Hojicha Buttery Shortbread Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies delicately infused with warm, nutty roasted hojicha tea aroma. Perfect for tea time gatherings.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons hojicha powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, hojicha powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
06 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Slice the chilled dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden.
09 - Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies taste like butter and nutty tea had the most elegant conversation on your tongue, no pretension required.
  • The recipe forgives small mistakes because the hojicha powder adds enough character to make everything work out just fine.
02 -
  • Hojicha powder quality matters more than you'd think—cheap versions taste dusty and bitter, while good quality powder has that warm, almost smoky sweetness you're after.
  • Don't skip the chilling step even if you're impatient; the dough slices cleanly when cold, and cold dough bakes into cookies with better texture than room temperature dough.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm and the dough gets soft, pop the logs back in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing—it makes a real difference in how cleanly they cut.
  • The best time to make these is when you have hojicha tea on hand, because you'll be tempted to brew a cup while the cookies cool, which is exactly how they're meant to be experienced.
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