Earl Grey Shortbread is an aromatic and buttery tea cookie, made in 4 simple steps and perfect for delicate homemade gifts.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Step 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a sharp knife to cut ¼ to ½ inch thick slices.
Step 4. Place cookies in a lined baking pan, at least an inch apart. Bake for about 10 minutes.
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
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.
As Earl Grey tea contains caffeine, look for a decaf Earl Grey if you want a decaf version.
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.
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:
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
Dani
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!
Tatiana Kamakura
Glad you like the cookies, Dani! They're always a hit at my house. Happy baking!
Rachel Ray
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?
Tatiana Kamakura
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!
kate williamson
can I freeze this dough before baking?
Tatiana Kamakura
Yes, you can freeze before baking
gretchen
Do you think using a non-dairy butter will work with this recipe?
Thanks.
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Gretchen, this recipe should work with a non-dairy butter. Just avoid using shortening when makins these cookies. Happy baking!