Matcha Green Tea Cookies (Gluten Free)

WHAT'S SPECIAL

Perfectly chewy cookies infused with matcha & brown butter!

These Matcha Green Tea Cookies marry a chewy sugar cookie with the earthiness of matcha and the nutty flavor of brown butter. They are simple to make, undetectably gluten free, and such a fun treat! The beautiful bright green color also makes them perfect to enjoy for Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas.

matcha green tea cookies with candy eyeballs on a baking sheet

If you’ve been following me for a while, you likely already know that I am a matcha girly through and through. I’ve had a matcha latte every single morning for probably the past years. It’s my favorite alternative to coffee because it tastes delicious and provides a much more calming, sustained energy without any jitters or anxiety. (Can you tell I’m rooting for you all to switch over to matcha!?)

With Halloween right around the corner, it only felt right to transform my love for matcha into a festive baked good recipe. I love that it adds some delicious earthy flavor, but also naturally colors the cookies a beautiful green color! So spooky! These would even be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas if you left off the candy eyeballs.

To take these Matcha Green Tea Cookies up a notch, I also incorporated some brown butter which quite literally makes everything better. It has an irresistible nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the matcha!

Did I mention these cookies are also gluten free? Your friends won’t even be able to tell though. They have crispy, crinkly edges and chewy centers…arguably the best combination. Even my husband is obsessed and that’s saying something considering he despises matcha! Hope you give this one a shot and let me know what you think 🙂

Why You’ll Love these Matcha Green Tea Cookies

  • This is the perfect dessert recipe for matcha lovers!
  • These cookies are made with brown butter which really compliments the earthiness of matcha.
  • They are so fun and festive for Halloween!
  • These matcha green tea cookies are gluten free and you wouldn’t even know.
  • They only require a handful of simple ingredients.
  • They are naturally colored green thanks to the matcha.
matcha green tea cookies with candy eyeballs on a baking sheet

What You Need to Make these Matcha Green Tea Cookies

For the Dry Ingredients:

  • Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour: My favorite brands are Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour. Both of these contain xanthan gum which is a crucial ingredient! If you’re not gluten free, you can use an equal amount of normal AP flour.
  • Matcha: The star of these matcha green tea cookies is of course…matcha powder! Usually culinary grade matcha is used in baking recipes but I always keep ceremonial grade on hand to drink so that’s what I used. Either will work!
  • Baking Powder & Soda: You’ll need a mixture of both of this leavening agents to help achieve the perfect cookies.
  • Kosher Salt: If you’re using unsalted butter, you’ll want to add in a pinch of kosher salt. But if you’re using salted butter, feel free to omit.

For the Wet Ingredients:

  • Butter: 1 stick, which is 1/2 cup. Then, we’ll brown it to bring out the most delicious nutty flavor which pairs super well with the earthiness of the matcha.
  • Cane Sugar: These cookies are sweetened fully with cane sugar (or granulated sugar). You can also use coconut sugar but it will turn the cookies into more of a greenish-brown color.
  • Egg: 1 large egg – make sure it’s at room temperature!
  • Vanilla Extract: Duh! I just got this big jug of it on Amazon for super cheap and it’s lasting me forever.

For Topping:

  • Cane Sugar: Although optional, I like to roll the dough balls in some more cane sugar (or other coarse sugar) – it makes them look really cool and extra spooky for halloween!
  • Candy Eyeballs: If you’re making these for halloween, pop on some edible candy eyeballs right after you take them out of the oven. These are the ones I have and I like to do a mix of the small and medium size.
ingredients for matcha green tea cookies

How To Make these Matcha Sugar Cookies

Brown the Butter & Let Cool:

First, let’s prepare the browned butter. Cut your butter into large chunks and then add them to a medium-sized pan. Bring it to medium heat. Swirl the butter around so that it melts evenly. Once fully melted, stir constantly with a rubber spatula and let cook for about 4 more minutes until browned.

You’ll know it’s ready when it starts to have a strong nutty smell and brown sediment begins to form on the bottom of the pan. Immediately transfer browned butter to a large bowl and let it cool down for about 10 minutes.

Mix together Dry Ingredients:

While the browned butter is cooling, add all of the dry ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.

dry ingredients mixed together for matcha green tea cookies

Mix together Wet Ingredients:

Next, add the sugar to the bowl with the cooled browned butter. Whisk until combined. Then, add in the egg and vanilla and whisk again.

Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients & Chill Dough:

Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and use a spatula to incorporate. The dough won’t be very thick. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

matcha green tea cookie dough in bowl after chilling

Scoop & Roll in Sugar:

Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop out ~2 tbsp (40g) of the dough and roll into a ball. Optionally, roll the dough balls in some cane sugar. Then, place them at least 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheet.

matcha sugar cookie dough balls rolled in granulated sugar and placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet

Bake, Top & Enjoy:

Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake for 11-12 minutes. Smack the baking sheet on your countertop several times to help them flatten and get crinkly tops. Then, immediately top them with candy eyeballs – you will have to press in slightly to make them stick. Enjoy!

What Type & Brand of Matcha Should I Use for these Cookies?

Culinary matcha is most often used for baking recipes. It’s notably cheaper, lower quality and a bit more bitter tasting. You could certainly use culinary matcha for these Matcha Green Tea Cookies but I used ceremonial grade since that’s what I always have on hand. Ceremonial grade is more expensive, but worth it! And if you want to get into drinking matcha lattes…this is what you’d use 🙂

As for specific brands, there are tons of amazing ones out there! Two of my favorites are Amelia Matcha (code MADDIE20 for 20% off) and Pique (this link will get you 15% off and a free frother).

Do these Matcha Green Tea Cookies Contain Caffeine?

This Matcha Green Tea Cookie recipe calls for 2 tsp of matcha powder, which means there’s roughly 140mg of caffeine in the entire batch. This averages out to a measly 13g per cookie. I personally enjoy these cookies at night and have no trouble falling asleep… and that’s coming from a caffeine-sensitive person!

Why Do I Need to Chill the Matcha Sugar Cookie Dough?

I get it…it’s annoying to have to chill your cookie dough. But, it’s a MUST in this Matcha Green Tea Cookie recipe, especially because we are using melted/browned butter instead of room temperature butter. The cookies will spread out way too much if you bake them before chilling.

matcha green tea cookies with candy eyeballs on a white plate

How Do I Know When the Brown Butter is Ready?

The nuttiness of the brown butter compliments the earthiness of the matcha powder so well….I promise it’s worth the few extra minutes of effort! And although it may seem intimidating, brown butter is actually quite simple. Here are a few tips & tricks to help if this is your first time making it.

Firstly, the process is made easier if you use a light-colored pan like stainless steel so that you can clearly see the color of the butter. Secondly, it’s important to cut your stick of butter into chunks so that it melts more evenly. Then, swirl it around in the pan – this also helps with even melting. Once the butter has fully melted, you’ll want to stir constantly with a rubber spatula.

The butter will go through several stages (as you can see in the video) before it turns brown. It’ll have big bubbles on top, then become foamy and frothy, and finally some of the bubbles will subside and you’ll see a brown sediment at the bottom of the pan.

When you see this brown sediment and smell a strong nutty scent…that’s when you know the brown butter is done. For me, this typically takes 4 minutes after the butter has melted. Immediately transfer the brown butter to a bowl, scraping up all the browned bits, so that it doesn’t keep cooking and burn. That’s all there is to it! I believe in you!

Substitution FAQs:

  • I’m not gluten free, can I use normal all-purpose flour instead? Yes absolutely! You can use an equal amount of all-purpose flour and these matcha green tea cookies will turn out great.
  • Can I use coconut sugar instead of cane sugar? So I have tested these with coconut sugar and while they do work and still taste great, they turn into a brownish-green color which isn’t very pretty!
  • I’m in a rush, can I just use melted butter instead? During the browning process, some of the water in butter evaporates so you end up with less volume. With that said, you can try substituting normal melted butter but the results may vary a bit.
  • Can I make these matcha cookies dairy free? Many vegan butters won’t brown the same as normal butter, so the answer is yes but choose the brand wisely. I’ve heard good things about Earth Balance and Violife.
  • Can I omit the cane sugar & candy eyeball toppings? Yup! These are mostly for aesthetic purposes, so you can definitely omit them.
matcha green tea cookies with candy eyeballs on a baking sheet

How Should I Store these Matcha Green Tea Cookies?

