By Eric Kim
Updated Dec. 7, 2023
- Total Time
- 45 minutes plus cooling
- Prep Time
- 25 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(1,161)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is a matcha latte in cookie form. Atop the chewy, Grinch-green cookie sits a cloud of ermine icing, an old-fashioned boiled-milk frosting (like the kind you might find in midcentury American baking and grocery-store cupcakes), whose sugared lightness balances out the more intense, bittersweet base. Out of the oven, these cookies might look puffy, but as they cool on their pans, they will continue to cook and deflate, becoming their truest chewiest selves. If you want to skip the frosting, a little powdered sugar is a lovely, snowy finish.
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Ingredients
Yield:About 20 cookies
- 1½cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- 1½tablespoons matcha powder
- 1½tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
- ¼packed cup/50 grams light brown sugar
- ½teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
- 1large egg, at room temperature
- Nonpareil sprinkles (optional)
- ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
- 3tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Small pinch of coarse kosher salt
- 1cup/237 milliliters whole milk
- 1cup/227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cookies
For the Frosting (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)
247 calories; 15 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 95 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. In a large bowl, stir the matcha and vanilla into a paste using a wooden spoon or flexible spatula. Add the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt, then beat until pale green and fluffy. Switch to a whisk and beat in the egg until smooth.
Step
2
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Refrigerate the dough, uncovered, while the oven heats.
Step
3
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step
4
Using a #40 (1½-tablespoon) cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out 1½-inch rounds and place them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until puffed and no longer wet-looking on top, about 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the pan. (Unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.)
Step
5
If you’d like, make the frosting when you’re ready to serve the cookies: In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble, about 4 minutes, then continue whisking the mixture as it boils until thick like pudding, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer this hot mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Step
6
Beat on high speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. It may take up to 10 minutes. With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until smooth before each addition. When all of the butter has been incorporated, add the vanilla, then raise the speed to high and beat until very fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step
7
Using a butter knife or spoon, frost each cooled cookie and top with sprinkles if you’d like. Serve immediately.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,161
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
TJP
Just made these and they are delicious. I didn’t have peanut butter on hand so used tahini, which was subtle, delicious and my guess is that it works better with matcha anyway. A winner!
Calvina
What are the good substitutes for peanut butter if we are making them for allergies?
tyrannosauri
We did half of the peanut butter that the recipe suggested and upped the matcha by 1 teaspoon and they turned out amazing! Can’t taste the peanut butter, and the matcha flavor is perfectly strong. The frosting is a perfect match. For those asking for peanut butter substitutes, I really think you could sub with any nut butter or omit completely and the cookies will still turn out okay.
Nina
as a lazy person, making ermine frosting was too much for me. to add some sweetness, i chopped up a 100g bar of white chocolate and mixed it in with the flour. it balances the great base flavour and allows the cookies to keep longer!
Wes
I made these to soften the blow of how bad Real Housewives of Potomac has gotten, so that I could eat them while I watch. They are so, so good but I think the recipe calls for too much frosting, which would normally be fine, but you can't really save it. So, I got rid of it (kind of like how I wish RHOP would get rid of Gizelle and Robyn)!
jess
For best green color: use ceremonial matcha, not culinary grade, and roll in matcha-sugar mixture before baking
Shelley
Sunflower or almond butter are great substitutes for allergies.
Sarah W
Very good! But they are more peanut butter in taste then matcha
Leo
Halved the amount of frosting, which ended up being closer to a good quantity for me - think I would have had trouble using the whole thing. Substituting oat milk for whole here worked fine for me, but took a bit more time on the stove (+2/3 mins), YMMV.
Alex
Instead of frosting, I added a half bag of white chocolate chips with the final fold of flour. My coworkers loved them!
Lindsay H
I made these following the recipe exactly and they were PHENOMENAL. I don’t know why people were complaining about the peanut flavor being too strong — it’s 1 T in 20 cookies! I thought the matcha flavor was perfect. I worried that kids would be put off by the color/flavor so I called them “Grinch cookies” and they loved them. I only had enough butter to make a third of the recipe for frosting, but that was actually perfect for the full amount of cookies - an ample amount but not overwhelming.
Jenny
Morton kosher salt is saltier than Diamond Crystal (the one most professionals use but less available nationwide). Use more salt if using Diamond Crystal.
