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    Milk and Pop » Recipes » Tea Baking

    Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

    Published: Oct 31, 2023 by Tatiana Kamakura · 8 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Pin it Share

    Earl Grey Shortbread is an aromatic and buttery tea cookie, made in 4 simple steps and perfect for delicate homemade gifts.

    Earl Grey shortbread cookies.

    Love baking with Earl Grey? You need to try my Earl Grey Yogurt Cake - the glaze is pure tea heaven!

    Jump to:
    • 🍪Why bake it
    • 📃Ingredients
    • 🫖Flavor variations
    • 🥣How to make them
    • ✔️Expert tips
    • 🙋🏻‍♀️Question you might have
    • 🍪What to have with these tea cookies
    • 📖 Recipe

    🍪Why bake it

    Earl Grey Shortbread is a butter cookie that will melt in your mouth! Perfect for all the Earl Grey aficionados, bake these if:

    • You want a no-fuss shortbread dough with few ingredients and that can be made in a food processor - like my famous coconut cookies!
    • A recipe with flavor variations is what you’re looking for;
    • You don’t want to use a cookie cutter, but want beautifully round cookies.

    📃Ingredients

    Ingredients of this recipe separated in bowls.

    Earl Grey tea. Use fine Earl Grey tea leaves. I find that using the contents of tea bags is easier: if using loose leaves, you’ll need to grind them until fine, or they will affect the cookies texture.

    Earl Grey extract. I have a simple Earl Grey Tea extract that’s perfect for baking goods! If you’re someone that bakes often with this flavor, I recommend having it in your pantry.

    You can substitute Earl Grey extract with vanilla extract and get a delicious creamy Earl Grey cookie!

    Icing sugar. It gives these cookies the softest texture without the need to cream the butter. Substituting with granulated sugar will give these cookies a crispier texture.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and substitutions.

    🫖Flavor variations

    Earl Grey Lavender Shortbread: use an Earl grey Lavender tea. You can enhance more the lavender flavor by adding lavender extract instead of vanilla.

    Citrus Earl Grey: add 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest.

    Lady Grey: Substitute Earl Grey with Lady Grey.

    All of these variations also work when baking my flaky Earl Grey scones!

    🥣How to make them

    This is an easy shortbread recipe with no need to cream the butter.

    Dough formed in a food processor.

    Step 1. In a food processor cup, add all ingredients: butter, icing sugar, flour, salt, Earl Grey leaves and extract. Pulse until dough is formed.

    Dough rolled into 2 logs and wrapper in plastic wrap.

    Step 2. Divide the dough into 2, rolling each into a log of about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

    Dough sliced.

    Step 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a sharp knife to cut ¼ to ½ inch thick slices.

    Slices placed in a lined baking sheet.

    Step 4. Place cookies in a lined baking pan, at least an inch apart. Bake for about 10 minutes.

    Shortbread cooling on a cooling rack.

    Let shortbreads cooling in a cooling rack.

    ✔️Expert tips

    Don’t skip chilling the dough, or you’ll risk getting flat cookies! If you're looking for a recipe with no chilling time, try my no chill chocolate chip cookies!

    Don’t bake shortbread using a greased baking sheet, or they will spread. Use parchment paper to line the baking sheet.

    Careful to not overbake shortbread! When ready, these cookies start to change color on the bottom: if they start to get lightly golden, time to take them out of the oven.

    🙋🏻‍♀️Question you might have

    Can I make this cookie ahead of time?

    Yes, you can make the dough 24h to 48h before slicing and baking. These cookies last for about 7 days if stored in an airtight container away from sunlight.

    Is there caffeine in an Earl Grey cookie?

    As Earl Grey tea contains caffeine, look for a decaf Earl Grey if you want a decaf version.

    My cookies are flat! What did I do wrong?

    Flat cookies are usually caused by one of the following: oven was not preheated, there was less flour than asked in the recipe, cookies were baked into a greased baking sheet (you need to line it with parchment paper for them not to spread), cookies were chilled for less than 1 hour or not chilled at all. 

    I don’t have a food processor. Can I still make these cookies?

