Matcha Crinkle Cookies

Matcha is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with. Its bright green color is beautiful in the finished cookies, and the flavor adds a gentle bitterness that balances sweetness in a way chocolate sometimes can’t. These matcha crinkle cookies are one of the easiest ways to bring that flavor into the kitchen.

If you’ve ever made chocolate crinkle cookies, the process will feel familiar. The dough is rolled in powdered sugar before baking, which creates the classic crackled top as the cookies spread in the oven. The result is a soft cookie with a delicate crisp edge and a vibrant green center.

I like adding a touch of almond extract to this recipe—it rounds out the matcha and gives the cookies a slightly nutty aroma. Depending on the matcha you use, you can adjust the amount to taste, but a good culinary matcha will give you plenty of flavor and that beautiful color.

Matcha Crinkle Cookies

Simple yet elegant tea cookies for any occasion. Recipe yields about 60 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/2 neutral-flavored oil (or 1 stick unsalted butter)

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 Tbsp Organic Culinary Matcha, or to taste*

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp almond extract

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. If your oven has a convection setting, preheat it to 325°F.

2. Cream the oil and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the almond extract and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue mixing for another couple of minutes until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients except the powdered sugar. Stir until evenly combined.

4. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two or three batches until just combined. Do not overmix at this stage.

5. If you used oil, cover the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 3–24 hours. If you used chilled butter, you can form the dough into balls right away. Use your judgment—if the dough feels too sticky to handle easily, chill it for a while and try again.

6. Form level tablespoons of dough into balls and roll them in the powdered sugar. If you want an extra punch of matcha, you can mix a little matcha powder into the powdered sugar before rolling. I usually prefer just plain powdered sugar.

7. Place the cookies on a baking sheet spaced about 1½ inches apart and bake for 10–12 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they bake. The tops should crinkle, and the bottoms should be just beginning to brown.

8. If you aren’t sure whether they’re done, bake a test tray first and let the cookies cool completely before baking the rest. The cooled cookie should be soft but not doughy.

* Some people prefer 1 Tbsp, some prefer 3 Tbsp. It can largely depend on the matcha you use. I find 2 Tbsp just right with my Organic Culinary Matcha.