These matcha cookies are buttery and delicious. They are naturally green from the matcha powder and can be cut into any shape that you like. I like making matcha Christmas tree cookies for the holidays – they are festive and great for gifting.

photo of a plate of christmas-tree shaped Matcha Shortbread Cookies

This last week I’ve been baking cookies like crazy. I’ve forgotten how exhausting and tiring it is to massively bake so many at once. Usually, cookies are pretty easy and quick. But the holiday ones I make always seem to take a lot more time as a result of all the decorating and shapes I have to cut out.

I’ve made a lot of my old favorite holiday cookies and these Christmas trees are a recipe I make every year. They’re so buttery and melt-in-your-mouth. I’ve also used this recipe to make cookies shaped like leaves.

Naturally Green Christmas Cookies

I love making these matcha shortbread trees every year. But it is annoying cutting out so many trees and them decorating them, but they taste so good they’re worth the effort.

I used matcha powder to make naturally green Christmas tree cookies. I really enjoy baking with matcha powder because it gives baked goods like cookies a unique flavor that you don’t get with food coloring.

One thing I’ve learned making matcha cookies is that the Maeda-en culinary quality* packaged in a silver canister definitely does not have the same vibrant green as the gold canister* high quality green tea. My first batch was so light and I was dissatisfied with the green so I made them again.

The cookies are great. Buttery, not too sweet. And they keep well so they can be baked ahead of time making them great for the holidays.

photo of matcha shortbread cookies on a baking rack

Matcha Cookies Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Matcha green tea powder
  • Granulated sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt

Recipe Steps

Beat the butter, matcha powder, and sugar until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and salt.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined. The mixture should look crumbly but if you squeeze it between your fingers, it will hold together. Gather the dough into a large ball and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.

Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness between the paper. Peel off the top piece and then cut out as many shapes as you can. Place the cutouts on a baking sheet. Reroll the remaining dough and cut more out, repeating this process until you run out of dough.

You can keep the cookies plain or add sprinkles on top. Do this before you bake the cookies.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch and lightly golden around the edges.

Storing Cookies

Shortbread cookies keep well for many days as long as they’re stored in an airtight container. Wait until they are completely cooked before transferring them to a container.

overhead photo of a plate of cookies

More Festive Christmas Cookies

*Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).

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4 from 2 votes

Matcha Shortbread Trees

I love making these matcha shortbread trees for the holidays because they're buttery and not too sweet. Also, they keep well so they can be baked ahead of time.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 47 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons high quality matcha green tea powder, (see note)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • a pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, beat butter, matcha powder and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk flour and salt together in a separate small bowl. 
  • Add about half of the flour mixture to the matcha mixture and mix on low speed. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing until just blended. The mixture should look crumbly but if you squeeze it between your fingers, it will come together. Gather the dough into a large ball.
  • Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Peel off top parchment paper.
  • Cut out as many cookies as possible using cookie cutter and place on cookie sheets 1-inch apart. Re-roll remaining dough and repeat until all of the dough is used up. Decorate with sprinkles
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are dry and firm to the touch and the edges are just starting to turn brown.

Notes

  • I recommend using the gold canister Maeda-En green tea powder* because the cookies will have a deeper green color.
  • Recipe slightly adapted from DeDe Wilson’s recipe found on Project Foodie
  • *Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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