Infused with the rich flavour of green tea, these matcha crinkle cookies are the perfect soft and chewy cookie. With their naturally vibrant green colour, they make a wonderful addition to any Christmas cookie box. Plus, they’re completely dairy free!
I am obsessed with all things matcha, much like the rest of the world at the moment! Whether I’m drinking an iced strawberry matcha latte or enjoying a matcha cupcake, it’s a flavour I always gravitate towards.
I love the versatility of matcha, especially when you combine that subtle, earthy green tea flavour with a little vanilla and sugar.
When the holiday season comes around, one of my all time favourite cookies to bake are these chocolate crinkle cookies. They’re such a classic thanks to their iconic snowy white crinkle tops and chewy, fudgy centres. They’re everything I love in a cookie!
This year I decided it would be fun to do a variation with matcha to create beautifully vibrant and naturally green coloured cookies that are not only festive but also taste amazing. They have the same chewy texture I love, plus can you imagine them on a cookie tray alongside my red velvet crinkle cookies? So fun!
Key Ingredients
If you’re a regular matcha drinker, you probably have everything else you need in the pantry to make a batch of these matcha crinkle cookies.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free butter – I use Nuttelex Buttery in place of butter in most of my recipes as it’s the best replacement I’ve found for both flavour and texture. In the US, Earth Balance is a great alternative.
- White sugar/granulated sugar – in addition to sweetness, the sugar helps the cookies spread in the oven and gives them a yummy crispy, chewy edge.
- Vanilla extract – enhances the matcha flavour and gives the cookies a lovely vanilla undertone.
- Egg – binds the cookie together so it holds its shape and helps give that soft and chewy texture.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Bicarbonate of soda/baking soda – helps the cookies puff and then settle, creating the signature crinkle top.
- Icing sugar/powdered sugar – the cookies are rolled in both white sugar and icing sugar to give them that classic coating that gives them the iconic look of a crinkle cookie.
What matcha should I use?
Matcha can be a bit polarising, but I truly believe that not all matcha is created equal. A good-quality matcha should taste subtle, earthy, and naturally sweet, not bitter.
My current favourite is the YAMASAN KYOTO UJI matcha from Amazon. It’s ceremonial grade and first harvest, so it’s made from young, vibrant green tea leaves. It has a smooth flavour, bright colour, and is relatively affordable.
You can use culinary grade matcha to save a little money, but I find the flavour and colour aren’t as intense. A lower-quality matcha can also brown in the oven, so for the best result, use one you actually enjoy drinking.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To get started with these easy matcha cookies, line 2 large baking trays with baking paper and preheat the oven.
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the dairy free butter, white sugar and vanilla until creamy with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until mixed through.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, sift flour, matcha powder and bicarb together and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and continue to beat until a dough forms.
Step 3: Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, roll balls of dough before first rolling the dough ball in a small bowl of white sugar to coat, and then into a bowl of icing sugar, until the outside of the ball is coated.
Step 4: Place the balls of dough evenly apart on the baking tray, ensuring there is enough space for the cookie to spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just crisp and the middles are still soft. Let them cool on the tray for 10 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
👉Tip! For perfect looking cookies, as soon as the cookies have been removed from the oven, use a spoon or a large round cookie cutter that fits over the cookie, to gently shape the cookie back into a circle. This only works if the cookies are still soft so needs to be done immediately before they start to cool.
There’s no need to chill the dough. These cookies are meant to spread, so bake them straight away. If you live in a very hot climate and the dough is too sticky to handle, pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. If you’re making the dough ahead of time, bring it back to room temperature so it’s easy to roll.
Storage Instructions
Store your matcha crinkle cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The icing sugar coating may soften slightly and absorb a little into the cookie after the first day, but the cookies will stay soft and chewy.
Freezer (baked cookies) – freeze in a sealed container or zip-lock bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezer (unbaked dough balls) – Roll the dough balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a container. When ready to bake, allow them to soften for 10-15 minutes, then roll in the sugar and icing sugar and bake as normal.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen if the matcha is low quality or if the cookies are overbaked. Use a vibrant, good-quality matcha and remove the cookies when the edges are just set.
I don’t recommend it. The sugar helps the cookies spread and form the crinkle top. Reducing it may lead to puffier, cakier cookies.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More festive cookies:
Christmas Sparkle Cookies
Dairy Free Sugar Cookies
Vegan Gingerbread Men
Dairy Free Snickerdoodles
Matcha Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 125 grams (½ cup) dairy free butter
- 1 cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 ½ cups plain flour/all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
For rolling:
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup icing sugar/powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the dairy free butter, white sugar and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Add the egg and continue to beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, matcha powder and bicarbonate of soda. Stir to mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball first in the white sugar, then in the icing sugar, ensuring they are well coated.
- Arrange the dough balls on the prepared trays, leaving enough space for them to spread. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just set but the centres are still soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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