I finally landed on a method for Matcha White Chocolate Cookies that keeps the matcha color vivid and the white chocolate chips perfectly distributed.

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I never expected that a little matcha green tea powder and some white chocolate chips would turn my kitchen into a tiny, thrilling experiment, but here we are. These White Chocolate Matcha Cookies sneak grassy, almost savory notes into a sweet bite, and somehow it works, in a slightly stubborn way.

I call it my version of Matcha White Chocolate Cookies when people peek over my shoulder, or sometimes I joke about all the search results for How To Make Matcha Cookies that still dont capture this little contradiction of flavors. Try one and you’ll get why I keep making them.

Ingredients

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Matcha green tea powder: Bright, earthy powder rich in antioxidants and caffeine, lends grassy slightly bitter flavor.
White chocolate: Very sweet and fatty, mostly sugar and milk solids, gives creamy sweetness and chew.
Unsalted butter: Adds rich saturated fat, moisture and flakiness, makes cookies tender and golden.
All purpose flour: Main structure source, mostly carbs and some protein, gluten helps hold cookies together.
Brown sugar: Packed with molasses so it keeps cookies moist, adds caramel notes and sweetness.
Egg plus yolk: Protein binder, yolk adds fat and richness, makes dough cohesive and chewy.
Flaky sea salt (optional): Tiny salty pops highlight sweetness and deepen flavor, use sparingly on top.
Cornstarch (optional): Adds tender crumb and softer bite, reduces spread for thicker cookies.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (12 g) matcha green tea powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (255 g) white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat and measure everything out first.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (12 g) matcha green tea powder (sift it if it’s clumpy), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional). Set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer; scrape the bowl down once or twice.

4. Beat in 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, don’t overmix.

5. Add the dry mixture to the wet in two additions and stir until just combined, stopping as soon as you see no streaks of flour. Fold in 1 1/2 cups (255 g) white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate.

6. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes for thicker, chewier cookies and better flavor; you can skip chilling if you want thinner cookies right away. Tip: a 2 tablespoon scoop makes medium cookies, leave 2 inches between mounds.

7. Bake on the middle rack for about 10 to 12 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through. Cookies are done when edges are set and centers still look slightly soft and jiggly.

8. If using, sprinkle flaky sea salt on hot cookies straight from the oven. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

9. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 4 days. To keep them soft toss in a slice of bread or reheat briefly in the microwave before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 350°F and oven mitts (preheat first, dont skip)

2. 2 baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mat

3. 2 mixing bowls, one large for creaming butter and one medium for dry ingredients

4. Electric mixer or a handheld mixer (you can use a strong whisk but it takes more work)

5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale for more accurate results

6. Fine mesh sieve or small sifter and a whisk to sift the matcha and mix dry ingredients

7. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping the bowl

8. 2 tablespoon cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a spoon to portion the dough

9. Wire cooling rack to finish cooling the cookies

10. Kitchen timer and a sheet pan liner or plate for chilling dough in the fridge if you want thicker chewier cookies

FAQ

Q: Can I use less matcha or swap it for something else? A: Yes, you can cut the matcha to 1 tablespoon for a milder green tea flavor, but if you use more it can get bitter. If you really dont want matcha you can try cocoa powder for a chocolate cookie instead, but it wont taste like the original.

Q: How do I make these cookies soft and chewy instead of crispy? A: Do a few things: keep the cornstarch in the recipe, chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes so they dont spread, and pull them out of the oven when the edges are set but centers still look a bit soft. The extra egg yolk already helps chewiness.

Q: Can I swap white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate? A: Yes you can, but matcha is best with white chocolate because it balances the grassy flavor. If you use dark or milk chocolate the cookie will be less sweet and more chocolate-forward, you might want to cut the granulated sugar a little.

Q: Why did my cookies turn out flat and greasy? A: Most likely the butter was too warm or the dough was too warm when they went into the oven, or you over-measured the butter. Chill the dough, make sure butter is softened not melted, and measure flour by scooping and leveling or weigh it.

Q: How do I store or freeze these cookies? A: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 4 to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 to 3 months. For fresh-baked results, freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.

Q: My white chocolate melted into the cookie and disappeared, any tips? A: Use good quality white chocolate and chop it into uneven chunks instead of using tiny chips, fold them in at the very end and press a few extra pieces on top of each dough ball before baking so you still get bites of chocolate.

White Chocolate Matcha Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser cookie; or use a cup-for-cup gluten free baking blend if you need GF, no other changes usually needed.
Matcha green tea powder: if you dont have matcha try 2 tbsp hojicha powder for a roasted green tea vibe, or use 2 tbsp cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist; to stretch little bit of matcha mix 1 tbsp matcha with 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Unsalted butter: use salted butter same amount and skip any extra salt, or for dairy-free use solid coconut oil 1:1 but expect crisper edges and a hint of coconut flavor.
1 large egg plus 1 yolk: for vegan/egg-free replace each egg with 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water (let sit 5 min), or use 1/4 cup applesauce per egg for softer, cakier cookies.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh your flour, if you can, or spoon and level the cup when you don’t have a scale. Too much flour makes the cookies cakey and dry, and that sneaks up on you fast.

2) Chill the dough at least 30 minutes, better yet overnight, it makes the cookies chewier and the flavor way better. If it gets rock hard, let it sit a few minutes at room temp so it’s scoopable again.

3) Freeze the white chocolate chips for 10 minutes before folding them in, or use coarsely chopped good quality chocolate so they stay distinct and dont just melt into the dough. Also adding the optional cornstarch helps make them softer and tender.

4) Watch the bake cues not the clock, edges should be set and centers still a little jiggly, then cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving. Sprinkle flaky sea salt right out of the oven, it makes the matcha and white chocolate pop.

White Chocolate Matcha Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

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I finally landed on a method for Matcha White Chocolate Cookies that keeps the matcha color vivid and the white chocolate chips perfectly distributed.

Servings

servings

Calories

225

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven set to 350°F and oven mitts (preheat first, dont skip)