If you’ve been scrolling through food content lately and keep seeing matcha pop up in everything from lattes to desserts, there’s a very good reason for it.
Matcha brings a uniquely earthy, slightly bitter depth that transforms simple baked goods into something genuinely memorable.
These almond matcha cookies are a perfect example. Crumbly, nutty, delicately green, and dusted in a matcha powdered sugar coating that melts on your tongue they’re the kind of cookie that disappears from the plate before anyone has a chance to ask what’s in them.
The best part? This recipe requires no chilling, no electric mixer, and no complicated techniques. Just a bowl, a spoon, and a little patience while they cool. Let’s get into it.
Why These Cookies Work So Well
The magic of this recipe lies in its ingredient combination. Almond flour adds richness and a slightly dense, fudgy quality without making the cookies heavy.
Cornstarch a pantry staple you probably already have creates that signature melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that sets these apart from a standard drop cookie. Cake flour (or all-purpose in a pinch) gives just enough structure to hold everything together.
And then there’s the matcha. Using it in both the dough and the coating means every single bite carries that signature green tea flavor first from within the cookie itself, then again from the delicate dusted exterior. It’s subtle but deliberate, and it makes the whole thing feel cohesive rather than one-dimensional.
The toasted sliced almonds folded into the dough add a light crunch that contrasts beautifully with the crumbly texture. Don’t skip the toasting step it takes only minutes but deepens the nutty flavor significantly.
The Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 60g (about ½ cup) cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 30g (about ¼ cup) powdered sugar
- 40g (about ½ cup) almond flour
- 20g (about 2½ tablespoons) cornstarch
- 3g (about 1 teaspoon) matcha powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 60g (about 4 tablespoons) melted butter
- 50g (about ½ cup) sliced almonds, toasted
For the matcha coating:
- 2g (about ¾ teaspoon) matcha powder
- 35g (about ¼ cup) powdered sugar
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Toast the Almonds
Spread your sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and slide them into an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C).
Toast for 6 to 8 minutes, keeping a close eye on them sliced almonds go from perfectly golden to burned very quickly. You’re looking for a light, even golden color and a nutty aroma. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely before adding them to the dough.
Step 2: Make the Matcha Coating
In a small bowl, whisk together 2g of matcha powder and 35g of powdered sugar until evenly combined and no green streaks remain. Set this aside you’ll need it at the very end.
Step 3: Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake flour (or all-purpose flour), almond flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, salt, matcha powder, and the cooled toasted almonds. Stir everything together until well mixed and evenly distributed.
Pour in the melted butter and stir until a soft dough forms. It should hold together when pressed but not feel wet or sticky. If it seems too dry, give it a little more mixing the butter will work its way through. Avoid overworking the dough; you just want it to come together cleanly.
Step 4: Shape the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out portions of dough about 17g each, roughly the size of a large grape and roll them between your palms into smooth balls.
Place them on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one. They won’t spread much, so you don’t need to leave a huge gap.
Step 5: Bake
Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. The cookies should look set and very lightly golden on the bottom. They’ll still feel slightly soft when you take them out, but that’s completely fine they firm up as they cool. Don’t be tempted to overbake; these cookies are meant to be tender and crumbly, not crisp.
Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before moving on to the coating step. This part is non-negotiable coating warm cookies will cause the powdered sugar to melt and clump rather than dust evenly.
Step 6: Coat and Serve
Once the cookies are fully cooled, gently toss or roll each one in the matcha powdered sugar mixture until evenly coated. The coating should cling to the surface in a thin, even layer of pale green. Place them on a plate and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container.
Tips for Best Results
Use good quality matcha. For baking purposes, culinary grade matcha works well and is easy to find at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or online. The better the matcha, the more vibrant the green color and the cleaner the flavor.
If you can’t find cake flour, all-purpose flour works, but the texture will be slightly less delicate. For a closer approximation to cake flour, replace 1 tablespoon of every ½ cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
These cookies store beautifully. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The coating may absorb slightly into the surface over time, but a quick re-dust in the matcha sugar before serving brings them right back.
Almond Matcha Cookies The Melt-in-Your-Mouth Treat You Didn’t Know You Needed
Ingredients
- 2.1 ounces Cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 1.1 ounces Powdered sugar
- 1.4 ounces Almond flour
- 0.7 ounces Cornstarch
- 0.1 ounces Matcha powder for dough
- 0.3 teaspoons Salt
- 2.1 ounces Melted butter or vegetable oil
- 1.8 ounces Sliced almonds toasted
- 0.1 ounces Matcha powder for coating
- 1.3 ounces Powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Toast the almonds: Spread 1.8 ounces Sliced almonds, toasted on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 6–8 minutes
- until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove and let cool completely.
- Make the matcha coating: In a small bowl, whisk together 0.1 ounces Matcha powder (for coating) and 1.3 ounces Powdered sugar (for coating) until evenly combined with no green streaks. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2.1 ounces Cake flour or all-purpose flour, 1.4 ounces Almond flour, 0.7 ounces Cornstarch, 1.1 ounces Powdered sugar, 0.1 ounces Matcha powder (for dough), 0.3 teaspoons Salt, and the cooled toasted almonds. Stir well until evenly distributed.
- Form the dough: Pour in 2.1 ounces Melted butter or vegetable oil and mix until a soft dough forms. Keep stirring — the dough may look crumbly at first but will come together. Do not overwork.
- Preheat and shape: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 17g of dough per cookie and roll into smooth balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies: Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 25 minutes
- until set and very lightly golden on the bottom. Cookies will feel soft — that is normal. Remove from oven and cool completely on the baking sheet before coating.
- Coat and serve: Once fully cooled, gently roll each cookie in the matcha coating mixture until evenly dusted. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 33 minutes (8 min toasting + 25 min baking) | Total Time: ~50 minutes
- Always cool cookies completely before coating warm cookies will melt the powdered sugar into a clump.
- Dough may look dry at first keep mixing and it will come together.
- Use culinary-grade matcha for best color and flavor (available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or online).
- Substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour + replace 1 tbsp per ½ cup with extra cornstarch for a more tender result.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Re-dust with coating before serving if needed.
- Freeze uncoated cookies for up to 1 month. Thaw and coat before serving.
Yes. The original recipe notes vegetable oil as an alternative to melted butter. The cookies will be slightly less rich in flavor but will still have the same tender, crumbly texture. Use the same amount — 60g (about 4 tablespoons).
Cake flour has a lower protein content, which makes baked goods more tender and delicate. In these cookies, it contributes to that melt-in-your-mouth quality. All-purpose flour works fine as a substitute but produces a slightly firmer cookie.
Technically no, but it makes a noticeable difference. Raw sliced almonds have a mild, slightly bland flavor. Toasting them for just a few minutes brings out a deeper nuttiness that really complements the matcha. It’s worth the extra step.
Keep mixing. This dough is naturally on the drier side and may look crumbly at first. Give it a full minute of stirring after adding the butter and it should come together. If it still won’t form a ball when pressed, add a tiny drizzle of melted butter just half a teaspoon at a time.
Yes. You can mix the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling into balls.
Heat causes powdered sugar to dissolve on contact. If you coat warm cookies, the matcha sugar will melt into a wet glaze rather than a dry, even dusting. Patience here pays off in a much prettier, more evenly coated cookie.
Absolutely. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a zip-lock bag or airtight container. They keep well in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and re-dust with the matcha coating before serving.
