So we have a little bit of a tea problem. Okay, a big tea problem. Over half of the door organizer on our pantry is filled with boxes and bags of tea. Sachets, packets, loose leaf, chai, earl grey, green, rooibos, oolong, darjeeling. It’s an addiction. We find ourselves having hot tea just about every single night. So much so that we ended up buying each other these super convenient and cute infuser tea mugs from David’s Tea for Christmas. My love of earl grey tea in particular motivated me to create these fabulous earl grey pistachio shortbread cookies.
Since returning from our trip to Thailand where I rediscovered my love of matcha tea, I have been on a crazy matcha tea binge too. I was determined to find the best matcha you can buy in the US and teach myself how to prepare it to taste just as good as the matcha lattes in Thailand. So then I got this great idea to create a matcha version of my earl grey shortbread cookies since they are always such a hit. With matcha being such an earthy flavor, I felt like the cookies would need a filling or drizzle of some sort, so why not a thumbprint cookie?? A thumbprint cookie with a creamy coconut filling. The coconut filling has a little white chocolate and powdered sugar. It’s a little bit dreamy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp matcha powder (I recommend Encha culinary grade)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1 can of coconut milk, chilled
- 2 oz white chocolate
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp coconut extract
Instructions
Pulse flour, matcha, and salt in food processor. Add butter, sugar, and coconut extract into food processor until well combined. It will resemble a paste or playdough.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Scoop out tablespoon sizes of the cookie dough and roll into a ball. Set on line baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of palm. Make a thumbprint indentation using your finger or a 1/2 teaspoon size measuring spoon.
Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes or until done and just barely beginning to brown on the bottom. 8 minutes seemed to be just right for me.
Remove from the oven and immediately re-form thumbprint before the cookies cool.
Allow to cook on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chill remaining dough in between baking. I found that chilled dough held up better in the oven.
Open the can of coconut milk upside down and pour out the coconut water (save it for shakes or for thinning out the filling as needed).
Place coconut cream and white chocolate in a saucepan over medium low heat until chocolate has melted and ingredients are smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Using a hand mixer, blend in the powdered sugar and coconut extract. Thin out with coconut water or thicken with more powdered sugar as needed.
Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a tip or spoon into a sandwich size ziploc bag with the tip snipped off. Pipe into cooled thumbprints.
Place cookies in the fridge to allow the filling to set up completely for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
https://www.kandradventures.com/matcha-shortbread-thumbprint-cookies-with-coconut-cream-filling/
I have to say these ended up turning out better than I expected! The first batch of cookies spread in the oven and I was so disappointed! But once I got the method down pat they turned out great. The flavors are so interesting and unique. You can really taste the matcha tea powder, but you get a big hit of buttery saltiness because of the shortbread, which is balanced nicely by the creamy coconut filling. This cookie and filling is not overly sweet at all – a nice change from all of the sugar cookies I’ve been eating!! I mean they are practically health food, right? Between the amazing health powers of matcha and all of the good fats in coconut, these cookies should be a regular part of a healthy diet. 😉 Yeah, that’s what I’ll tell myself.
Mmmm I love flavored shortbreads!