For a healthy-ish green St. Paddy's Day treat, try these dark chocolate-dipped Paleo matcha shortbread cookies. With only six ingredients in the basic cookie, these are easy to mix up and fun to embellish with the dark chocolate dip and plant-dyed sprinkles.
Ingredient tips for dark chocolate-dipped matcha cookies
These are a light and family-friendly recipe. The batter is easy to mix with a spoon provided that you soften your shortening. I have used butter, since we enjoy the flavor, but with vegan butter or coconut oil, these cookies are easily made vegan.
Be aware, though, that both the matcha and the chocolate contain caffeine, so they might not be suitable for young children or anyone else who is sensitive to caffeine. (Matcha, often called a superfood, contains more caffeine than green tea and less than black tea).
The basic cookie is sweetened with maple syrup (or honey) and neither the cookies nor the sprinkles contain no any food dyes.
If you didn't want to use matcha because of the caffeine content, you could get a similar green color using Watkins food colors, which get their green color from spirulina. Neither of these plant-based dyes will give the bright Kelly green of synthetic dyes, of course.
Also, the sprinkles are not Paleo because they contain cane sugar.
Why This Paleo Matcha Cookie Recipe Works
This is an easy, quick, healthy recipe to make. From start to finish, it takes less than 30 minutes of active time - note that you DO need to refrigerate this dough before rolling it out, though.
If the dough doesn't chill long enough, it will stick to the cookie cutters and not hold together well when being transferred to the baking sheet.
The basic cookie is simply almond and arrowroot flours, butter, salt, vanilla and maple syrup. For these cookies I also incorporated matcha powder, dipped the cookies in melted dark chocolate and added sprinkles.
These cookies work for anyone following gluten-free eating; without the sprinkles, they are Paleo.
Steps in making chocolate-dipped Matcha cookies
- Assemble ingredients: almond flour, arrowroot starch, butter, maple syrup, vanilla, matcha
- Whisk dry ingredients together
- Soften butter if needed, then stir in wet ingredients
- Wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour
- Roll out the dough about ¼ inch thick
- Cut out cookies and transfer them to parchment-lined cookie sheet
Once the cookies are cut out, bake them until they are just turning brown on the edges. Let cool. Then you can dip in chocolate or eat them plain!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #amealinmind on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. Thank you so much!!
Beth
Other cookies on A Meal In Mind
Ruby Cacao Chip Valentine Cookies; Gluten-Free
Raisin-Sweetened Oatmeal Cookies; Gluten-Free
Pecan Almond Flour Red White and Blue Cookies
Cranberry Almond-Flour Pinwheel Cookies
Almond Flour-Carob Pinwheel Cookies
Pumpkin Cookies with Apple Butter Thumbprint
Easter Egg Cookies - Paleo with Lemon Curd
Dark Chocolate-Dipped Paleo Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Oxo silicone rolling bag
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 5 tablespoons arrowroot starch plus more for rolling out
- ¼ teaspoon pink sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fine matcha powder I use Republic of Tea
- ½ cup unsalted grass fed butter softened (or ghee, coconut oil or palm shortening) see note for vegan option
- 3 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup or ¼ cup if not dipping in chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the dipping chocolate
- 4-5 ounces dark chocolate I use Enjoy dark morsels
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles Edward & Sons organic Sprinkels
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, combine butter and honey until creamed together. Then gently mix into the dry ingredients until a crumbly, soft dough forms.
- Using your hands, knead the dough to form a ball, then flatten into a disc and place between two sheets of parchment paper or in plastic wrap and place into the fridge. Chill until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour, up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the disc of dough in a silicone rolling bag or between two sheets of parchment paper lightly sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to around ¼-inch thick, see note. Lightly dust the cookie cutter you plan to use (I used a 2-inch fluted circle) with a little arrowroot starch as well. Remove the top parchment paper and cut out the cookies.
- Carefully transfer the cookies to the parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart - they spread out very little. A metal spatula dusted with a little arrowroot works well to transfer the cookies. Reroll dough scraps to ¼-inch thickness and cut out additional cookies.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes (check at 12; these took 14 minutes in high-altitude Denver) until ever so slightly golden brown on the edges. Watch them carefully so they don't brown too much. They will puff up just a little in the middle.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. If dipping in chocolate, don’t discard the parchment paper yet.
- Melt your chocolate and coconut oil using the double boiler method (a bowl over a pan with simmering water) or in small (10-second) bursts in the microwave, see note. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
- Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate and transfer to parchment to cool. Drop the sprinkles over each cookie right after you dip it. Let the chocolate cool completely - this will keep it from sticking to the parchment. Once cooled, store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Notes
Please pin for later!
Bernice Hill
Almond and arrowroot! How amazing...I've never experimented with these flours together but I'm willing to take a chance. I just love matcha in baked goods.
Beth
I understand what you mean, Bernice, and I think you will enjoy the texture and flavor of this almond flour shortbread - I'd love to know! Thanks.
Gloria
First, I love the colour of these cookies. Matcha is a great ingredient to work with. I am a shortbread lover. This is a recipe I would enjoy all year long.
Beth
Thank you, Gloria, I'm happy to hear that the recipe sounds good to you. It's such a light and flavorful shortbread I'm planning more tasty variations too.
Jenny
I absolutely adore these cookies. I am such a fan of shortbread cookies but have been trying to eat better and stay away from wheat flour and dairy. The cookies came out divine, used almond flour and ghee. They were perfect. I love the matcha flavor. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Beth
Hi Jenny, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies. It's so great that the almond flour makes for such a light and flavorful shortbread cookie that is so easily flavored.
Sharon
I love matcha tea but hadn't had it in a dessert before. These were amazingly tasty and the dark chocolate was a great addition.
Beth
The dark chocolate so good with the matcha, isn't it? They are each just a little bitter, and therefore complimentary. Glad you enjoyed the cookies, Sharon.
Veronika
I never had matcha cookies and always wanted to try. Your photos look absolutely beautiful, I think I make this recipe this weekend!
Beth
Thank you so much for the kind words, Veronika. The matcha is really easy to add to a recipe for a lovely subtle flavor, I hope you enjoy the flavor as much as we do!
FOODHEAL
I love shortbread cookies and these made with almond flour even more. I haven't tasted anything made with matcha yet, but the color of these cookies is telling me I am missing out on something delicious.
Beth
I love almond flour shortbread, too, and am so happy to have a found such a great way to get a natural green. I hope you'll enjoy the taste too!
Debbie
I just love these cookies!! You had me at matcha but then dipped in Dark Chocolate ..YES! This is a fantastic shortbread cookie and is now my go to cookie.
Beth
Thank you, Debbie, for that wonderful comment. The dark chocolate and the matcha are such complementary flavors, truly a win. Glad you love the cookie like we do.
Heidy
This dessert recipe was one of the best recipes that I have tried, and I will be sharing this excellent recipe link with some of my friends! I am completely looking forward to your latest recipe post. Have a wonderful week!
Heidy
Beth
Heidy, I so appreciate that great comment! We so love the flavor and texture of these cookies, and are glad you did too. Thank you!
Addison
These cookies are absolutely stunning! You sold me with the chocolate dip. That's my very favorite!!!
Beth
Thanks, Addison, I really appreciate the comment since I love seeing all your fun cookie recipes so much!
Jo
Chocolate and macha what else one need in life! Such amazing looking shortbread with macha flavors and chocolate coating. Truly delicious!
Beth
Thank you, Jo. These really are lovely cookies and a great flavor pair.