Matcha lovers, these pistachio matcha cookies are for you! The slightly earthy flavor of matcha is balanced by powdered sugar and a coating of sparkling sugar, and crunchy pistachios are present in every bite. These unique, easy slice-and-bake cookies are a must-try.
When making this recipe, remember that not all matcha is created equal. I recommend using ceremonial-grade matcha, which is bright green with an incredible flavor that’s slightly nutty, buttery, and just earthy enough. For more cookie recipes, try my brown butter wassail cookies, pecan shortbread cookies, and cinnamon roll cookies.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Butter — use unsalted butter to prevent the cookies from turning out salty.
Powdered sugar — confectioners’ sugar sweetens the cookies and helps them hold their shape well so they don’t spread or puff too much in the oven.
Salt — salt brings out the other flavors in the cookies and helps to balance the herby flavor profile of the matcha.
Egg — egg adds structure and richness to the cookie dough.
Almond extract — almond extract complements the flavors of the pistachios and matcha.
Flour — all-purpose flour makes a very tender cookie.
Matcha powder — use good quality matcha powder for the best flavor. Ceremonial grade is best!
Pistachios — chop up some raw pistachios, which add flavor and crunch. If you don’t have them on hand, slivered almonds are a great substitute in this recipe.
Sparkling sugar — you’ll roll the cookie dough in sugar for sparkle, a bit more texture, and added sweetness.
How To Make Pistachio Matcha Cookies
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt.
2. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Then, add the egg and almond extract. Beat on medium-low speed for about 1 minute.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and matcha powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture.
4. Add the chopped pistachios and mix just until combined.
5. Turn the cookie dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust a little flour onto your hands, as the dough is quite sticky. Divide the dough into 2 equal-sized pieces and form each into a log shape.
6. Wrap the cookie dough logs tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
7. About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake, place one oven rack in the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the chilled cookie dough rolls from the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic wrap. Place the sparkling sugar on a plate and roll the long sides of the pieces of dough in the sugar.
8. Slice the logs into ¼-inch thick cookies. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from the upper to lower oven rack and turning them 180° halfway through. Let the pistachio matcha cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Use Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Ceremonial grade matcha powder is made for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It is the highest-quality matcha with the best flavor and the most vibrant green color (not yellowish or slightly brown). While other types are available for purchase, I do recommend buying this higher-quality version for the best cookies.
Dip Them In White Chocolate
For a matcha latte flavor twist, skip rolling the cookie dough logs in the sparkling sugar. Instead, slice and bake the cookies as directed. Once cooled, melt one 4-ounce bar of white chocolate using a double boiler. Either drizzle the baked cookies all over with the chocolate or dip them to coat half of each cookie. Place them on parchment paper to set. While the white chocolate is wet, you can sprinkle the cookies with more chopped pistachios or sprinkles, if desired.
The Perfect Cookies To Make Ahead Of Time
Pistachio matcha cookies are a wonderful make-ahead option because you can make the dough in advance. After wrapping the cookie dough in plastic wrap, you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days before coating it with sugar. To make it last even longer, add another layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze the dough for 3 months. Let the dough thaw in the fridge for several hours before rolling in sugar and slicing.
How To Store
Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. The most accurate way to measure flour is to weigh it with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and use a knife to level off the top.
- Use room temperature ingredients. To make the refrigerated ingredients (egg and butter) easier to combine, set them out about an hour before you start baking. If you forget to let the butter soften, follow my easy tutorial for how to soften butter.
- I love using slivered pistachios! Shelled whole pistachios will also work, but you’ll need to chop them first. The pieces are less uniform, and you might have some gaps in the cookies, so buy slivered ones if you can!
- Flour your hands. The dough is quite sticky, so lightly dust your hands with flour to make it easier to work with.
- For perfectly circular cookies: After the logs of dough chill for about 1 hour, remove them from the fridge and roll them on the countertop into a neat, cylindrical shape. This helps to create a smooth, circular-shaped cookie once sliced, rather than having one flat side (from sitting in the fridge). Pop them back into the refrigerator to chill for the final hour after you do this.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to add pistachios, but I do think they add textural interest to the cookies. You could also use a different kind of nut, like chopped macadamias or slivered almonds.
Yes. Wrap the cookie dough logs in a few layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, roll them in sugar, slice, and bake as directed.
Since the cookie dough contains nuts, rolling it and cutting it into shapes is tricky, and I don’t recommend it. Slice-and-bake cookies like these are so much simpler anyway!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this pistachio matcha cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Pistachio Matcha Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (90g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 4 teaspoons matcha powder (10g)
- ½ cup chopped pistachios (70g)
- ½ cup white sparkling sugar (150g)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, confectioners sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed just until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the egg and almond extract. Beat on medium-low speed for about 1 minute. (The egg may not be fully incorporated, but the dough will smooth out once the flour is added.)
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and matcha powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the pistachios and mix just until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly flour your hands. Divide it into 2 equally-sized pieces and form each into a log shape, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
- About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake, place one oven rack in the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie rolls from the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic wrap. Place the sparkling sugar on a plate. Roll the long sides of the pieces of dough in the sugar, pressing to adhere.
- Slice the logs into ¼-inch thick cookies. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from the upper to lower oven rack, and turning them 180° halfway through. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. The most accurate way to measure flour is to weigh it with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and use a knife to level off the top.
- Use room temperature ingredients. To make the refrigerated ingredients (egg and butter) easier to combine, set them out about an hour before you start baking. If you forget to let the butter soften, follow my easy tutorial for how to soften butter.
- I love using slivered pistachios! Shelled whole pistachios will also work, but you’ll need to chop them first. The pieces are less uniform, and you might have some gaps in the cookies, so buy slivered ones if you can!
- Flour your hands. The dough is quite sticky, so lightly dust your hands with flour to make it easier to work with.
- For perfectly circular cookies: After the logs of dough chill for about 1 hour, remove them from the fridge and roll them on the countertop into a neat, cylindrical shape. This helps to create a smooth, circular-shaped cookie once sliced, rather than having one flat side (from sitting in the fridge). Pop them back into the refrigerator to chill for the final hour after you do this.
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