These gluten-free and vegan matcha white chocolate cookies are soft, chewy, and delicious. They are made with almond butter and they're rolled in sugar before baking which gives them a delicious sugar cookie taste! You only need one bowl to make the recipe and the cookies are done in just 20 minutes. You are bound to love them!
The matcha in these cookies gives them such a fun green color, making them the perfect dessert for holidays like Saint Patrick's Day! This gluten-free key lime pie recipe is another fun green dessert for springtime.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Do matcha cookies have caffeine?
- Is matcha and chocolate a good combination?
- Ingredients
- How To Make Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
- How does matcha affect baking?
- Gluten-Free Matcha Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Expert Baking Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing & Freezing
- More Cookie Recipes
- Recipe
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy - These matcha cookies have the best chewy texture that melts in your mouth!
- Vegan and gluten-free - This recipe makes vegan and gluten-free matcha cookies. The best part is that you can't tell by how good they taste!
- White chocolate chips - The flavor of white chocolate pairs perfectly with matcha and adds some extra sweetness to the cookies.
- Healthy ingredients - All of the ingredients are healthy and plant-based. The cookies are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup.
- Green tea cookie flavor - Using high-quality matcha makes for the best vegan green tea cookies with a unique and delicious flavor.
- No mixer required - You don't need a mixer to make these cookies! They are so easy to make by hand, and you only need one mixing bowl.
Do matcha cookies have caffeine?
Yes! There is caffeine in matcha tea, which means these matcha cookies have caffeine, too. In ½ teaspoon matcha, there is about 16-24 mg of caffeine. Since there are 1 ½ tablespoons of matcha in this recipe, you can expect to have 10-14 mg of caffeine in each matcha cookie, if you make 15 cookies.
Is matcha and chocolate a good combination?
Matcha and chocolate make a delicious combination, definitely! You can make matcha white chocolate cookies or use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate. I personally recommend making matcha white chocolate chip cookies because the sweet flavor of white chocolate compliments the green tea flavor perfectly. Make sure you use vegan chocolate to make vegan matcha cookies.
Ingredients
You need less than 10 ingredients to make these matcha cookies. Super easy!
Below are some helpful tips regarding some of the cookie ingredients. Remember to see the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
- Almond butter - Use natural, creamy almond butter in the cookies for the right consistency. Almond butter acts as the fat in the cookies instead of butter or oil, making for healthy matcha cookies.
- Maple syrup - The cookies are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, instead of using added sugars. Make sure you use real maple syrup, not the fake kinds.
- Gluten-free flour - Use gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour with xanthan gum in the ingredients list. Don't leave out the xanthan gum! I like using King Arthur gluten-free flour, but most all-purpose 1:1 varieties work.
- Matcha powder - I recommend Jade Leaf culinary grade matcha powder for the recipe. Culinary grade matcha powder is best for baking and has a strong flavor and vibrant green color that comes through the cookies.
- Cane sugar - Roll your cookie dough balls in organic, vegan cane sugar before baking. This makes them taste like matcha sugar cookies and adds a glistening, pretty texture to them. This is optional, but recommended for best flavor.
- White chocolate - Remember to use vegan white chocolate chips to make the matcha cookies vegan.
How To Make Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
It only takes a few minutes to mix up the cookie dough. You don't need a mixer or anything, just one bowl and a whisk. Here are step-by-step instructions for making the cookies:
STEP 1: Whisk together the creamy almond butter, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
STEP 2: Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder to the bowl.
STEP 3: Stir the mixture until a thick, sticky cookie dough forms. It will be green!
STEP 4: Fold in the vegan white chocolate chips until just combined. The dough will be quite sticky and thick, this is good.
STEP 5: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, use a small 1 or 2-inch cookie scoop to scoop out evenly sized balls of matcha cookie dough.
STEP 6: Roll each cookie dough ball in vegan cane sugar and place each ball on the baking sheet 1-2 inches apart.
STEP 7: Gently flatten the cookie dough balls with your fingers or the back of a spatula to encourage them to spread while baking.
STEP 8: Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges have set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes to finish firming up.
BAKING TIP: Gluten-free cookies don't spread much while baking. Flattening the cookies before they go into the oven will help them spread and become that classic round cookie shape. Allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheet after removing them from the oven allows them to set up completely.
How does matcha affect baking?
