These Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookies are so moist and decadent that no one will suspect that they're both vegan and gluten-free friendly. This green tea sugar cookie recipe will take you about 20 minutes to make and I bet you already have everything you need on hand! If you have been loving the matcha trend lately, this vegan cookie recipe is a must-try!
What is matcha?
Matcha is a powdered form of green tea leaves. This healthy powder originates in East Asia but has become mainstream here in the United States! Matcha powder can be used to make matcha green tea, matcha lattes, and even these matcha cookies!
Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Butter: This recipe is for vegan matcha green tea sugar cookies, so we use melted vegan butter to make our cookie dough. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, feel free to use regular butter. If you don't have vegan butter, coconut oil will also work in this recipe.
- Sugar: We recommend using either one cup of organic cane sugar or a third of a cup of purecane sugar substitute. Big thanks to our partner, purecane for sponsoring this recipe and allowing us to make delicious matcha cookies without added sugar!
- Flax Eggs: Since this recipe is vegan, we use flax eggs. Flax eggs are essentially a mixture of ground flax seed meal and warm water mixed together. It gives these cookies a chewy and delicious flavor and texture.
- Milk: To keep these chewy matcha green tea cookies dairy-free, use almond or oat milk. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, feel free to use regular milk.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the delicious flavor of these matcha sugar cookies.
- Baking Powder: To help our green tea cookies rise.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness of the vegan green tea cookies.
- Matcha: We recommend using any matcha powder you have on hand. A little goes a long way!
- Flour: We recommend using regular or gluten-free all purpose flour to make these vegan matcha green tea sugar cookies. Our gluten-free flour of choice is King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Frosting: You have the option of serving these delicious matcha green tea cookies plain or with vegan cream cheese frosting. To make the vegan cream cheese frosting, mix the softened or melted vegan butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar or purecane powdered sugar substitute together until a thick icing forms.
Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookie Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the ground flax seed with the warm water and set aside until a thick gel forms (about 2 minutes).
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, mix the melted vegan butter, sugar or purecane, milk, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and matcha together until smooth. Add the flax eggs and mix. Then, add the flour and mix until a thick cookie dough forms.
Step 3: Scoop out about 2 tablespoon of cookie dough per cookie and place it onto the lined baking sheet. Use your hands to gently form the cookies into balls. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the green tea cookies are golden around the edges.
Step 4: Before serving, you have the option to whip up the vegan cream cheese frosting to drizzle over the cookies. They also taste amazing on their own. To make the vegan cream cheese frosting, use an electric hand mixer to mix the softened or melted vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, and powdered sugar together until a smooth frosting is formed. Drizzle the frosting over the cookies once they've cooled on a wire rack. Serve warm. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Eggs are not vegan, but if you are ok with that, you can use 1 whole egg to replace the flax eggs in this recipe.
Have you ever had a matcha or green tea latte before? This is like a matcha latte in cookie form! These sugar cookies take on the earthy and nutty flavors of green tea. They're delicious!
Yes! If you are looking for a classic sugar cookie recipe that's both vegan and gluten-free friendly, I recommend trying my famous Vegan Sugar Cookies!
Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- small mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- ½ cup melted vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 4 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon oat milk or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 cup organic cane sugar or ⅓ cup purecane sugar substitute
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup regular or gluten-free all purpose flour
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup powdered sugar or purecane powdered sugar substitute
- 2 tablespoon softened or melted vegan butter
- 2 oz vegan cream cheese
Instructions
Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the flax eggs by mixing the flax seed meal (ground flax seeds) and warm water together in a small bowl. Let this sit for 2 minutes until a thick gel forms.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the melted vegan butter, almond or oat milk, matcha powder, purecane or sugar, salt, vanilla, flax eggs, and baking powder together. Once the mixture is smooth, add the flour and mix until a thick a thick cookie dough forms.
- Use a spoon to scoop out about 2 tablespoon of cookie dough per cookie and gently form it into a loose ball. Place the cookie dough onto the lined baking and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden and they lift easily off of the paper.
- Use a spatula to remove each cookie from the baking sheet and allow them to cool on a wire rack. While the cookies cool, use an electric hand mixer to mix the powdered sugar, softened or melted vegan butter, and vegan cream cheese - until a creamy vegan cream cheese icing is formed. If the icing is too thick to drizzle, heat it in the microwave for 7-10 seconds. Drizzle the icing over the warm cookies and enjoy!
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
Ashton says
These are delicious. Most sugar cookies I find too sweet with little flavor. These are just right and the matcha adds more complex flavor profile without overpowering. Will definitely make again.
Jillian says
Hi Ashton! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed!