Matcha-Cream Shortbread Cookies

Matcha-Cream Shortbread Cookies is the perfect holiday dessert for the healthy home cook. Gluten-free, vegan and made with delicious ingredients that will suit the dietary needs of every guest this holiday season. 

Last week I presented you with the chocolate + matcha fanatics dream combo, Matcha-Cashew Chocolate Cups. And, now today, here is something for the cookie lovers out there, Matcha-Cream Shortbread Cookies! You know it’s the holidays when there are back-to-back sweet recipes in this space. And I’m not sure anyone is complaining about that! 

If you’re still thinking about what to make for a fun holiday party bite, well maybe consider these. With a creamy center, that is festively tinted with matcha powder for the holidays (I love and use Aiya Matcha for all my culinary baking), and sandwiched between classic shortbread cookies, this is a sweet treat that is meant for the Christmas season.

And if you still can't settle between the two recipe – chocolate cups or cookies - well, maybe this time make both…tis the season, am-I-right?!

Enjoy friends!

xx M

Serves: 10 cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients for the Shortbread Cookies:

1 cup almond flour

1 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract

dash of cinnamon

3-4 tablespoons water

pinch of sea salt

Ingredients for the Matcha-Cream Filling:

1 & 1/2 cups cashews, soaked overnight or at least 4 hours, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted

3/4 cup coconut milk

6 tablesppons coconut oil, melted

2 big tablespoons cashew butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

squeeze of lemon juice

1 & 1/2 – 2 teaspoons matcha (I use and love Aiya Matcha cooking grade)

Instructions:

Start by making the shortbread. Simply place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined. Remove and shape the dough into a large ball. Pop this into the fridge to set for 1 hour.

In the meantime preheat your oven to 325F and make the matcha cream. Add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy. Set aside until the cookies are ready to be rolled.

Dust your work surface with any flour as to not let the dough stick. Now pour the dough out onto your work surface and roll out the dough, and cut into 2" circles. Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Re-roll the excess dough pieces and cut out into remaining circles.

Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are crispy and golden. Let them cool.

To assemble the cookies, first fill a piping bag with the matcha filling (or a small plastic zip-lock bag works too – just cut one end off and squeeze out from the newly cut side) and dollop the cream onto the center of one cookie. Top them with the second cookie, making cookie sandwiches. Place them in the fridge to firm up and store them in the fridge as well. Enjoy with nut milk or as is!

I hope you love these matcha-cream cookies and that they inspire your holiday baking! And if you make these please tag me on Instagram @marie.reginato so I can see your creation! xx

And thank you Aiya Matcha for sponsoring this post. It means everything to work with brands that I adore and who support this beautiful community!