These matcha shortbread cookies are buttery, tender, and full of bright citrus flavor. Made with high-quality matcha powder, they have the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and tart and a delicate texture that makes them hard to stop eating. If you’re looking for an easy spring cookie recipe that feels a little elegant and a little unexpected, these citrusy matcha shortbread cookies check all the boxes.
Also, isn’t that bright green color just gorgeous????
I am a sucker for matcha flavored anything so I’m not sure what’s taken me so long to add it to shortbread cookies. Matcha is a delightful compliment to shortbread, adding a touch of bitterness that balances the richness of all that butter. 😋
When combined with a bright burst of citrus, the buttery matcha flavored dough becomes something that tastes like spring. A little bit earthy, just the right amount of sweet and tart, and with a subtle hint of umami that makes them positively addicting.
Additions and Substitutions
Use any kind of citrus you like in these cookies. I used a combination of orange, lemon, and lime zest but you can certainly choose to use just one or two of those options if you prefer.
If you’re not a citrus fan, leave out the zest and omit the lemon icing.
Instead of the lemon icing, dip these matcha shortbread cookies in some melted chocolate. 😋
Speaking of lemon icing, the icing doesn’t have to be lemon. Use lime juice, orange juice, or grapefruit juice if that sounds better to you.
To make these gluten free: Swap out the all-purpose flour for a measure to measure gluten free flour mix. My favorites are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free One-to-One Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure to Measure Flour.
Recipe tips
It’s VERY important to use high quality, culinary grade matcha powder in these cookies. The matcha flavor really comes through here, so the better the quality of the matcha, the better the flavor of the cookies. Just like wine, if it doesn’t taste good enough to drink, don’t add it to your food.
I used Pique Life Sun Goddess Matcha Powder. It’s made from 100% organic ceremonial grade matcha from Japan and the flavor is potent, clean, and better than any other brand I’ve tried.
Keep it cold, baby. It’s very important to keep shortbread cookie dough cold. You’ll notice two places in the instructions where it’s critical that you let the dough chill out in the refrigerator for a while: Right after mixing the dough and right after rolling the dough.
In both cases, you can chill the dough just long enough to keep all that butter nice and cold or for a few hours or even a few days. This allows you to shape your cookie baking to your schedule and don’t we just love it when things conform to us and not the other way around???
The easiest way to roll out shortbread cookie dough is to roll it between two sheets of parchment paper. This will keep it from sticking to your countertop and your rolling pin and doesn’t require you to dust the dough with extra flour which can dry these cookies out.
The dough will still stick to the parchment a tiny bit so before you cut the dough into shapes, peel back the top layer of paper to loosen it from the dough. Lay the paper back over the dough and flip the whole thing over. Remove the paper that is now on the top. Cut the dough into shapes. Because you’ve already loosened the bottom sheet of parchment, the cookies will release much easier.
Recipe notes:
Use culinary-grade matcha for the best flavor and color. I used Pique Life Sun Goddess Matcha Powder.
These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to a week, though the green color may start to fade over time.
This recipe says it will make 36 cookies but that depends entirely on the size of your cookie cutters, of course. I used the 2-inch round cutter from this 6-piece set.
The prep and bake times for this recipe do not include the time it takes to chill the dough. There are two points in the process for making these cookies where it’s important to chill the dough: right after you mix the dough and after you roll it out. In both cases, you can chill the dough just long enough to keep it cold or keep it in the refrigerator for several hours or even several days.
Because there’s no such thing as too much shortbread or too much citrus
Brown Butter Citrus Shortbread Cookies: Nutty brown butter shortbread and the bright, sunny flavor of citrus come together in these irresistible cookies that are so tender they literally melt in your mouth.
Cranberry Pistachio Shorbread Cookies: These incredibly rich and tender pistachio shortbread cookies are baked with a dollop of cranberry orange sauce, then drizzled with vanilla icing, and topped with a crunchy sprinkle of roasted pistachios.
Lemon Bundt Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze: By layering lemon zest, lemon juice, a touch of lemon extract or lemon oil, and plenty of tart lemon icing, this all butter cake is guaranteed to make all the lemon lovers swoon. I know from experience.
Orange Drizzle Cake: This orange drizzle cake is so rich, buttery, and tender you might actually call it creamy. The cake includes a few whole oranges stirred right into the batter and a generous drizzle of orange syrup.
Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.
My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.