Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
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Featuring a buttery shortbread base and fragrant loose leaf tea, these Earl Grey shortbread cookies make a bright, citrus-y addition to Mother’s Day celebrations, bridal showers, and afternoon tea parties. These slice-and-bake style cookies require just six ingredients (plus an optional white chocolate drizzle) and about 30 minutes of active time. And the best part? They’re “slice and bake” style, so you don’t even need a cookie cutter!
Earl Grey is a tea made with bergamot orange, a small citrus fruit grown in Italy and known for its fragrant peel. In recent years, I’ve noticed so many baking recipes incorporating Earl Grey. (In fact, I first tried baking with it during my time at Le Cordon Bleu, where we made Earl Grey and caramel éclairs!) I love making Earl Grey ice cream, and this Earl Grey ganache remains one of the most popular recipes on my blog. Like my Earl Grey chocolate truffles, these shortbread cookies work nicely alongside other afternoon tea staples such as cucumber sandwiches, macarons, scones, or petit fours.
Key Ingredients
- Earl Grey Tea – I developed and tested this cookie recipe using loose leaf Earl Grey tea. Loose tea simplifies the process, since you can simply scoop directly from the container. There are a range of loose leaf Earl Grey teas available on Amazon, or from specialty tea shops. You can also make this recipe using Earl Grey tea bags, sold in the tea aisle at most larger supermarkets. Use kitchen shears to cut the ends from the bags and pour the contents into a small dish, then measure the leaves with a tablespoon.
Loose leaf Earl Grey tea
- Lemon Zest – Lemon zest adds a bright note which brings out the citrusy aspects of the Earl Grey tea. Use a microplane to zest the lemon as finely as possible—the pieces produced by a standard box grater will be too large, and difficult to chew. If you don’t enjoy lemon, you can replace it with orange zest instead.
- Granulated Sugar – I’ve tested this recipe with granulated sugar, since it’s more easily accessible for US readers. However, caster sugar (readily available in the UK ,and traditionally used in shortbread recipes) will also work. For accuracy, I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure caster sugar by weight rather than volume.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Crumbly dough is normal. You’ll notice that the shortbread dough feels fairly dry and crumbly. If you experience some crumbling when slicing the log, simply use your fingertips to gently press the dough back together.
- Always keep the dough cold. I recommend refrigerating the log for a minimum of one hour, but you can chill it for up to 24. If working in a warm kitchen, you might find that you need to return the tray to the fridge for a few minutes after slicing, and before baking—when in doubt, chill! Cold dough helps these cookies to retain their round shape, and prevents them from spreading too much as they bake.
- Adjust the tea to taste. I’ve used 2 tablespoons of tea for a distinct, but not overpowering, Earl Grey flavor. You can add a third tablespoon of tea if you really love Earl Grey, or decrease the amount to one tablespoon for a milder taste.
- Slice with a sharp chef’s knife. A sharp knife will allow you to slice cleanly through the shortbread, while a dull one will produce a ragged edge, causing your cookies to look jagged and uneven.
Earl Grey Cookies
- Total Time1 1/2 hours (including chilling time)
- Yield18-20 2-inch round cookies 1x
Earl Grey cookies made with a shortbread base, and drizzled in white chocolate. A classic tea party treat!
Ingredients
120 grams unsalted butter (4 1/4 ounces; 8 1/2 tablespoons), softened
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
Zest of 1 lemon
192 grams all purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
10 grams loose leaf Earl Grey tea (2 tablespoons; tea from 5-6 tea bags)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Decoration:
50 grams chopped white chocolate (1 3/4 ounces, or about 1/4 cup), optional
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and mix on high speed until well combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together all purpose flour, Earl Grey tea, and kosher salt.
Add dry ingredients to the butter and mix on low speed until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
With your hands, bring the mixture together, kneading gently until a loose, crumbly dough forms.
Shape into a log, approximately 7 inches long and about 1 3/4 inches in diameter.
Wrap log in clingfilm/plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to slice.
Preheat oven to 355° F (180° C). Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat.
Unwrap the log. With a sharp chef’s knife, trim ends then slice the log into slices, each about 1/4-inch thick. You should have approximately 18-20 slices.
Arrange on prepared tray.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until very lightly golden brown around the edges
Cool completely on tray.
Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, or over a bain marie or double boiler.
Scoop into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, scoop the melted chocolate into a plastic food storage bag, then use scissors to clip the corner.
Pipe zigzags over the cookies.
Allow cookies to sit, uncovered, at room temperature until chocolate sets.
Store Earl Grey shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Desserts
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These shortbread cookies taste best on the day they are made, but leftovers will keep well for four or five days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. (They’ll soften and lose some of their crispy/crumbly texture on day two, but will still taste good.) Layer leftover cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper, and keep the container in a cool place to prevent the white chocolate from melting.
To freeze: Layer Earl Grey shortbread cookies between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container for up to three months. If freezing, I suggest skipping the white chocolate drizzle.
Make-ahead option: Prepare the shortbread dough up to 24 hours in advance. Form a log, wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. Alternately, try slicing the log and freezing the slices between sheets of parchment until ready to bake. For entertaining, my personal preference is to freeze the slices, then pop them in the oven on the morning of the event.
Other Shortbread Cookie Recipes You Might Enjoy
Chocolate Orange Shortbread
Shortbread with Chocolate, Pecans, and Sea Salt
Shortbread with Spring Flowers
Lavender Shortbread
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
