Matcha is one of my favourite ingredients to bake with. This prized green tea powder pairs so well with chocolate and creamy desserts. The thing with matcha is that quality really does matter, and the more emerald the colour, the better it will taste! Here's my recipe for tender and crisp Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies that have a buttery sugar cookie base and dark chocolate chunks. This is a slice and bake cookie, which means that you can keep the dough rolled in the fridge until you're ready to bake, and you don't need to scoop and roll!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Matcha green tea powder - use high quality matcha powder to get the best flavour and the rich emerald green colour through the cookie dough.

Tender and crisp sugar cookies - these cookies have a wonderful tender texture with crisp edges.

Buttery sugar cookie dough - the base of this recipe is a simple butter cookie dough with vanilla and green tea flavour.

Slice and bake recipe - these are especially easy to make because you simply roll the dough into a log and wrap it up. All you need to do is slice it into rounds and bake!

Dark chocolate chunks - I just love the pairing of matcha and dark chocolate, but I'll let you know that white chocolate is a great alternative! The creamy sweetness pairs really nicely with matcha!

Butter - soft butter adds incredible flavour and helps build structure during the creaming step for tender cookies. Pull it out of the fridge at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.

Granulated sugar - this recipe uses simple white granulated sugar. It will help the cookies crisp up around the edges.

Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will complement the green tea flavour and helps to offset the deep earthiness of the matcha. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes wonderful sugar cookies.

Matcha powder - this is the main ingredient here. I can't stress enough how important it is to use the best quality matcha - trust me, it makes the biggest difference! Look for "culinary grade". Good matcha has a deep vibrant emerald green colour and should not be yellowish nor brownish.

Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really enhances the taste.

Dark chocolate - I like to use chunks so that you get all sorts of irregular shapes in the cookie slices. You can use anything between 50% and 70% dark chocolate. You can chop it up from a bar of chocolate or use these 63% dark chocolate chips.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, matcha powder, baking powder and salt. If your flour and matcha are lumpy, you can sift them.

STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy for about 20 seconds in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use an electric hand mixer. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

STEP 3). Mix in egg. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, 30-45 seconds. If the mixture still looks a tad bit curdled, it’s ok.

STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture in two batches and mix on low speed until it becomes moistened and forms a crumbly dough, about 15 seconds between additions. It may still look dry at this point. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish mixing by hand using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.

STEP 5). Chill the dough. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and use your hands to form it into a 9 to 10-inch long log (1.5 inches wide). Use the plastic wrap to help shape and roll it into a log. Place the log in the fridge and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

STEP 6). Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

STEP 7). Slice & Bake. Use a sharp knife to slice the log into squares about ¼ to ½-inch thickness and arrange slices on prepared baking sheets. These don’t spread much so you can fit quite a few on one tray. Bake about 15 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely and enjoy!

TIPS FOR MAKING MATCHA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Use soft butter. Pull the butter out of the fridge 2 hours before baking so that it comes to room temperature. Soft butter will blend more evenly with the sugar and it has more potential for aeration to create the foundation for tender, crisp cookies during the "creaming" step.

Use chocolate chunks instead of chips - chocolate chunks will create a more interesting look in these cookies since there will be more irregular shapes when you chop it from a bar.

Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour can make these cookies dry and crumbly.

Chill the dough. This is a slice-and-bake cookie which means that the dough needs time to firm up in the log shape in the fridge for best results. It will make it easier to slice and also help the cookies hold their shape.

Use a very sharp knife to make sure you get clean slices.

Use couverture chocolate, or high quality bar chocolate for dipping. Chocolate chips do not melt as smoothly as bar chocolate since it often contains more sugar for more stability. Bar chocolate often has added cocoa butter for more fluidity. So, for easy dipping, use a good dark chocolate bar or block and chop it up into chunks before melting.

RECIPE FAQ

Do I need to chill the dough?

This cookie dough absolutely needs time to chill in the fridge to make it easier to slice into rounds before baking.

How do I store matcha chocolate chip cookies?

These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze sugar cookies?

You can actually freeze this dough for future baking! Just place the wrapped log of dough in a freezer bag, seal it well and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, pull it from the freezer 30 minutes before until it is just soft enough to slice.

What type of matcha should I use for matcha chocolate chipcookies?

It is very important to use high quality "culinary grade" matcha for the best results. It should have a rich emerald green colour.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

I never have issues with this cookie dough spreading, so if you run into that issue, it could be that the dough wasn't chilled enough or that you need to add another tablespoon or two of flour.

Should sugar cookies be soft or crispy?

This recipe makes cookies that are crisp around the edges and slightly soft in the middle. If you prefer them to be crisp all the way through, then bake them for 2-3 minutes longer.

Are sugar cookies supposed to be soft when they come out of the oven?

Yes, these cookies will still feel slightly soft in the center when they are ready and they will set as they cool and set on the baking sheet.

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