Green Tea Sweets – Matcha Shortbread Cookies

In Japan I came to appreciate the balance between a bite of something sugary sweet and the bitter flavor of matcha green tea. These Green Tea Cookies, encompass that balance in an elegant dough that bakes beautifully. Cut it in seasonal shapes and enjoy this matcha shortbread with a warm cup of green tea.

Falling in Love

For many years I resisted my husband’s suggestions that I travel to Japan. I thought there were other places I would rather invest my interest, rather spend my time, rather practice the language. I was wrong.

When I did finally set foot in Japan, what happened was, I fell in love! Everywhere I looked Japan radiated charm and mystery. Ignorant of the language, I was beyond the realm of words both spoken and written. That left me open to a new sense of acute observation. Though I was on the outside looking in, Japan offered this curious tourist a beautifully complex pageant of life to observe.

Wordless Observations

And what were my observations? To name a few…

• The storybook perfection of Japanese architecture viewed through an arch of cherry blossoms against a clear blue sky.
• The radiant warmth of soft, worn, sun drenched wood. Ancient temple terraces inviting guests to sit at their edge admiring the surrounding gardens.
• The beauty of a well planned garden from every possible viewpoint along a winding path.
• The small smooth delight of a hot can of coffee dispensed from a vending machine. Being warmed to the bone holding it in a pocket for a few moments before opening it, then drinking down the potent liquid to enjoy the warmth from the inside out. As a bonus, the way it helps to clear away the fog of jet lag.
• The honest refreshment of a single cup of tea when you are truly tired and thirsty. The way a sweet poetically enhances that refreshment, especially when you are hungry and there is just one. The beauty and thoughtful preparation complementing the tea and reflecting harmony with the season.

Tea on Mt. Shosha

On our spring trip to Japan there were two occasions when we intensely enjoyed the simple peaceful refreshment of a casual afternoon tea. The first was at a small inn on Mt. Shosha near Himeji. It was behind the Engyoji temple complex where a number of scenes from The Last Samurai were shot.

I was tired, depleted and amazed at the quiet peacefulness of this cloistered space. We sat on cushions on tatami mats at a low table. There we were served traditional matcha accompanied by a beautiful seasonal sweet. The garden view was engaging. In the comfort of that space I gratefully drank the warm tea and let each bite of the sweet melt in my mouth. There were only a few other guests present to share the peaceful ambiance. The experience was immensely satisfying.

Warmed at Daisen-in

The second was at Daisen-in, a subtemple in the complex of Daitokuji in Kyoto. There we viewed the zen gardens in the late afternoon. When we came inside we lingered for a casual tea ceremony. We felt very comfortable and welcome as the tea was whisked in tea bowls. The bitter green matcha was served alongside a small Japanese tea sweet. Our hostess suggested, “Eat the sweet first. Then drink the tea.”

As we sat down, the weary chill of the late afternoon shadows became palpable. With wonder, I discovered that beneath the worn carpet in the tea room there was a heating element. It subtly radiated warmth as we sat on the carpet. The realization of this simple, yet immense, comfort supporting me as the cool air rested on my face and arms was bliss. It is the small blessings, the ones that the pace and demands of a journey leave you open to appreciate, that are the most memorable things about travel.

Comfortably seated on the warm carpet I took a bite of the sweet. As it melted over my tongue I intentionally sipped the bitter tea. At once, the opposing flavors came into balance. A sense of peace and refreshment began to ease the weariness of the day as the shadows moved across the rock garden. The perfect harmony of the experience began to work its way through my body and mind.

Japanese Tea

Tea was an integral part of our experience of Japan, from the formal tea ceremony we enjoyed in Kyoto to the simple ones that sustained us along our way. We enjoyed warm tea daily in our guest rooms and purchased cold tea from vending machines that could be found at almost every corner, and conbini. As a souvenir of my journey I wanted to bring some Japanese tea to my home in the US. To that end we stopped at Ippo-do in Kyoto, a tea merchant that has been providing green tea to residents of Kyoto for nearly three centuries. There I purchased a small box of Matcha, some Sencha and a bag of Gokujo houjicha. When we got home they were a delightful reminder of the our journey and the things we had experienced.

Since then I have come to enjoy a new sense of refreshment in an afternoon cup of tea. These days my tea usually comes from more local sources. It was in Japan, however, that I came to appreciate the simple joy of holding an artisan cup filled with warm fragrant tea on an afternoon that is cool, damp and darkened by blankets of clouds. There are many such afternoons here at my home in the Pacific Northwest.

Sweet Green Tea Cookies

I will also remember what I learned at Daisen-in; that green tea is perfectly complemented by first eating something sweet. The lingering sweetness on the tongue blends with the bitterness of the tea creating a pleasing combination of taste sensations. In Japan these sweets are often made from ingredients, such as sweet bean paste or green tea, that seem unusual to American tastes. In my search for tea sweets I can make at home I found this recipe for a beautiful cookie that uses Matcha powder to flavor and color a sablé dough.

These Green Tea Cookies, from Kelli at Lovescool, are award winners. They have a fine texture and a wonderfully interesting flavor. The dough rolls out and cuts beautifully. The dough hardly spreads at all during baking leaving a clearly defined shape to complement your tea tray.

Cut into seasonal shapes, these shortbread cookies make an excellent accompaniment to a cup of Japanese tea. I sprinkled coarse clear decorator sugar on top to add a slightly sweeter edge to the lingering taste. I also found that these green tea cookies freeze well. That makes it easy to put them away after baking and then pull out just enough for a sweet taste with tea any afternoon.