These Earl Grey Cookies are simple, elegant, and delicious! Whether you’re a devoted tea lover or just looking for a sophisticated twist on classic shortbread, these cookies certainly fit the bill!
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These Earl Grey Cookies combine buttery shortbread with the delicate, citrusy notes of Earl Grey tea! These comforting cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea for any occasion, from a fancy tea party to a simple afternoon treat.
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Dirty Chai Cookies, Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread, and Chai Cake!
Ingredients
These cookies only have five ingredients!! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.
- All-Purpose Flour - Provides structure for the cookies.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the cookies.
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted butter so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be softened before you start the recipe.
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness. I use powdered sugar here because it gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture that all shortbread should have!
- Earl Grey Tea - Both brewed tea and tea leaves for flavor. You want the brewed tea to be strong so that the cookies will have more flavor. Instead of steeping the tea for longer, which can make the tea bitter, add an extra tea bag or two.
- Chocolate (optional) - I dipped my cookies in 72% dark chocolate. You can dip them in whatever kind of chocolate you prefer, or skip the chocolate altogether!
Instructions
Here is how to whip these cookies up, step by step! This just provides you with an overview of the steps, with all the necessary detail provided in the recipe card, below.
- Combine the flour and salt. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
- Add the brewed tea and tea leaves and mix to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Roll the dough out and cut out the desired shapes. **See recipe card for full instructions.**
Variations
Here are a few variations you can make to this recipe to change up the flavor profile a bit:
- Add some lavender - The flavor of lavender pairs beautifully with earl grey. I added a sprinkle of culinary lavender to the chocolate on my cookies as both a garnish and for floral flavor.
- Add some citrus - Adding some lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough will help to bring out the citrusy notes in the earl grey. Just take it easy on how much you add (maybe just a teaspoon) so the citrus flavor doesn't overpower the flavor of the tea.
- Frost the cookies - If you're into frosting on shortbread, adding some honey lavender buttercream or Buttermilk Frosting to these cookies would be delicious! (The photo above is buttermilk frosting with strips of orange peel.)
- Drizzle or dip the cookies in glaze - some honey-vanilla glaze would be a yummy addition!
Equipment
Here are a few things I used when making this recipe:
- Bowl Scraper - I like to use a bowl scraper to press the dough together in the bowl because it's flexible shape makes the job much easier, and it keeps my hands and countertop a bit cleaner.
- Sheet Pans - They're a kitchen staple, so you likely already have these.
- Nonstick Parchment - I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.
- Cookie Cutter - I've made this recipe using a 2.5-inch x 3.5-inch tea bag cookie cutter and using a 2.75-inch biscuit cutter. The recipe yields about 16 cookies with the tea bag cutter (this size is larger than actual tea bags), and about 26 cookies with the round cutter.
Tip: If you're crazy like me and want to make your cookies look like little tea bags, here's a link to the tea bag tags that I made in Canva!
Storage
This cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Then just roll/cut/bake the cookies once the dough has thawed.
The baked and cooled cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about five days.
For longer storage, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. If you want to dip them in chocolate, it's best to freeze them without the chocolate, then add it once they're thawed.
Other Recipes You May Like
Earl Grey Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons strongly brewed earl grey tea, cooled to room temperature (see note)
- 2 bags earl grey tea (about 2 teaspoons tea leaves)
- 4 ounces chocolate, optional (I used 72% dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Combine the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the brewed tea and tea leaves and mix to combine.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, ⅔ cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons strongly brewed earl grey tea, cooled to room temperature, 2 bags earl grey tea
- Gradually add the flour/salt mixture and mix just until you can't see flour anymore. Mixture won't come completely together into a ball and will be a bit crumbly, which is what you want.
- Use a bowl scraper (see note) to press the dough together into a ball inside the bowl, or turn the dough out onto your counter and press together with your hands. I like to use the bowl scraper to keep my hands/counter cleaner.(This cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Then just roll/cut/bake the cookies once the dough has thawed.)
- Split the dough into to two discs. Working with one disc at a time, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick between two sheets of parchment or wax paper.
- Once rolled out, transfer the dough (still in the paper) to a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes. This step makes the dough easier to handle when you cut out the cookies.
- Once the dough has chilled, cut out the desired shapes (see note on cutters). You can gather and re-roll the scraps to cut more cookies.
- Place the cookies at least an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and freeze for 15 minutes before baking. Preheat your oven to 350℉ while the cookies chill.
- Bake cookies 10-12 minutes, or until the they're just barely golden on the bottom. (I typically bake one test cookie and check the bottom once it cools.) Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dip or drizzle the cooled cookies in chocolate, if desired. I added a sprinkle of lavender to mine, too.
- The baked and cooled cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.For longer storage, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. If you want to dip them in chocolate, it's best to freeze them without the chocolate, then add it once they're thawed.Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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