamed, dried, and then ground into a fine powder, a crucial process for achieving matcha’s distinctive flavor.
Matcha powder contains caffeine, though less than regular coffee or black tea, with 19-44 mg of caffeine per gram. It is a nutrient powerhouse, rich in antioxidant catechins that help protect the heart and may have cancer-fighting effects.
Matcha comes in three grades: culinary, premium, and ceremonial. Culinary matcha, used for cooking and baking, is widely available at stores or online. Ceremonial matcha is the highest quality, intended for drinking by whisking it in hot water. Premium grade matcha is made from the top leaves of the first tea harvest.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: helps with the structure of these cookies. Make sure to measure it properly to get best results.
- Corn Starch: helps to keep the cookies soft, crumbly, tender and chewy.
- Matcha Powder: the hero ingredient of this recipe. Use high quality matcha powder. It gives the sweet taste and green color to the cookies. I get mine from Amazon.
- Butter: use browning method (explained in step-by-step instructions) for intense nutty flavor.
- Butterscotch Chips: use high-quality butterscotch chips.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Looking for a gluten-free version of these cookies? Simply replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. This substitution allows you to enjoy the same delicious cookies without gluten, ensuring they remain just as soft and flavorful.
- Add a variety of nuts to the dough, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, cashews, or macadamia nuts, for extra crunch. Use ½ cup of nuts in the dough.
- Love Chocolate? Substitute the butterscotch chips with an equal amount of high-quality chocolate chips to add a rich, chocolatey flavor to the cookies. Keep in mind that using chocolate chips will intensify the chocolate taste and may slightly reduce the prominence of the matcha flavor.
This recipe hasn't been tested with alternative substitutions or variations. If you choose to replace or include different ingredients, we'd love to hear about your experience. Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
How to Make Matcha Cookies
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Take a saucepan and on medium heat brown the butter until it turns into golden yellowish in color. At this point transfer the butter into a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the butter (at room temperature) with sugars, using an electric mixer cream it together for 2 – 3 minutes until it turns light and fluffy. Add eggs, matcha powder and vanilla extract to the batter and mix until combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
4. Fold in the butterscotch chips. Leave the dough in the fridge for an hour.
5. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop out the cookies on the baking tray at 2-inch distance from each other.
6. Bake the cookies in the middle rack of the oven at 350 C in a preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Brown Butter: Brown butter enhances the texture of cookies, giving them crispy edges while maintaining a chewy center. For a nuttier flavor with a gooey center, use brown butter. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it forms brown particles, then remove from heat and let it cool slightly before using.
- Allow the Butter to Cool Completely: Let the butter cool completely after removing it from the burner before adding it to the dough. Hot butter can make the dough greasy and affect cookie texture. Ensure it’s at room temperature for the best results.
- Chilling is Important: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour before baking. This helps the flour absorb the liquids and firms up the butter, preventing excessive spreading and ensuring a perfect texture with crispy edges and a chewy center.
- Avoid Over-Baking: Watch the cookies closely and remove them when the edges are light brown, typically between 9 to 12 minutes. Over-baking can make them dry and overly crisp, so aim for a balance of a chewy center and golden edges.
- Use an Ice-cream Scoop: Use an ice cream scoop for uniform cookie sizes and consistent baking. Arrange the scooped dough in neat rows on the baking tray for a professional look.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to a day or freeze cookie balls for up to 3 months. Freeze the cookie balls separately on a baking tray until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container or plastic bag to prevent sticking.
Matcha powder can be difficult to find in local grocery stores, but it’s readily available on Amazon. I always buy from Amazon.
Matcha tea powder has a short shelf life. For optimal results, use opened matcha powder within 30 days. Beyond this period, it may become rancid and develop a bitter taste, affecting your baking.
How to Store
Room Temperature
These cookies will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. To maintain their optimal texture and flavor, keep them in a cool, dry place to ensure their softness and prevent them from becoming stale.
Refrigerator
The cookies will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week when stored in an airtight container. This helps maintain their softness, flavor, and prevents drying out. Ensure the container is well-sealed to avoid absorbing odors from other foods.
Freezing Instructions
Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, then foil, and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months to prevent freezer burn and maintain flavor and texture.
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Related Cookies Recipes
Recipe
Matcha Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (240 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3 g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3 g)
- 2 teaspoon corn starch (8 g)
- 1 ½ tablespoon matcha powder (9 g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (185 g)
- ½ cup castor sugar (100 g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 g)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup butterscotch chips (128 g)
Instructions
- Take a saucepan and on medium heat brown the butter until it turns into golden yellowish in color. At this point transfer the butter into a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
- Take a medium-sized bowl and combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and corn starch. Whisk and set aside.
- In a large sized bowl, whisk together the butter(at room temperature) with sugars, using an electric mixer cream it together for 2 – 3 minutes until it turns light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, matcha powder and vanilla extract to the batter and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in the butterscotch chips to the batter.Let the dough rest in the fridge for an hour.
- Pre-heat the oven at 350 F and line two baking trays with silicone sheets or parchment paper.
- Using an ice-cream scoop (I use 1.5 oz or 3 tablespoon size) and scoop out the cookies on the baking tray. Remember to keep at least 2-inch distance between the cookies.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 – 12 minutes until the edges turn light golden in color.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for about 5 – 7 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
-
- Brown Butter: For a nuttier flavor and crispy edges with a gooey center, use brown butter. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it forms brown particles, then remove from heat and let it cool slightly before using.
- Allow the Butter to Cool Completely: Let the butter cool completely after removing it from the burner before adding it to the dough. Hot butter can make the dough greasy and affect cookie texture. Ensure it’s at room temperature for the best results.
- Chilling is Important: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour before baking. This helps the flour absorb the liquids and firms up the butter, preventing excessive spreading and ensuring a perfect texture with crispy edges and a chewy center.
- Avoid Over-Baking: Watch the cookies closely and remove them when the edges are light brown, typically between 9 to 12 minutes. Over-baking can make them dry and overly crisp, so aim for a balance of a chewy center and golden edges.
- Use an Ice-cream Scoop: Use an ice cream scoop for uniform cookie sizes and consistent baking. Arrange the scooped dough in neat rows on the baking tray for a professional look.
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