These chocolate-dipped matcha shortbread cookies are gluten-free and easily vegan. They are buttery soft, creamy, and put a unique spin on the classic shortbread recipe.
Shortbread cookies are a holiday staple in my house. My grandma has a recipe that she's made for years and are always the hit of the dessert table.
While these gluten-free matcha shortbread cookies have all the same creamy, buttery texture, they sure pack some extra punch! Herbal matcha tea infused into a buttery shortbread dipped in salted chocolate is the new holiday classic!
These cookies are super easy to make with minimal ingredients, but you are sure to impress with their beautiful taste and appearance. Keep reading to learn how to make them.
Ingredients Needed
These matcha shortbread cookies contain a base of just 4 ingredients! The best part is, you likely already have most of them. Here's what you need:
Salted butter: I like to use salted because I don't have to worry about getting the salt amount correct - it just tastes perfect every time! If you don't have salted though, you could always add about a ¼ teaspoon of salt for every cup of butter used.
Vegan substitution
Another note on butter is that this is a simple swap to make these cookies vegan and dairy-free! I have made this recipe with the Miyokos Creamery vegan butter and they turned out just the same! Making these cookies a delicious treat for all diets and food allergies.
Icing sugar: This fine powdered sugar is what makes these cookies so short and creamy. Melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness!
Matcha tea powder: Matcha is what takes these cookies from typical shortbread to amazingly unique and delicious shortbread! It is great in these cookies and so many other uses you may not think of! You can tailor the amount to how much of the flavour you enjoy. I suggest starting with 1-2 teaspoons and working up to 3-4 if you like a really strong flavour. This is my favourite matcha powder in Canada. Here is a US matcha powder.
Gluten-free all purpose flour: As in all my baking, my favourite gluten-free all purpose flour is the Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. It bakes wonderfully and allows these cookies to achieve their classic creamy texture. I have not tested this recipe with any other gluten-free flours!
Want to take these cookies over the top? Dip them in a chocolate coating and sprinkle with flakey sea salt. They are irresistible. You'll need:
Semisweet or dark chocolate: A good quality bar of chocolate is preferable, but you can really use any type of chocolate or chips. Make sure your chocolate is dairy-free if you're making this recipe vegan!
Coconut oil: If you find that the melted chocolate is a little too thick for dipping, adding in a teaspoon of coconut oil will help thin it out.
Flakey sea salt: This is my favourite part of the cookies. The combination of sweet and salty is so so good. A little flakey sea salt on the chocolate part of the cookie as it's still soft lends itself to the most deliciously balanced bite.
How to make gluten-free matcha shortbread cookies
The beauty of shortbread cookies is how easy they are to make because of how few ingredients they require. Just the good old classic (vegan) butter, sugar, (gluten-free) flour - and in this case, matcha!
Mixing the dough
You need to start with softened butter to achieve the proper creaming effect with the sugar. Place the softened butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
Then, add in the powdered sugar and matcha tea powder. Start small with the matcha if you aren't familiar with the taste. Begin mixing on low and gradually speed up to medium for a minute to cream the butter, sugar, and tea together.
Add in the flour and again, start slow, then bring the mixer up to medium until the dough forms a ball. Shape the dough into a thick disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Baking the cookies
Once chilled, take the dough out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and flour your work surface.
Roll out the disc of dough to about ½" thickness - yes, they're better that thick! Use your favourite cookie cutter shapes to cut the cookies, and use a spatula to help move them to the baking sheet. Continue shaping and rolling the dough until it is all cut into cookies.
Bake for 11-12 minutes until the cookies are just firm and slightly golden on the edges. You really don't want any colour on them. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dipping the cookies in chocolate
The final, and in my opinion, best-tasting step, is to dip the cookies into chocolate. Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate if you are keeping these cookies vegan.
Begin by melting the semisweet or dark chocolate in the microwave. Only heat for 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Use a microwave-safe container that is more tall than wide, but will still fit a cookie dipped into it. I used a measuring cup.
If the chocolate seems too thick to dip, add a teaspoon of coconut oil to thin it out. Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate then place on a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and allow the chocolate to set.
If you notice that the chocolate is still sticky after 15+ minutes, you can put the cookies in the fridge to expedite the process. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, or ideally in the fridge if your chocolate is soft. Enjoy!
These cookies are a wonderful dessert centrepiece, cookie exchange item, or host gift! They are also perfect with a cup of coffee. Creamy, soft, and salty with a subtle kick of matcha green tea, anyone you serve is going to love these matcha shortbread cookies! And not to mention that they are gluten-free, easily vegan, and food allergy-friendly.
Have you made these cookies? Be sure to leave a comment telling me how much you loved them, and tag me on instagram @livglutenfree! I hope you enjoy as much as I do!
More Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes
Matcha Shortbread Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan Option)
Ingredients
Matcha shortbread cookies
- 1 cup salted butter softened, miyokos creamery vegan butter will also work
- ⅔ cup icing sugar
- 2-3 teaspoon matcha tea powder
- 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour plus extra for rolling the dough
Chocolate dip
- 80 g semisweet or dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- pinch flakey sea salt
Instructions
Make the dough
- Place the softened butter into a large bowl or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat for 1 minute on medium until light and fluffy.
- Add in the icing sugar and matcha powder. Beat for another 1-2 minutes to fully incorporate. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the flour, starting slow to minimize dust. The dough is ready when it clumps together.
- Shape the dough into a thick disc, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Shape the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dust a work surface with gluten-free all purpose flour. Unwrap the dough and roll to ½" thickness. Use your favourite cookie cutters to cut the dough. Use a spatula to help transfer the cookies to the baking sheets.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes until they are firm and just golden on the edges. Be careful not to over bake. Transfer to a wire rack after 5 minutes to cool completely.
Chocolate dip
- Place about 80g of semisweet or dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil if it is too thick.
- Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate. Place on a sheet of parchment paper to cool and sprinkle with flakey sea salt.
- Allow to harden completely. If the chocolate is still soft, place the cookies in the fridge to help it solidify.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Let us know what you think!