If you love matcha as much as I do, you’ll love these vegan matcha shortbread cookies. They are crisp, melt in your mouth, and so easy to make. Add some sweet decorations and you instantly have a Japanese-inspired treat. Switch up your shortbread cookie game with these delicious matcha cookies!
Shortbread cookies are an easy cookie to bake, especially during the Christmas season. And I can see why, it’s such a simple cookie and the perfect base to use any sweet fillings or toppings. I wanted to give these vegan matcha shortbread cookies an Asian flare, which is why I used matcha!
What’s The Best Matcha To Use?
Find yourself a high-quality, culinary-grade matcha powder. Compared to ceremonial grade, culinary grade are often sold in bigger batches. But it's the uses are what make them different. Ceremonial-grade matcha is often consumed on its own when whisked with hot water. While culinary-grade matcha is often added to lattes, baked goods, and more.
Use High-quality Matcha Powder
High-quality matcha is expensive. It's vibrant in color, smells a bit sweet, and tastes smooth. Yes, it’s pricey, but you’re getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
You’ll be getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
✨Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They're light, buttery, and not too sweet.
- This easy shortbread recipe only has 7 ingredients and is simple to make.
- These matcha cookies are like a delicious treat that you would find in Japan!
- These will make for the perfect Christmas cookies for a holiday party or cookie exchange.
✏️Ingredient Notes
- Vegan Butter - My favorite brand to use is Country Crock Plant Butter, but any vegan butter sticks will work. But, stay away from using butter spreads. They’re formulated differently from the butter sticks.
- Culinary-grade Matcha - You want to get the most vibrant matcha powder you can get. The color pays off and the flavor will be worth it. My favorite brand to use is Mizuba.
- Powdered sugar - Using powdered sugar will give you that delicate melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
- Vegan white chocolate - This will help balance the slight bitterness of the matcha. And they elevate this cookie recipe, it's like a little Japanese treat. My favorite brand to use is King David. It’s the best brand that melts perfectly.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📝Substitutions & Variations
- If you can’t find vegan white chocolate, you can also use royal icing or regular vegan chocolate. But I would be careful when using chocolate as the flavors can be too strong. You could risk overpowering the matcha flavor.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
🍴How to Make Vegan Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Top Tip: Use a food scale to weigh out the ingredients. That way, you'll only need one or two bowls, and you won't have to wash a bunch of measuring cups!
Step 1: Combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and matcha powder in a bowl.
Step 2: Cream the vegan butter and powdered sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until there are no pockets of dry flour left.
Step 4: Shape the dough into a 1-inch thick disc. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 5: Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Roll the dough to about a ¼-inch thick.
Step 6: Use a round cookie cutter, or your favorite cutter to shape and cut out the cookies.
Step 7: Transfer them to a prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space in between. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Step 8: Bake for 10 minutes. Let them cool for a bit before decorating.
Step 9: Melt the vegan white chocolate on a bain marie or a double boiler. You can dip each cookie halfway or pour it into a piping bag to do more intricate designs.
Step 10: Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Christmas Tree Matcha Cookies
These are perfect for any Christmas cookie box! Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut the dough. Dip it in white chocolate to mimic a snow-covered tree, or pipe on some rope lights. They will be the cutest Christmas cookies you’ll ever make!
⭐Expert Baking Tips
- If you’re struggling with cracking while you roll out the dough, it means the dough is too cold. Allow it to sit out at room temperature for a few more minutes to warm up and try again.
- Get yourself a high-quality culinary-grade matcha powder.
- Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to help bring the dough together. It’ll make the process quick!
- Vegan white chocolate doesn’t melt easily in the microwave, so use a double boiler or a bain marie.
- Chilling the baking sheet before baking helps prevent the cookies from spreading and maintain their shape.
💭Common Questions
I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t say how it will turn out. But you can try using the 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Yes! You can keep the dough chilling in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
Chilling the dough will allow the flour to hydrate and ensure the butter stays cold. This helps the cookies from spreading too much and keep their shape.
🥣Storage & Reheating
- Room temperature
You can store the decorated cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. - Freezing Instructions
You can freeze the dough or the baked cookies. To freeze the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Store the baked undecorated cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and comment below! Tag @flouredframe on Instagram & Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Plastic wrap or zip storage bag
- Rolling Pin
- Your favorite cookie cutters
- Thin spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
- Piping bags optional
Ingredients
- 226 grams Vegan butter (softened at room temperature)
- 120 grams Powdered sugar
- 250 grams All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 20 grams Culinary-grade Matcha powder (I used Mizuba brand)
- 80 grams Vegan white chocolate coins
Instructions
Matcha Shortbread Cookie Dough
- Combine the all-purpose flour, white rice flour, salt, and matcha powder in a bowl.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened vegan butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add in the dry ingredients and continue to mix on low until a soft dough forms.
- Shape it into a 1-inch thick disc and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Liberally flour your work surface and roll the dough to about a ¼-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter, or your favorite cutter to shape and cut out the cookies.
- Flour a thin spatula and gently slide it under the cookies. Then carefully transfer them to a prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space in between.
- Place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least of 20 minutes before baking. Then preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
White Chocolate
- Melt the vegan white chocolate on a Bain Marie or a double boiler. You can dip each cookie halfway or pour it into a piping bag to do more intricate designs. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Find yourself a high-quality, culinary-grade matcha powder. Compared to ceremonial grade, culinary grade are often sold in bigger batches. But it's the uses are what makes them different. Ceremonial-grade matcha is often consumed on its own when whisked with hot water. While culinary-grade matcha is often added to lattes, baked goods, and more.
- Use High-quality Matcha Powder. High-quality matcha is expensive. It's vibrant in color, smells a bit sweet, and tastes smooth. Yes, it’s pricey, but you’re getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
- Vegan white chocolate doesn’t melt easily in the microwave, so use a double boiler or a Bain Marie.
- If you’re struggling with cracking while you roll out the dough, it means the dough is too cold. Allow it to sit out at room temperature for a few more minutes to warm up and try again.
- Placing the baking sheet in the fridge right before baking will help the cookies from spreading and help keep their shape.
- Substitutions for vegan white chocolate. If you can’t find vegan white chocolate, you can also use royal icing or regular vegan chocolate. But I would be careful when using chocolate as the flavors can be too strong. You could risk overpowering the matcha flavor.
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