Beth W
Because I didn't have any, I switched the matcha powder for 1 T ashwagandha powder and 1/2 T cardamom. This is a beautiful cookie, and I'm looking forward to having matcha next time I make them!
Erin
Delicious and fun to make. I'm at high elevation, and I followed the recipe as followed except I added 1 fewer tbsp of flour and added a splash of water to the dough after incorporating the wet ingredients. For those curious about storing after icing, I refrigerated cookies in a single layer so icing could set (they taste pretty decent cold too). Also, the matcha flavor really shines through after these sit for a day!
em
I’ve now made these exactly following the recipe and swapping the peanut butter for tahini, both are excellent. One thing I learned: do not refrigerate the dough overnight, the matcha started to oxidize and turn brown. The cookie still tasted good, but it was a very muddy green-brown.
J Lin
I am an Eric Kim stan. These cookies are phenomenal. Use good, bright green matcha and unsweetened peanut butter for best results in color, matcha earthinesss, and sweetness (for those who love not-too-sweet sweets).
AnnaBee
Delicious. Halved the frosting as others suggested, and found it was still plenty.
AlyssaM
I don't particularly care for the earthy overtones of drinking matcha, but nevertheless I was intrigued to make these. Maybe it's because green is my favorite color and I've never tried making ermine frosting. Either way, I'm so glad I tried these. I guess I love matcha in cookie form. The frosting is incredibly light and buttery and I love that I get to pile it high onto the cookie. I made using my scale, with a #20 scoop, which I then cut each dough ball in half. Made 24 cookies this way.
Deisy
I made these over Christmas and two months later I am still thinking no dreaming about them. I made a ton of different cookies for my Christmas cookie boxes and these were easily everyone’s top. Peanut butter was excellent; wouldn’t recommend omitting unless absolutely necessary. Bless you, Eric.
Annie Butkiewicz
As a big matcha fan, I was a little disappointed that these cookies had a more PB forward flavor than matcha. I’d consider making it without or adding tahini instead. Otherwise great texture!
Soph
Made them and they were phenomenal! Left out the pb due to allergies, and subbed frosting for regular buttercream. Amount of vanilla is concerning at first but it does not overwhelm the matcha. Only had a matcha latte mix available from Trader Joe’s and it did just the trick. Baked for 12 min on the dot, I wouldn’t recommend leaving it in the oven for much longer (ruins the chew). Doesn’t necessarily need the frosting either. Super simple and easy to make! Going to be a new go to!
is it supposed to be dry?
my cookies turned out bone dry, it was dry from the batter. what would have I missed?
jesse
These were a big hit at my house, they barely lasted two days on the counter. Next time I’ll use slightly less peanut butter.
Mary
Just to share - leftover ermine frosting keeps well in fridge for at least a week, and can be used to frost other cookies too! Today I had almond biscotti with a schmear of cool frosting - delicious!
euh
Where did I go wrong with the frosting? The flavor was good but in spite of following the directions step by step - and mixing for at least five extra minutes - the frosting remained slightly lumpy and wet. It just couldn’t incorporate enough to let air get trapped by the butter.
Mary
I replaced peanut butter with 1 tblsp Koy pistachio butter (w lovely green color). I also reduced vanilla extract to 2 tsp, and combined salt w flour before folding in. Made frosting as directed. Frosted/sprinkled a few cookies immediately. Cookies were gorgeous and delicious! Like a cookie version of a cupcake. I refrigerated remaining frosting and frosted/sprinkled cookies over next few days. Chilled frosting was firmer, also very tasty! [Buttercream may be refrigerated up to 1 wk?]
Isha
Bourbon Vanilla Extract for both the batter and frosting elevates these to a whole new level! Amazing. Used 85% butterfly unsalted butter and they turned out luxurious, rich yet easy to scarf down 4 in one go!
Cali
These were phenomenal!! One of my favorite new cookie recipes I've tried in a while. The frosting takes time, but is SO worth it - the perfect topping for the cookie. I also topped a few with just powdered sugar - easier to store and deliver for the holidays, but would highly recommend the frosting.
tahini & dark chocolate
I used tahini instead of peanut butter and added some chopped dark chocolate bar & skipped the frosting. Lovely cookies!
mle
This is my new favorite cookie! They were a hit and so easy to make. The frosting is so worth making!
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