Matcha Shortbread Cookies

A classic, old-fashioned sweet shortbread recipe is infused with the slightly bitter flavour of matcha. Dipped in melted chocolate, these Matcha Shortbread Cookies boast a delicious pairing all in a beautifully simple festive cookie. These could be a great new addition to your annual cookie exchange!

Whenever I prepare a recipe with matcha, I always feel a little bad, but also a little greedy. You see, I love matcha, but John.e does not. So, I feel badly that he won’t partake in these delicious Matcha Shortbread Cookies, but also a little greedy, because that means I’m going to get them all to myself!

Since the first time I tasted the Green Tea Frappuccino at Starbucks, I immediately adopted a full-on love affair with anything matcha-flavoured.  I can still remember it, actually!  I’m guessing it was in 2005.  I had just been promoted to a director role at the college, and immediately found myself in a position to hire someone to fill my previous role!

I ended up hiring one of my best childhood friends, and contrary to what you might be thinking, she and I worked together very well.  One day, she brought me a Green Tea Frappuccino from Starbucks.  I thanked her and cautiously took the tiniest of sips through that popularly recognized green straw.  I was so nervous because it looked like one of those healthy green grass smoothies.  Yuck!

Much to my surprise, I loved it! Since 2005, whenever I order a cold drink at Starbucks, it’s always a Green Tea Frap. I’ve tried the Pumpkin Spice Frap once but hated it. So, if it’s not green tea, then it’s nothing at all for me, thanks. Oh, I did, however, graduate from the grande she bought me to a full-on venti cup! Calories do not count when it comes to matcha!

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the cookie recipes! Before I get into this brand-new series, let me make mention of the three previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Donuts and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers. And now, I’m starting out on this new series, which is the sixth annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the sixth year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 6! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family. 

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is softened and at room temperature.
• Confectioner’s Sugar – You might call it powdered sugar or icing sugar.
• Vanilla Extract – Want to know a secret among many bakers? Use white vanilla extract instead of the dark amber kind to keep your confections looking brighter!
• Matcha Powder
• Cornstarch – It helps to create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture.
• Flour – This recipe has only been tested with all-purpose, unbleached flour.
• Chocolate Chips – Even though I favour milk chocolate, semi-sweet chips pair best with the sweetness of this cookie.
• Vegetable Oil – Use it to thin the melted chocolate.

HOW TO MAKE MATCHA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Beat together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and incorporate into the butter and sugar mixture. Add the flour, cornstarch, and matcha powder. On low speed, beat them into the butter and sugar until well incorporated.

Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each portion completely in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2 hours. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Set aside.

Roll one portion of the dough to 1/3 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a round cookie cutter, or your favourite cookie cutter shape to cut out the cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once cooled, transfer the semi-sweet chocolate chips and vegetable oil to a microwave-safe bowl. On half power, melt the chocolate and oil together in increments of 30 seconds. Stir well between each increment. Once the chocolate is silky smooth, dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dust the chocolate-dipped portion of the cookies with matcha powder. Set aside until the chocolate has hardened before packaging or storing.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Matcha Shortbread Cookies, you certainly can! Once the chocolate has hardened, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer-friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Whenever I work with anything covered in chocolate, I like to use a glove to prevent getting fingerprints on it as much as possible! Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!