Matcha Swirl Shortbread Cookies
Through the end of March we bring you Matcha Madness, a series where we share our favorite matcha-based recipes. If you’re as mad for this green tea as we are, tune in for more! Below, Cynthia C. of Two Red Bowls shares a buttery swirly shortbread cookie, a perfect tea-time snack.
Photo: Cynthia C.
Matcha Swirl Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 36 1-inch cookies
I wanted a little more visual interest than plain green for these cookies, so I decided to try a swirl pattern. I made two batches of dough, rolled them out separately and layered them, then rolled them up like cinnamon rolls and cut them into rounds. I was delighted with the whimsical, Dr. Seuss-y result, and best of all, my parents loved them—they’re not too sweet, but satisfyingly buttery, with just enough creamy green tea flavor to be subtle but unmistakable.
Light green swirl:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1/2 egg yolk
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp matcha powder
1 pinch of baking powder
1 small pinch of salt
Dark green swirl:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1/2 egg yolk (optional)
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp matcha powder
1 pinch of baking powder
1 small pinch of salt
Prepare the light green dough first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter and powdered sugar vigorously until smooth. Add half the egg yolk and the almond extract, and whisk again until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. (A note on judging the color: The mixture will be a little lighter green than the dough will actually turn out.) Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, beating after each addition, until ingredients are fully incorporated and it has formed a thick, rough dough. Form the dough into a ball, store in a zip-top plastic bag, and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the dark green dough.
Next, prepare the dark green dough. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the dark green dough, but with 1 full teaspoon of matcha powder. You may want to play around with the amount of matcha you add—you can up the dark green dough to 1.5 tsp, for instance, or decrease the light green dough to 1/4 tsp, for greater contrast and a stronger green tea flavor.
Keeping the dough in the plastic bags or placing between two sheets of parchment paper, roll each batch to about 1/8″ thickness, forming squares that are about 5″x5″. Optional: If desired, chill both balls of dough for about 20-30 minutes before rolling. A cold dough may be slightly easier to handle. Place one lighter-colored square on top of one dark-colored square, lining them up as best you can, and gently roll lengthways into a log. Wrap in plastic and place in fridge and let chill for 1 hour.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove logs from the fridge and slice into 1/4″-thick rounds. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You only need to leave about 1/2-1″ of space between them, since they will not spread. Bake until you can see the barest hints of brown forming on the bottom edges, about 10 minutes.
Crazy for matcha? You’ll want to read these, too:
Matcha Coconut Custard Tart with Chocolate Crust
