Matcha Almond Cookies

Prepare all the ingredients in advance;

If using almond slices, roast for about 5 minutes and let cool for later use;

If using almond bits, they should also be roasted and then slightly chopped. If starting with raw almond bits, set the oven to about 165°C (top/bottom heat) and roast for about 10 minutes. Adjust as needed based on your oven’s actual temperature;

Next, soften the butter. In summer, you can simply leave it at room temperature after taking it out of the refrigerator. If you’re in a hurry or if it’s winter with lower temperatures, you can use a hair dryer, set the oven to low temperature, use a bain-marie setup, or microwave to soften it. The key is to soften it to the right state without melting into liquid form. If that happens, refrigerate it again until it solidifies slightly;

In winter, I usually use a hair dryer to soften the butter;

Melt part of the butter using a hair dryer, but not entirely;

Use a silicone spatula to press and mix, using the residual warmth to soften all the butter;

The butter’s softness should be uniform without any lumps. Make sure it’s not partially hard; it should be entirely softened. In winter, soften a bit more aggressively; in summer with higher ambient temperatures, soften less. Excessive softening can make shaping difficult and may lead to deformation during baking. In summer, the proper state is when pressing the butter with a silicone spatula gives slight resistance;

Add powdered sugar;

Mix well;

Add egg liquid;

Mix evenly with an electric beater;

If you like an especially crispy texture, you can whisk for a bit longer at this point;

Add almond slices;

Alternatively, add almond bits. Choose step 14 or 15. Use almond slices if you prefer their taste, or almond bits if you like them instead;

Mix well;

Prepare a flour sifter and add low-gluten flour to it;

Add milk powder;

Add matcha powder;

Sift the mixture;

Mix well;

Combine the dough by hand and clean the edges of the container;

Slightly knead it a few times to reduce the risk of cracking;

Start shaping by pressing the dough flat. If the dough is sticky, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before shaping, aiming for a non-sticky state;

Press the edges toward the center using your hands. For visual reference, see the video and skip to 2:31 for the shaping method;

Flip it over and continue pressing. Repeat this until the desired size is achieved. For basic-shaped cookies, I usually don’t use a mold, but you can if you find shaping manually troublesome (though I think it’s more convenient than a mold). Hand-shaped cookies will have rounded edges, while mold-shaped ones may have straighter edges;

If you’re preparing cookies for gift boxes, measure the dimensions of the boxes in advance;

If you’re not using gift boxes, skip steps 27 and 28;

For gift boxes, the dough size must be smaller than the box compartments by about 3 cm. The cookies will expand during baking, so consider this if you also need to add paper liners;

Place a sheet of parchment paper or cling film on the shaped dough. Freeze for about 1 hour, until firm but not too hard (otherwise, slicing may cause cracking);

While the dough is freezing, preheat the oven to 165°C (top heat) and 150°C (bottom heat) for at least 10 minutes. If your oven doesn’t allow separate temperature settings, monitor closely during baking. When the surface is lightly browned, place an empty tray on the lower rack as a heat barrier to prevent the cookie bottoms from burning. If you don’t have an extra tray, turn off the bottom heat once the surface is nearly done and let the top heat finish the baking;

Once the dough is ready, slice. Again, do not freeze it too hard to avoid cracking while cutting. It should feel firm but yield slightly under pressure;

Slice into pieces approximately 0.6 cm thick. Too thin may cause deformation, and too thick may prevent thorough baking. Personally, I find almond bits more visually appealing and flavorful;

Arrange on a baking tray, keeping them suitably spaced to account for expansion during baking. Use a silicone mat if possible to better preserve the shape;

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes;

The baking time given is for reference only. Adjust according to your oven's actual performance. Generally, remove the cookies when the surface turns golden yellow. If some are undercooked after cooling, return them to the oven for further baking.

After setting (about 10 minutes), cover the cookies with aluminum foil to prevent undesirable discoloration. Covering earlier provides better color retention, though baking time will be longer accordingly.

Why such variable baking times for matcha cookies? If you prioritize aesthetics, you’ll need to cover with aluminum foil after shaping, extending baking time. If appearance doesn’t concern you, forego the foil and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Additionally, closely monitor progress during baking. For minimal browning, opt for low-temperature baking with extended duration. Check the bottom; a yellow-green hue indicates doneness. If uncertain, take one cookie out, cool, and taste for doneness, using it as reference for the others. While baking times provided are for reference, they vary by oven. Remove done pieces first and keep unfinished ones in the oven to continue baking. Monitor closely—cookies cook quickly!

Baked cookies;

The underside appearance, slightly yellowed;

With almond slices. Matcha cookies look their best right after baking, but they will turn yellow over time due to oxidation. This is normal and doesn’t affect edibility. Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container promptly, especially matcha ones, to minimize oxidation risk. However, oxidation over time is unavoidable.

Finished! Different lighting conditions will yield different photographic results, haha.