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Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies Recipe

4.6 from 57 reviews

Delight in these buttery Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies infused with fragrant Earl Grey tea leaves and extract, creating a delicate tea-flavored treat perfect for afternoon tea or a sweet snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread Dough

  • 10 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tsp Earl Grey Extract (or vanilla extract as a substitute)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves

Instructions

  1. Combine Ingredients: In a food processor cup, add room temperature butter, icing sugar, all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, finely ground Earl Grey leaves, and Earl Grey extract (or vanilla extract if preferred).
  2. Form Dough: Pulse the mixture in the food processor until the dough comes together, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated.
  3. Shape Logs: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll each portion into a log approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter for even cookie sizes.
  4. Chill Dough: Wrap each dough log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step firms up the dough to make slicing easier and helps maintain cookie shape during baking.
  5. Preheat Oven: Set your oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the correct baking heat by the time you slice and prepare the cookies.
  6. Slice Cookies: Using a sharp knife, cut the chilled dough logs into ¼ to ½ inch thick slices carefully to maintain uniform thickness.
  7. Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the cookie slices onto a lined baking pan, spacing them at least an inch apart to prevent spreading into each other.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are just turning golden, indicating they are perfectly baked with a tender texture.
  9. Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving to ensure they firm up properly.

Notes

  • Substitute Earl Grey extract with vanilla extract for a creamy vanilla shortbread variation.
  • Make sure the butter is at room temperature for easier mixing and better dough texture.
  • Do not overbake; shortbread cookies are done when just lightly golden on the bottom to maintain their tender, crumbly texture.
  • Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh.
  • Finely grind the Earl Grey tea leaves before adding to avoid a gritty texture in the cookies.

Keywords: Earl Grey cookies, shortbread, tea-flavored cookies, British dessert, buttery cookies, Earl Grey tea recipe, elegant cookie recipe