Crisp, buttery Earl Grey butter cookies with a delicate hint of tea — a perfect treat for tea lovers. Serve with coffee or a cup of tea for a comforting, elegant indulgence.
These cookies show that tea works beautifully in baked goods as well as a beverage.
They bake up crisp and tender with a buttery base and a subtle Earl Grey note. The bergamot aroma gives them a gentle floral, citrusy fragrance without being overly sweet.
The method is simple and uses basic pantry ingredients. Instead of steeping, the tea leaves are finely ground and mixed into the dough so the tea flavor is baked in. Enjoy them warm or cooled with your favorite brew.
Best Tea to Use
Earl Grey is a black tea flavored with bergamot oil and is the star ingredient here. You can use loose-leaf Earl Grey or tea bags, but loose-leaf is recommended for fresher, stronger aroma and flavor.
Tea bags often contain smaller broken leaves and dust, which lose essential oils and fragrance. Loose leaves release more aroma and, when ground finely, integrate smoothly into the dough and deliver better flavor and texture.
Use a spice grinder or similar tool to grind loose-leaf tea until very fine. Large leaf pieces can feel coarse in the dough.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter. The butter flavor carries these cookies — choose a good-quality, high-fat butter.
- Confectioners’ sugar. Gives sweetness and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Egg yolk. Adds richness and helps control spread while keeping the cookies tender.
- Vanilla extract. Enhances overall flavor.
- Cake flour. Lower in protein than all-purpose flour, cake flour yields lighter, crisper cookies. You can substitute all-purpose flour if needed, but expect a slightly denser result.
- Earl Grey tea. Use a quality Earl Grey you enjoy drinking — its aroma will come through in every bite. Loose-leaf preferred; tea bag leaves can be used in a pinch.
- Cornstarch. Keeps the cookies tender and reduces spreading.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the butter and tea flavors.
Baking Tips
- Use quality butter. Higher-fat butter improves flavor and texture.
- Butter at room temperature. It should be soft and slightly yielding to the touch but not melted.
- Measure flour accurately. Weigh flour when possible. If using cups, spoon flour into the cup and level with a knife to avoid dense, dry cookies.
- Grind tea finely. Finely ground tea blends evenly into the dough; avoid large leaf bits.
- Adjust dough consistency. If dough is too firm to pipe, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until creamy enough. Too much liquid will increase spread.
- Make smaller cookies. Small swirls bake evenly and keep the characteristic crisp texture; adjust bake time for larger shapes.
- Chill before baking. Refrigerating piped dough for about 30 minutes helps cookies hold their shape and reduces spreading.
Best Piping Tips to Use
Large open star tips (roughly 1/2-inch opening) work well for this thick dough and create defined ridged shapes. Closed star tips can be used but require more pressure. If you prefer not to pipe, a cookie press or small scoop will also produce attractive cookies.
How to Store Butter Cookies
Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for up to a week.
More Cookie Recipes
- Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- Pistachio Snowball Cookies
- Crunchy Pistachio Cookies
- Chocolate Butter Cookies
- Cashew Cookies
- Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Earl Grey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp (100 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (65 gr) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 gr) cake flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp (10 gr) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (4 gr) loose-leaf Earl Grey tea, or 2 tea bags
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Grind the loose tea leaves in a spice grinder until very fine. If using tea bags, cut them open and use the contents directly.
- Using a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla; beat until combined.
- Sift in cake flour, cornstarch, ground tea, and salt. Fold with a spatula until incorporated; avoid overmixing.
- Fit a piping bag with a star tip, fill it with dough, and pipe swirls onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. If the dough is too stiff to pipe, add 1 tsp milk to loosen and test again.
- Chill the piped dough for about 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape (optional but recommended).
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Bake 15 minutes for softer cookies, 18 minutes for crisper ones.
- Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
| Calories: 69 kcal
| Carbohydrates: 7 g
| Protein: 1 g
| Fat: 4 g
I love hearing how these cookies turn out for you. Leave a comment below or tag @jacintahalim on Instagram.