Tea-Laced Shortbread Trio

Requiring only a handful of ingredients, few things are more simple, yet so satisfying to make than classic shortbread. These delicate cookie complement a glass of milk or a cup of tea equally well, and their buttery, not overtly sweet nature takes on additional flavors with ease. Here I’ve paired a basic shortbread dough with three classic organic, loose leaf teas from Arbor Teas: organic Earl Grey Black Tea, organic Matcha Green Tea, and organic Masala Chai Black Tea. With each tea selection and a few additional mix-ins, three distinctive flavors and hues spring from the platform of a once plain dough. Try all three, or mix and match to your own preferences.

The standard shortbread recipe presented here is endlessly adaptable, so don’t hesitate to play to your tastes. As a technical aside, though, know that it can be a bit tricky to work with this butter-laden dough. Success in perfectly shaped cookies comes from keeping the dough well chilled before rolling and again before baking. Also placing the cookie sheet furthest away from the heat source, in the bottom third of the oven, will prevent spreading as they bake.

Makes ~2 dozen 1-inch square cookies of each variety

Ingredients

Earl Grey Shortbread:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Earl Grey black tea leaves, finely ground*
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ½ tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Matcha Shortbread:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Chocolate Chai Shortbread:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon masala chai black tea leaves, finely ground*
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions

Whisk flour, tea, (cocoa powder, if using) and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar (and zest if using) and beat until fluffy. Add the flour/tea mixture to the mixing bowl, then beat on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be very soft.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper (or plastic wrap), shape into a disc, and wrap tightly to seal. Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 3/8-inch thickness and cut into shapes. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Chill cookies in the refrigerator on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes or until firm. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more cookies, as above, chilling the scraps between batches.

Bake the shortbread in the bottom third of the oven, one sheet at a time until the edges are golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.

*You can grind the tea leaves in a small food processor, spice grinder, coffee grinder, or by using a mortar & pestle.

Recipe by Olivia May