Any Tea or Coffee Shortbread Cookies

The crumbly texture and buttery bite of shortbread can be turned into countless creations—you’ve probably seen it layered into bar cookies (like millionaire’s shortbread) and cut in sweet circles. Here it takes on a bolder flavor thanks to the addition of any sort of coffee or tea, turning the moreish cookie into a caffeinated treat fit for breakfast or dessert. 

The trick is to blitz whichever tea or coffee you choose with the sugar in a food processor so the tea leaves or coffee grounds break down into tiny pieces and infuse the sugar. If using powdered tea or coffee (such as matcha, hojicha, instant coffee, or espresso powder) you can skip this step and simply mix your flavoring agent in with the sugar. That mixture is then combined with an egg yolk, butter, powdered sugar (for tenderness), and a hefty dose of vanilla extract to make the base of the shortbread dough. Once the flour and salt are mixed in, the dough is then rolled into a log, coated in crunchy sugar, and chilled. Whenever you’re ready to bake, simply slice the log and bake until tender and fragrant. Serve the cookies with coffee or tea for an especially energizing experience or pair with fresh fruit for a midafternoon pick-me-up.

Fill your favorite mug and get more of our best Christmas cookie recipes →