Matcha Cookies

Take a look around my blog and you’ll find lots of fun chocolate chip cookie recipes. My Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies, Bourbon Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies,  and Biscoff Butter Cookies are just a few of my favorites. These quick and easy brown butter chocolate matcha cookies are a wonderfully delicious addition to my growing collection of (white) chocolate chip cookies. I know you’ll love this recipe because: 

• They are quick and easy. All you need to do is make the brown butter and bring the eggs to room temperature. Then simply mix everything up in one bowl, chill for half and hour and bake! 
• You love cozy variations on classic cookies. These white chocolate chip matcha sugar cookies are an incredibly delicious variation on classic chocolate chip cookies. 
• Layers of flavor and texture. These easy matcha cookies have lightly crisp edges, chewy centers, pockets of melted white chocolate. The brown butter brings a lovely nuttiness that beautifully balances the lemon-y, slightly earthy flavor of the green tea and the sweetness of the white chocolate. In other words, the flavors in these green tea cookies are perfectly matched. 

Dry ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and matcha powder.

Wet Ingredients: Gather brown butter, lemon zest, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, dark, and white chocolate chips.

Here are my recommended substitutions to make these wonderfully chewy matcha white chocolate cookies:

• All purpose flour: This recipe hasn’t been tested with an alternative flour. However, if you want to make this recipe gluten free, use a good 1-1 flour and measure by weight rather than cups. 
• Baking Soda: A double acting baking powder is the best substitute for baking soda. The final texture of the cookie will be different, but it will still be a delicious cookie! For this recipe, use 3 teaspoons baking powder in place of the baking soda. 
• Matcha Powder: In order to get the most vibrant green color and green tea taste, use a ceremonial grade green tea. 
• Brown Butter: I love the nutty flavor from brown butter, but feel free to use regular melted butter. This recipe calls for 1 cup (226 g) regular butter, that when browned reduces down to ¾ cup (170 g) brown butter. If you want to use regular melted butter, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter.  
• Light Brown and Granulated Sugars: A blend of both sugars is what creates that classic chocolate chip cookie taste and texture.  This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars. However, I love using maple sugar as a refined sugar free option in my other cookie recipes. Maple sugar bakes very similarly to light brown sugar. 
• Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs. If you make this recipe without eggs or using an egg substitute, let me know! 
• White Chocolate Chips: The flavor of the white chocolate pairs beautifully with the flavor of matcha green tea. Feel free to use white chocolate bars. Milk chocolate chips or semi sweet chocolate chips would also be delicious mix-ins.

Let me show you how to make matcha cookies with white chocolate chips.

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and matcha powder together until well combined. 
2. In another large bowl, whisk the warm brown butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. 
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. 
4. Fold in the white chocolate chips.

5. Scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of chocolate chip butter pecan cookie dough onto a small lined baking sheet or large plate. I like to use a medium cookie scoop to get perfectly portioned cookies. Place the cookie dough balls in the fridge to chill for 30-60 minutes. 
6. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 5-6 balls of chilled matcha cookie dough on the baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Top with more white chocolate chips if you like. 
7. Bake the chewy matcha cookies for 10-12 minutes. The edges will be set and lightly golden brown. 
8. Remove the cookies from the oven onto a cooling rack or stove top. After 3 minutes, transfer the cookies off the hot baking sheet and onto the cooling rack to cool to room temperature and enjoy!

Make Ahead

These chewy matcha cookies are easy to make and come together rather quickly, but they can easily be made ahead of time. To do this simply prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions through step 5 for fridge storage or freezing the cookie dough balls.

Freeze And Thaw

Freeze the cookies: Place the cookie dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until the cookie dough is frozen. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place the frozen cookie balls into a ziplock bag. These cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Thaw the cookie dough: Transfer your desired amount of frozen cookie dough balls onto a lined plate or baking sheet. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring the cookie dough balls to room temperature before baking. The frozen cookie dough can also be baked straight from the freezer. Just make sure to add about 2 - 3 more minutes to the baking time.

Store

Leftover cookie dough: Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Baked cookies: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. For the best cookie eating experience, heat the cookies in the microwave for 20 seconds for that “fresh from the oven taste.”

• Brown the butter: This is such a simple step that really elevates the flavors in this butter pecan chocolate chip cookie. I highly recommend taking the time to brown the butter. However, if you want to simply melt the butter, use ¾ cup (12 tbsp) butter. 
• Bring cold and hot ingredients to room temperature: This allows the cookies to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in a soft, chewy and delicious cookie. 
• Use ceremonial grade match powder: To get the most vibrant color and flavor, it’s important to use a matcha powder that is ceremonial grade. 
• Slightly under-bake the cookies: For cookies that are soft and chewy for days, the secret is to bake them until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly underbaked, but the cookies will continue to “bake” while on the hot cookie sheet.
• For the best tasting cookies the next day: The easiest way to give your cookies that “fresh from the oven” taste the next day is to microwave them for about 15-20 seconds and enjoy immediately.