Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Don’t let the color scare you off—made with just 10 ingredients, these chewy chocolate chip cookies have the perfect balance of sweetness, white chocolate, and a hint of green tea to make a truly delicious treat!
I know that matcha is a pretty divisive flavor (I myself can attest to having tried many matcha drinks that taste like grass), but you’ve gotta trust me on this one! Aside from its gorgeous green color, the subtle hint of matcha flavor pairs perfectly with the dough—to me, it almost tastes almost like a sugar cookie with notes of green tea. And what’s even better? They only take 10 ingredients to make!
If you’re still not convinced, though, I recommend heading over to my ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe for an equally delicious dessert!
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a fine Japanese green tea powder made from ground, shade-grown leaves. Typically, the powder is whisked into hot water (instead of being steeped) to create a frothy, strongly-flavored beverage, but nowadays, you can find matcha in a variety of different drinks and dishes from lattes to smoothies to even brownies and ice cream!
Ingredients in Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies
Luckily, this recipe only takes 10 ingredients (most of which you should have on hand)! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter. If you prefer, you can brown the butter—just make sure it’s cooled to room temperature before using it in the recipe.
- Light brown sugar. To add moisture and chew.
- Granulated sugar. For a crisp exterior.
- Eggs. To bind the dough together.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the cookie’s flavor.
- All-purpose flour. To provide structure and to absorb excess liquid in the dough. Depending on your environment, you may need to use more or less to get the desired consistency.
- Matcha powder. You can use either ceremonial grade or culinary grade matcha powder, but make sure it’s good quality. I used ceremonial grade matcha for this recipe—since it’s made from younger tea leaves, it has a subtler, sweeter flavor compared to culinary grade (which is stronger and more bitter). Keep this in mind if you’re deciding between using 1 or 2 tablespoons of matcha in the recipe!
- Baking soda. To help the cookies brown and spread.
- Kosher salt. To balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor.
- White or dark/semisweet chocolate. Since matcha is typically very bitter, I recommend using white chocolate, but you can use whichever you prefer!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
This recipe is a pretty simple one, but I have a few tips and tricks to ensure your cookie come out perfect every time:
- Sift your matcha. I promise I’m not making you whip out the sifter for nothing! Matcha is an extremely fine powder that clumps very easily, so you’ll need to sift it with the dry ingredients to ensure it evenly mixes into the dough.
- Add more flour if needed (but don’t overmeasure). I’ve found that these cookies require a bit more flour than my other recipes, but depending on the humidity where you live, this might not be the case. Follow the visual indicators in the recipe (and be sure to chill your dough), then you’ll be good to go!
- Don’t overbake. The enemy of a perfectly soft and chewy cookie is overbaking. To know when they’re done, look for browning at the edges and a just-set center.
If you give these a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram—happy baking!
Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, gently melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 to 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon good-quality matcha1, sifted (for a stronger matcha flavor, use 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ to 1 cup chopped white or dark/semisweet chocolate
- Flaky salt, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour (start with 3 cups), sifted matcha powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Cut the butter into cubes and place into a large, heat-safe bowl. Gently heat the butter in 30-second increments in the microwave or on the stove until just melted (you do not want it to be hot).
- To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk for 1-2 minutes until well combined, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Once the mixture is smooth, fold in all of the dry ingredients. Just before the flour is fully combined, add in the chopped chocolate and mix until there are no more streaks of flour left. If the dough is still too wet, add more flour as necessary—you'll know it's done when you can pinch a bit of dough between your fingers without any sticky residue left behind.
- Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper (no need to space them apart). Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 4-5 days. You can bake the cookies without chilling them, but they will spread more and have less flavor—if you're short on time, I recommend freezing the cookies for at least 1 hour before baking.
- At this point, the cookie dough can be frozen for later.2
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Evenly space the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet with a 2'' gap between each cookie. If desired, press the top of the dough with more chopped chocolate pieces.
- Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Remove the cookies from the oven once the edges are golden brown and set, but do not overbake. The inside of the cookies should still be slightly raw, as they will continue to cook as they cool. Once out of the oven, sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt (if desired) and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- You can use either ceremonial grade or culinary grade matcha powder, but make sure it’s good quality. I used ceremonial grade matcha for this recipe—since it’s made from younger tea leaves, it has a subtler, sweeter flavor compared to culinary grade (which is stronger and more bitter). Keep this in mind when deciding between using 1 or 2 tablespoons of matcha in the recipe (depending on how strong of a flavor you want).
- To freeze, portion the cookie dough onto a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 1 hour. Once firm, store the dough balls in a plastic bag in the freezer for 3-6 months. To cook, follow the baking instructions as written (no need to thaw the dough), but the cookies may need a couple of more minutes in the oven.
