Description
Delicious Earl Grey infused shortbread cookies that are easy to make and perfect for tea time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 ½ tablespoons (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (60 g) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons (2 g) loose leaf Earl Grey tea, lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Earl Grey extract or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Step 1: Place the room temperature unsalted butter and icing sugar in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture feels light and fluffy, indicating that the sugar is well incorporated and the texture is smooth.
- Step 2: Add the all-purpose flour, finely crushed Earl Grey tea leaves, fine sea salt, and Earl Grey extract (or vanilla extract if using). Pulse until the dough clumps together. The dough should feel slightly crumbly but hold together when pressed. If dough feels too crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of cold water and pulse again within 1-2 minutes until a cohesive ball forms.
- Step 3: Divide the dough evenly into two portions. Roll each piece into a log about 1 ½ to 2 inches (3.8 to 5 cm) in diameter. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Uniform log sizes help ensure even baking.
- Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a sharp knife, slice each log into rounds between ¼ and ½ inch (6 to 12 mm) thick. Work quickly to prevent the dough from warming and spreading during baking. Each log yields about 20 cookies.
- Step 5: Arrange the slices on the lined baking pan, spacing them at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden and the bottoms have a light golden hue. The cookies should feel firm but still soft to the touch. If they spread too much, chill sliced dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. If cookies do not brown enough, leave in oven 1 to 2 additional minutes.
- Step 6: Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain texture and flavor.
- Refrigeration: Keep cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 10 days to preserve freshness without drying out.
- Freezing: Wrap cookies individually in plastic wrap, place in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
- Use high-quality unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature for easy mixing and rich flavor.
- Opt for fine icing (powdered) sugar for a tender crumb; granulated sugar can be used but will yield a slightly grainier texture.
- Lightly crush loose leaf Earl Grey tea leaves before adding to the dough to enhance flavor extraction.
- If dough feels too crumbly while mixing, adding 1 teaspoon of cold water helps bring it together without changing texture.
- Use a sharp knife to slice dough logs for even thickness and consistent baking.
- Uniform log sizes and slice thickness (1 ½ to 2 inches diameter logs, ¼ to ½ inch slices) ensure even baking time and texture.
- If cookies spread more than desired, chill sliced dough for 15 minutes before baking to control spreading.
- If concerned about too much saltiness, reduce the sea salt from ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon for a milder flavor balance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Not provided
- Sugar: Not provided
- Sodium: Not provided
- Fat: Not provided
- Saturated Fat: Not provided
- Unsaturated Fat: Not provided
- Trans Fat: Not provided
- Carbohydrates: Not provided
- Fiber: Not provided
- Protein: Not provided
- Cholesterol: Not provided