Matcha adds green tea flavor and vibrant green color to cookies and other baked goods. If you've never tried matcha, it has an earthy tea flavor that pairs wonderfully with white chocolate, ginger, and vanilla. You will find ceremonial grade matcha and culinary grade matcha, but I recommend culinary grade matcha for baking.
Culinary grade matcha is generally less expensive than ceremonial grade matcha, and it's designed to be used in baked goods rather than consumed on its own. Outside of making these chewy matcha cookies, you can use matcha to color frosting and glazes. You can also bake matcha brownies or matcha white chocolate cake.
Gluten-Free Matcha Sugar Cookies
If you want to make matcha sugar cookies without white chocolate, you totally can! Just omit the white chocolate chips from the recipe. Remember to roll your matcha cookie dough balls in organic cane sugar before baking and use gluten-free all-purpose flour. This makes for delicious gluten-free matcha sugar cookies and lets the matcha flavor truly shine. If you want, you can make some cookies with white chocolate and some cookies with just the sugar coating.
Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies
You don't have to stick with white chocolate for these cookies. You can make matcha chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or milk chocolate, too! Maybe try using butterscotch chips or mint chips for super unique flavors. Whatever chocolate you decide to use in the matcha cookies, make sure to buy vegan chocolate chips if you want to keep the matcha cookies vegan.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use creamy, natural almond butter - It's very important to use natural and creamy almond butter for the cookies to ensure the dough is the proper consistency. The almond butter should not be thick. It should drip off a spoon!
- Let the cookies set up on the baking sheet - When you remove the cookies from the oven, don't transfer them to a cooling rack right away. Let them set up on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. This makes for firm edges and soft, chewy centers.
- Use high-quality matcha powder - The quality of the matcha you use will determine how green the cookies appear and how strong the matcha flavor becomes. Culinary grade matcha powder is best for most baking needs. I like using Jade Leaf matcha powder, which you can find in most grocery stores!
If you love white chocolate, you'll definitely love these raspberry white chocolate cookies. They are just as good as these matcha white chocolate cookies!
Frequently Asked Questions
Many flavors pair well with the sweet, earthy taste of matcha. White chocolate, ginger, vanilla, and lemon are just a few flavors that compliment matcha.
Yes, you can use matcha tea powder for baking with great results. Ceremonial matcha and culinary grade matcha can both be used, but I like using culinary grade matcha for these matcha cookies.
If your matcha cookie is not green, it could be because you used a low-quality matcha powder, or didn't add enough matcha. Use high-quality matcha powder and consider adding more matcha to the recipe if you want a vibrant, stronger green color. This will make the matcha flavor stronger, too.
There are approximately 270 calories in a matcha cookie when you make 15 cookies.
Storing & Freezing
Store leftover matcha cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days. You can freeze the cookies in an airtight container (like a sealed freezer bag) to keep for 2-3 months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving again. Since the cookies are vegan, they freeze quite well without dairy.
More Cookie Recipes
Did you make these gluten-free and vegan matcha white chocolate cookies? Please leave a rating and review below. I would love to know how you liked them! If you post a photo on Instagram and tag me, I would love to share it. For more recipes, follow me on Pinterest and join my email list to stay updated with exclusive content.
Recipe
Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 1-inch Cookie Scoop
- Parchment Paper optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural creamy almond butter
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour with xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons matcha powder I used Jade Leaf culinary grade
- ½ cup vegan white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons organic vegan cane sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the creamy almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth.½ cup natural creamy almond butter, ½ cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder. Stir until a thick and sticky dough forms. Then, fold in the white chocolate chips.1 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ tablespoons matcha powder, ½ cup vegan white chocolate chips
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough into evenly-sized balls. Roll each ball of dough in vegan cane sugar before placing them on the baking sheet 1-2 inches apart.2 tablespoons organic vegan cane sugar
- Gently flatten the cookies with your fingers or the back of a spatula to encourage spreading while baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes to finish setting up. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
Autumn says
I’ve never tried matcha cookies before but I made these and they were super delicious!! Very soft and the white chocolate chips inside made for really great flavor. I had my family try them and they loved them too! They are so easy to make so I will definitely be making them again soon.
nancy says
these matcha cookies are my fav! so tasty and everyone fights for the last one
Bobbie says
Love the step-by-step instructions! So easy to make.
Kalin says
YUM! I love matcha but have never baked with it. That’s gonna have to change soon!
nancy says
these matcha cookies are so fluffy and soft. everyone fights for the last piece!
Natalie says
Oh, I love matcha. I have to give these cookies a try. They look amazing.