With the holidays upon us I’ve been thinking a lot about recipes I could make that are unique but still have a traditional foundation. At Thanksgiving, the only thing I’d come up with was this Pumpkin Bread, adjusted from my mother’s recipe. Since it’s December now, I’ve started focusing on things I can bring to Christmas dinner, too. I’ll be the only vegan, and time will be short, so I’ll likely opt for this Gardein Holiday Roast as my entrée. But I’ve been wondering what else I could make, to share with the omnivores, something they won’t mind is vegan. The answer, I think, is cookies.
Desserts show up in abundance at every holiday get-together, so they’re a safe bet for me. These are sugar cookies with a twist. Not only are they vegan, but they’re also loaded with matcha, something I’m starting to include more in my recipes (like these Matcha Chocolate Chia Energy Balls). Matcha is a foreign ingredient to many in my family, so they might not be received well. But I’m here to tell you that they’re super tasty and perfect if you’re looking for something easy to bring to your holiday function. Just tell the guests not to fear the green hue, and you’ll be just fine.
Tell Me What You Think
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you make it. So drop me a comment below, and be sure to tag @nutfreevegan on social media if you’re posting photos. Plus, it’s always super fun to see these dishes out in the wild!
Matcha Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- Egg replacer that equals 2 large eggs Here is a good flax seed egg recipe that would work
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. matcha powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl and mix well.
- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat for another 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Return speed to low.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- Slowly add matcha and flour mixture to bowl and beat until blended.
- Divide dough into 4 equal hunks. Place each between 2 pieces of wax paper and 1/8-inch thickness. Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Use 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters to make as many cookies as possible. Repeat with scraps.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper and place in the oven until edges start to brown slightly, about 10 to 12 minutes. Rotate pans on upper and lower racks halfway through.
- Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
- Decorate as desired. I suggest either icing or coarse decorating sugar.
Nutrition
Hi there! Is there a Matcha brand that you trust to be safe for hose with nut allergies? I can’t find companies that are labeling for anything other than Green tea leaves so do we trust that it’s totslly good to go?
Thanks
Hi Erin,
That’s a good question that unfortunately I don’t have an answer to. From what I’ve read most matchas are made in tea-only facilities, so that might be a good indication. And matcha is pretty much just ground up tea, so I don’t think there would be any nut ingredients. I definitely don’t have a reaction when I use it and I’m allergic to everything except peanuts.
Sorry I didn’t have a more definitive answer for you!
Hi, does coconut oil work as an egg substitute? I use that in my scones and I was wondering if it works for these cookies.
Hi Audrey. I’ve never done the coconut oil-for-egg swap, but I did a little research and it looks like it should be fine if you use a 1/4 cup of oil/1 egg ratio.
I’d love to know how this works out for you!
These are DELICIOUS! So glad I took a chance and made them. I put the peppermint oil in and honestly couldn’t imagine them without it. It’s a great flavor combination.
I’m so happy to hear that, Kate!