I’m looking for something a little different for my Christmas cookie exchange this year. These cookies are the colours of the season, red and green. The original recipe ended up too dry, so I added egg white and water. I took out some of the sugar as the matcha was sweetened. It seemed affordable at $18 a bag, as the pure fetched $30 for a Chinese teacup sized amount. These turned out surprisingly well. For the cookie exchange, I will probably omit the red bean paste it it makes it a little messy to store.
Matcha Thumbprint Cookies With Red Bean Paste
Makes 15- 17 cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown rice flour (can be substituted with all-purpose)
2 tsp pure or sweetened matcha powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ C unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ C + 2 tbs sugar, if using sweetened matcha, reduce to 6 tbs
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ C water
A little red bean paste
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, matcha and salt.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.
- On low speed, add the flour/matcha mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add water if too dry.
- Form into a ball or disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Position rack in the middle of the oven.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and bake them for 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and make a dent in each cookie (you can use your thumb but I don’t like a burnt thumb so I used the back of a ½ tsp measure).
- Fill cookies with red bean paste.
- Place the cookies back into the oven for 8 more minutes .
- If you like your cookies crisper you can go for more time. These are still chewy in the middle.
- Remove cookies from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
This recipe was modified and inspired from:
http://www.5thseasondesigns.com/2011/04/11/matcha-tea-always-makes-me-smile/
http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2009/01/28/thanks-for-caring/