The weather changed ever so slightly this week; there's a briskness and nip to the air that even in the sunshine leads our thoughts to tea. A hot cup of tea is an essential cold-weather ritual for many of us, and what is tea without a cookie?
The weather changed ever so slightly this week; there's a briskness and nip to the air that even in the sunshine leads our thoughts to tea. A hot cup of tea is an essential cold-weather ritual for many of us, and what is tea without a cookie?
Of course, many of us drink tea year-round, not just in cold weather, but we've been indulging in the afternoon ritual of proper tea and small cookie a little more frequently this week.
Here's an easy recipe for a little cookie good with tea or milk, whipped up quickly in the bowl of your food processor. These cookies are rather literal and Amelia Bedelia-esque in that they really contain tea leaves, which are ground fine with the flour and give them a rich yet delicate flavor. With the buttery crunch of a sophisticated shortbread, these are dangerously addictive.
Fortunately, this is an icebox cookie. This means that the dough can be frozen for months and just a couple cookies sliced off and baked at a time - perfect for sweet-toothed singles and unexpected guests.
Try making them with other kinds of tea, too - orange spice, masala chai and green tea have all worked well, although Earl Grey seems to suit them best.
This batch size just fits into my 4-cup KitchenAid food processor.
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
makes 2 dozen
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
Add vanilla, water, and butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Form the dough into a log onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Wrap the paper around and roll the log smooth. Freeze now, or chill for at least 30 minutes.
When chilled, slice the log into 1/3 inch thick pieces. Place on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
*One would think that expensive loose leaf tea would be best in this recipe. But I've actually gotten the best flavor with tea from cheap bags that I've ripped open. I think the leaves are more fine and flaky.
Related: Recipe: Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
(Image: Faith Durand)
(Edited and republished from post originally published October 10, 2006)
these sound delicious! i've been looking for new cookie recipes and i'll make these this week.
When I think of cool weather and hot drinks, I think of hot cocoa, not tea. Tea is an all-occasions drink to me. A replacement for coffee in the afternoons, so that I won't wear a hole into my stomach lining from too much coffee. :D
That said...OMG I want to make these cookies. They sound scrumptious. Icebox cookies are near and dear to me because that's all my grandmother would make (and subsequently send us home with). I think I have some earl grey tea bags instead of loose at home (my most favorite tea). I'll report on my own results when I make them this week.
These sound so good! I made chocolate truffles once with a smoky Russian tea and have been meaning to cook more with tea ever since - I will definitely try these.
Update: I was inspired by this recipe to make a batch of shortbread with tea - delicious! Faith, I think you're right that tea from a bag works better than loose tea for baking; that's what I used and it was just the right consistency. Click on my name to go to my post about these cookies.
Whoops, sorry, that was the wrong link - that was the last one in my clipboard - here is the link to my cookie post: http://tinybanquet.blogspot.com/2006/10/shortbread-menagerie.html
I tried your recipe because the cookies look so yummy on the photo, sadly mine turned out completely flat and very greasy. I followed your recipe very closely and the dough looked ok, now I'm wondering, where I might have made a mistake. Any ideas?
I made these and they are delicious. We are going to make them as favors for my son's wedding. Hopefully we can freeze the cookies and they will still be great. Do you think they would keep frozen for 1 month?
Lorna, yes I think they would do fine. Just wrap in as many layers as possible!
view faith's profile
To Caroline: did you chill them long enough? Not chilling enough would make them flat. Did you use butter?
view CleanSimple's profile
Could these be made vegan with a butter-like spread, or do they require butter?
view amt230's profile
I have made these before and found them quite addictive! Thanks a lot for reminding me... now I have to summon the willpower to resist making a batch!
view prometheanne's profile
I call shenanigans! Look at that uniform scalloped edge! You used a cookie cutter, didn't you?
view squidlette's profile
LOL!! Nice catch squidlette - I absolutely did. I forgot this recipe amendment: Can roll out and use cookie cutters too.
When not trying to take pretty photos I just slice em off. They get thinner that way. I am going to try my mandoline next time I make them; the thinner they are the better.
view faith's profile
I made these once with an orange spice tea for lack of earl grey-delicious and easy!
view danasays's profile
I use this exact recipe only doubled, but I always use less salt. Caroline, try putting parchment paper on the cookie sheet, that might help get rid of the grease. And I always chill mine for an hour. No one has mentioned having issues cutting them yet, but I had problems the first time I made these, so now I use waxed (unflavored!) dental floss. Just slide it under the dough and cross it the ends on top and pull. That way you don't smoosh the top of the cookies.
view Staar84's profile
these look lovely.
Could you please post this recipe with instructions which don't require a food processor? I lost mine in a break up and I think it is unfair that my ex could make these so easily.
view sciencegeek's profile
My wife used to make this kind of cookies but she doesn't have time anymore and discovered that is cheaper to buy them from a shop or from the scout girls even if they're not recommended by my scottsdale dentist . Still I can't resist it !
view EddieSmith's profile
These were really nice! I added a bit more tea for more oomph in my second batch, and there is a lot of room for tweaking however you like them. New freezer staple.
view LostOnPurpose's profile