After the Matcha Green Tea Cookies have fully cooled, you can transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for about 4 days.

If you’d like to freeze these cookies, I’d recommend doing so BEFORE baking. Transfer the dough balls to a small parchment-lined tray, plate or baking sheet to flash freeze for a few hours. Then, pop them into a freezer bag and store in the freezer for when the cookie craving hits!

If you’re baking them from frozen, you may need to add a few more minutes to the bake time. Otherwise, you can bring the dough balls to room temperature first by letting them sit out for 30-60 minutes and then proceed with the baking instructions as listed.

Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.

Looking for More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes?

5 from 1 vote

Matcha Green Tea Cookies (Gluten Free)

These Matcha Green Tea Cookies marry a chewy sugar cookie with the earthiness of matcha and the nutty flavor of brown butter. They are simple to make, undetectably gluten free, and such a fun treat! The beautiful bright green color also makes them perfect to enjoy for Halloween, St. Patrick's Day or Christmas.
Servings 11 cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 36 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Wet Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 113g)*
  • ¾ cup cane sugar or granulated sugar (155g)**
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour (155g)***
  • 2 tsp matcha powder ****
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • pinch of kosher salt

For Topping (Optional):

Instructions

  • First, let's prepare the brown butter. Cut your butter into large chunks and then add them to a medium-sized pan. Bring it to medium heat. Swirl the butter around so that it melts evenly. Once fully melted, stir constantly with a rubber spatula and let cook for about 4 more minutes until browned. You'll know it's ready when it starts to have a strong nutty smell and brown sediment begins to form on the bottom of the pan. Immediately transfer brown butter to a large bowl and let it cool down for about 10 minutes.
    ½ cup unsalted butter
  • While the brown butter is cooling, add all of the dry ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
    1 ¼ cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour, 2 tsp matcha powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp baking powder, pinch of kosher salt
  • Add the sugar to the bowl with the cooled brown butter. Whisk until combined. Then, add in the egg and vanilla and whisk again.
    ¾ cup cane sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and use a spatula to incorporate. The dough won't be very thick. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  • Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop out ~2 tbsp (40g) of the dough and roll into a ball. I usually have enough to make 11 cookies, plus one mini one. Optionally, roll the dough balls in some cane sugar. Then, place them at least 2" apart on the prepared baking sheet.
    2 tbsp cane sugar
  • Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake for 11-12 minutes. Smack the baking sheet on your countertop several times to help them flatten and get crinkly tops. Then, immediately top them with candy eyeballs. These cookies have somewhat firm, crinkly tops so you will have to press the eyeballs in slightly to make them stick. Enjoy!
    small candy eyeballs

Video

Notes

GENERAL NOTE: For all baking recipes, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. This will yield the most accurate results. But if you don’t have one, just be sure to measure your flour via the spoon & level method (do NOT pack it).
*NOTE: I used Kerrygold brand which is technically a European-style butter with a slightly higher butterfat content than standard American butter. The results may vary slightly if you choose to use standard butter. Also feel free to use salted butter instead if that’s all you have on hand, and then just omit the kosher salt.
**NOTE: I have also tested this recipe with coconut sugar and while it works logistically, the color is impacted. Since coconut sugar is brown, it turns these cookies into a not-so-appetizing shade of brown-green. 
***NOTE: My favorite brands of gluten free 1-to-1 flours are Bob’s Red Mill & King Arthur Flour, both of which contain xanthan gum – a crucial ingredient to replicate gluten-filled baked goods. If you’re not gluten free, you can substitute an equal amount of normal AP flour.
****NOTE: Typically culinary grade matcha is used for baking recipes but I always keep ceremonial grade on hand to drink so that’s what I used! Here are a few brands I like: Pique (this link will get you 15% off) and Amelia Matcha (code MADDIE20 for 20% off).
NUTRITION INFO: The nutrition info listed below is an estimate for 1 cookie and does not account for the candy eyeballs or the additional sugar that you roll the cookies in.
Calories: 181kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Japanese
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Keyword: Cookies, Dessert, Gluten Free, Green Tea, Halloween, Matcha, Vegetarian

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.

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  1. 5 stars
    So yummy & extra cute with the eyes!

    1. The candy eyeballs are a must hehe. Thanks Gill!

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