Food writer Emiko Davies shares recipes and stories from her Japanese upbringing in her book Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking. These delicious cookies were created by a family friend, and remind her of enjoying quiet moments with the family. “These melt-in-the-mouth cookies are just the kind of thing Obaachan would have served with a proper cup of tea in one of the beautiful Wedgwood teacups from her precious collection,” writes Davies. “I like these with quite a lot of matcha, but you can use a little less for paler cookies and a more delicate flavour.”
Easy Matcha Almond Cookies
Emiko Davies' easy recipe for shortbread-like matcha cookies glazed with almond icing.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 4½ oz (125 g) unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup icing sugar
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- ½ cup finely ground almond meal
- 4 tsp matcha powder (see note) plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp natural vanilla extract
FOR THE ICING
- 2 tsp egg white or water
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
Instructions
- Beat the butter until creamy and smooth, then add the other ingredients and combine to make a smooth, soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes if it is a bit too soft.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅜ in (8 mm) thick. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. If you are making these on a warm day, it is a good idea to put them in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are still pale but dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before moving to a wire rack.
- In the meantime, make the icing by mixing the egg white or water, little by little, into the icing sugar until you have a thick but smooth paste.
- Ice the cookies as you wish and dust over some matcha powder. Let them set, then store in an airtight container. I love these the next day, as they soften more and almost melt in the mouth.
Notes
Matcha powder has different grades and these grades correspond to different colours and prices. Matcha powder is separated into ceremonial-grade tea, the highest you can find, which makes a thick, very special, intense, vibrant green tea. Then you have culinary-grade matcha with a bright matcha colour, and you have ingredient-grade, which is the lowest grade and has a slightly yellower or olive green colour. If you want a very nice, bright green colour, you could go for the culinary-grade matcha, but be aware it’s not suitable for making tea with – or just splurge on a ceremonial-grade one that you can also use for making cups of tea.