    Sure! You can use your hands to make this recipe. Cut the butter into small cubes to make it easier for you to mix. Do it just until the dough is formed, remembering to not overwork the dough.

    🍪What to have with these tea cookies

    Earl Grey shortbread are the best butter cookies to have with tea! Here are some delicious options:

    • Iced chai tea latte in a tall glass over ice cubes.
      Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Latte Recipe
    • close up on brown sugar milk tea
      Brown Sugar Milk Tea (Without Tapioca Pearls)
    • A glass of iced london fog over ice.
      Iced London Fog (Earl Grey Tea Latte)
    • 2bottles of Earl Grey Milk Tea.
      Earl Grey Milk Tea
    An Earl Grey shorbread cookie tower with 5 cookies.

    If you tried this Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

    📖 Recipe

    Earl grey shortbread cookies.

    Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

    Tatiana Kamakura
    Earl Grey Shortbread is an aromatic and buttery tea cookie, made in 4 simple steps and perfect for delicate homemade gifts.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 9 minutes mins
    1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 14 minutes mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 40 cookies
    Calories 53 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Food processor

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 10 ½ tablespoon butter unsalted and room temperature
    • ½ cup icing sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Earl Grey Extract or vanilla extract for a creamy shortbread
    • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt fine
    • 2 teaspoon Earl Grey leaves fine

    Instructions
     

    • In a food processor cup, add all ingredients: room temperature butter, icing sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, Earl Grey leaves and Earl Grey extract (or vanilla extract, if using this substitution).
    • Pulse until dough is formed.
    • Divide the dough into 2, rolling each part into a log of about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter.
    • Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Use a sharp knife to cut ¼ to ½ inch thick slices.
    • Place cookies in a lined baking pan, at least an inch apart.
    • Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies are ready when barely golden at the bottom.
    • Place cookies to cool in a cooling rack.

    Video

    Notes

    Flavor variations:
    • Earl Grey Lavender Shortbread: use an Earl grey Lavender tea. You can enhance more the lavender flavor by adding lavender extract instead of vanilla.
    • Citrus Earl Grey: add 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest.
    • Lady Grey: Substitute Earl Grey with Lady Grey.
     
    Expert tips:
    • Don’t skip chilling the dough, or you’ll risk getting flat cookies!
    • Don’t bake shortbread using a greased baking sheet, or they will spread.
    • Careful to not overbake shortbread! When ready, these cookies start to change color on the bottom: if they start to get lightly golden, time to take them out of the oven.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1shortbreadCalories: 53kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 53mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 92IUCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dani

      January 13, 2025 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      tried these, and added orange zest along with the substitution for vanilla extract…and my goodness! absolutely delicious, and turned out perfect! idk if it was the addition of the fresh orange zest, but i did have to bake for roughly 13-14 minutes, as opposed to to the suggested 10 🖤

      thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        January 14, 2025 at 11:21 am

        Glad you like the cookies, Dani! They're always a hit at my house. Happy baking!

        Reply
    2. Rachel Ray

      January 08, 2025 at 8:07 am

      Hi, I want to use this recipe for me niece's first birthday. It will be a fantasy theme, so we want to have the cookies shaped like swords. How would you suggest shaping them? Can I roll the dough out and use cookie cutters before refrigerating, or, should I roll as the directions suggest and cut the sword shapes after refrigeration from the cut rounds?

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        January 08, 2025 at 8:39 am

        Hi Rachel,
        You can roll the dough open and use cookie cutters before refrigerating. You might need to roll it open between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap if the dough is sticking, as adding more flour to prevent that can make tough cookies. Happy baking!

        Reply
    3. kate williamson

      December 15, 2024 at 5:18 pm

      can I freeze this dough before baking?

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        December 31, 2024 at 12:22 pm

        Yes, you can freeze before baking

        Reply
    4. gretchen

      August 08, 2024 at 9:58 pm

      Do you think using a non-dairy butter will work with this recipe?
      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        August 09, 2024 at 8:58 am

        Hi Gretchen, this recipe should work with a non-dairy butter. Just avoid using shortening when makins these cookies. Happy baking!

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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