Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these super cute Green Tea Shamrock Cookies. No food coloring needed!
I have an obsession with cookie cutters, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Every time I walk into a cooking store, I will inevitably leave with at least two or three new cookie cutters. So, as you can imagine, I have amassed a considerable collection over the years with everything from feet to fruit and no fewer than 16 different dachshund-shaped cutters (in honor of my beloved pup).
Last weekend, when we visited a new shop that opened in town, I was giddy with excitement when I noticed the box of cookie cutters waiting for me to dive in. I took home a spider, a butterfly, a house, a dolphin, and a shamrock—all, of course, “desperately” missing from my collection (or so I tried to explain to my husband).
I immediately put the shamrock to good use by coming up with these fun and super cute green tea cookies. After all, Saint Patrick’s Day isn’t that far off, and new recipes for that holiday are also “desperately” missing from my collection.
Made with matcha powder, the cookies have a lovely green color without the need for artificial dyes. The matcha gives them a slightly earthy, grassy taste with subtle bitter notes that work beautifully with their sweetness. These cookies disappeared in no time, and I’m sure you’ll love them too!
Decorate your cookies
To make these cookies extra special, you might want to decorate them, especially if you have children who will gladly be of assistance! There are plenty of options, but one of the easiest is to sprinkle them with green sanding sugar before baking. After baking, you can keep things simple and drizzle them with a glaze made with powdered sugar, a touch of matcha powder, and milk. For a sparkly finish, dust them with green or gold edible glitter. Green decorating gel or sprinkles will also turn your cookies into edible works of art!
How do I store leftovers?
Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days or in the fridge for about 5 days. For longer storage, flash-freeze them on a baking tray for 1 hour before transferring them to a Ziploc bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Pair these cookies with a refreshing Raspberry-Mint Iced Tea or a cup of coffee, if you’re in the mood for something warm. For even more green Saint Patty’s Day fun, serve one atop a bowl of our Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or alongside a frothy Shamrock Shake.
Green Tea Shamrock Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, matcha green tea powder, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir this into the butter mixture until dough comes together.
- Divide the dough in half, form into 2 discs, and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. After chilling, let the discs stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, re-rolling any scraps. Repeat process with the remaining dough.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets then transfer to a rack and let them cool completely, approximately 30 minutes.
These are perfect for St. Patricks Day and I love green tea, not to mention cookies. Tweeted to my followers:)
Love the flavor of green tea – really want to try to make these!
These are super cute and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day thanks for sharing this one.
These are so cute and fun. I will make them for the coming holiday
I have never used Matcha tea in baking. I want to try out this recipe.
It’s pretty delicious!! I tried this recipe today with my son. I used whole wheat flour + almond flour + coconut flour (total 3/4 cup like the recipe) and it worked perfectly! we also added chocolate chip =)
So happy you liked them!