Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies -Easy and Delicious

After watching “Great British Baking Show,” I realized how much the British love to sip on some tea with a biscuit. That sounded like a killer flavor combination. Then I thought: why don’t we just put that yummy tea flavor in a biscuit? Don’t get me wrong: I’m not kidding myself into thinking I invented tea biscuits. But I like to think that I gave them a bit of a makeover using a variety of fragrant teas. I am in love with these Earl Grey shortbread cookies. I also made chai shortbread cookies and matcha shortbread cookies with the same basic recipe.

A huge pet peeve of mine is when I a food item doesn’t have the flavor that it claims to have. I have also noticed that this is the kiss of death in any cooking show.

So I made sure that these Earl Grey shortbread cookies TASTE like Earl Grey.

Reduced Sugar Dessert

Although I love desserts, I recognize that people in developed countries have a problem with diabetes. We are eating too much of refined sugars and carbohydrates and eating too much in general.

You can have your cake and eat it too, friends! Just reduce the amount of sugar you put in your desserts. You can enjoy the sweetness without overdoing sugar. Just hit the perfect sweet spot. Get it? 😉

For other easy and balanced desserts, check out my fresh peach crisp recipe. 

Brewing Tea with your Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good cup of tea. There is a calming aroma and fragrance to a well-brewed cup of tea. I am so fascinated by the art of brewing tea: how the temperature of the water depends on the type of tea that you are brewing. Of course, if your temperature is too high, the tannins will be released from the leaves and you will be left with an unpleasant bitter flavor.

What kinds of tea should I use for baking?

Use strongly flavored teas for any cookie or cake. As tea has a very subtle flavor, combining it with spices and citrus (as in chai and Earl Grey) will bring out the flavor of the tea. Chai is an Indian spiced tea that has cinnamon and a variety of other warm spices. Matcha is a Japanese style tea made from ground green tea leaves. Both pack a punch of flavor and are perfect for these shortbread cookies if you want to do something different from Earl Grey!

How do I bring out the flavor of tea leaves in my baking?

If possible, use a spice/coffee grinder to grind your leaves. If you have them only coarsely chopped or even whole, the flavor will not lend itself to the cookie or cake.

For best flavor, use whole tea leaves rather than tea bags. Tea bags are full of the remnant small pieces of tea, which are usually lower in quality and flavor.

If possible, give your tea a good sniff before purchasing. Try to do this when people aren’t looking. They might give you strange looks. Teas that are too old will have oxidized and lost much of their fragrance and flavor.

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 52 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp ground tea (matcha, Earl Grey, Chai)
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds

Instructions

 

• Sift flour. Mix sifted flour into tea powder and salt. Set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer. When sugar has mixed with butter, add in flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
• Add in chopped nuts and gently fold in with a spatula or spoon.
• Pour dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to cover the dough and shape into a log. The log should be approximately 2 inches in diameter.
• Pat down log to make sure the log is formed evenly. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until log is solid enough to cut.
• Optional: remove log from refrigerator and roll around chopped nuts until the surface is covered with nuts.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut cookies into ¼ inch pieces from the log of dough.
• Lay cookies onto a lined baking sheet, with cookies spaced ½ inch apart.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
• Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool completely
• Optional: dip in melted white, milk, or dark chocolate

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