Matcha white chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate matcha treat: chewy, deeply flavored, and satisfyingly fudgy. These cookies put a bright, earthy matcha note front and center, balanced by pockets of sweet white chocolate for a memorable twist on the classic cookie.
🍪 Why bake matcha cookies
If you enjoy matcha, baking with this powdered green tea is a delightful way to highlight its flavor in a new form. These cookies are designed to be fudgy rather than cakey, with a soft interior that contrasts with slightly crisp edges. The matcha gives them a distinct green tea aroma and taste, while white chocolate adds creamy sweetness that melts on the tongue.
What makes this recipe special:
- Pronounced matcha flavor using culinary matcha;
- White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate that create sweet, melty pockets;
- A rich, fudgy interior that keeps cookies tender and indulgent.
They bake quickly and are great when you want a small batch of something special—ready in under an hour from start to finish.
🥣 Ingredients and substitutions
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and a modest amount of matcha. The list below includes helpful substitution notes so you can adapt the cookies to what you have on hand.
Matcha. Culinary-grade matcha is recommended for baking. It can be slightly more bitter and less vivid green than ceremonial grades, but it performs well in cookies and delivers a bold flavor. Use a powder that is 100% matcha for best results.
Butter. Unsalted butter, melted. Melting the butter helps achieve the fudgy interior this recipe aims for.
Sugar. Granulated or caster sugar works fine.
Brown sugar. Dark or light brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar will add a slightly deeper caramel note.
Leavening. This recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda for balanced rise—make sure they are fresh.
Salt. Fine sea salt enhances sweetness and rounds flavor.
Flour. Unbleached all-purpose flour performs best here.
Egg. Use a large egg for structure and moisture.
Cornstarch. A small amount helps keep the cookies from spreading too much and contributes to the tender, fudgy texture.
White chocolate. Chips are convenient and hold their shape, while chopped white chocolate bars will create larger, melty pockets. If you prefer a different chocolate, swap in milk or dark chocolate.
🍫 Flavor variations
Try these swaps to change the profile of the cookies:
- Matcha chocolate chip — use milk chocolate chips instead of white;
- Matcha pistachio — add 1/3 cup crushed pistachios and use dark chocolate chips for contrast;
- Matcha macadamia — 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts with white chocolate;
- Matcha almond — swap white chocolate for 1/2 cup chopped almonds for a nut-forward cookie.
🥄 How to make matcha cookies
Gather your ingredients and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chilling the dough briefly improves texture and helps control spread.
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir until the sugars are mostly dissolved and the mixture looks smooth.
Step 2. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
Step 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, matcha powder, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
Step 4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until no dry streaks remain. Mix just until combined to avoid a tough cookie.
Step 5. Fold in white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate. Cover and chill the dough for 20–30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Step 6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Shape cookies with a spoon or scoop and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12–15 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft. Let rest on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
🍪 Tips for the best cookies
- For more matcha intensity, increase matcha powder slightly, but taste the dough to ensure the balance suits you.
- For a crinkled top, give the baking sheet a couple of firm taps as soon as cookies come out of the oven.
- Allow cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes to finish setting before moving to a rack.
- Use a cool baking sheet for each batch; a hot sheet will cause extra spreading.
🙋🏻‍♀️ Questions you might have
Use culinary-grade matcha for baking. Ceremonial or premium matcha is more expensive and not necessary here; culinary matcha gives good color and flavor at a lower cost.
Color depends on matcha quality, storage, and bake time. Overbaking or using a matcha that has oxidized from poor storage will yield a browner cookie.
Sweetened matcha blends often contain sugar and other additives that change the balance of the cookie. For best matcha flavor, use 100% matcha powder.
Unbaked dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days. For longer storage, portion the shaped dough and freeze for up to 2 months.
No. While both come from the same plant, matcha is finely ground powdered tea designed for whisking and baking; tea leaves cannot be used as a direct substitute in this recipe.
đź«™ Storing and freezing
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Depending on the matcha’s quality and previous storage, the matcha flavor may fade after a few days. To preserve flavor in the powder, keep matcha sealed and cool.
Freeze baked cookies after they cool in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. You can also freeze shaped, unbaked dough and bake from frozen—add an extra minute or two to the bake time as needed.
🥛 What to have with these cookies
Matcha cookies pair beautifully with more matcha in a drink, like an iced matcha latte, or with milk, fresh strawberries, honey iced tea, or a light, citrusy beverage. The cookies’ creamy white chocolate complements fruity and dairy pairings alike.
🍪 More cookie ideas
If you made this Matcha Cookie Recipe, please leave a star rating and share how it went in the comments below!
đź“– Recipe
Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy, fudgy matcha cookies studded with white chocolate. Makes about 10 cookies.
Author: Tatiana Kamakura
Prep time: 5 mins · Cook time: 12 mins · Chill time: 30 mins · Total: 47 mins
Servings: 10 cookies · Calories per cookie: 278 kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ÂĽ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp matcha powder (100% matcha)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until mostly smooth and the sugars begin to dissolve.
- Add the egg and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, matcha powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate. Cover and chill the dough 20–30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Portion the dough with a spoon or cookie scoop onto the prepared sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For larger melty pockets of white chocolate, chop a white chocolate bar instead of using chips.
- A 3-tablespoon cookie scoop yields evenly sized cookies, but you can make them smaller—just keep sizes consistent for even baking.
- Use culinary matcha for the best balance of flavor and cost when baking.
Nutrition (per cookie)
- Calories: 278 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 38 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g · Sugar: 23 g · Sodium: 256 mg