Chewy, lightly sweet matcha chocolate chip cookies with rich flavors—perfect for a relaxing break or satisfying your sweet cravings!
If you love the chewiness of American cookies but always find them too sweet, this recipe is for you!
After testing it at least 30 times, I’ve crafted thick, chewy matcha chocolate chip cookies with just the right level of sweetness.
The rich brown butter, nuts, and eggs perfectly complement the earthy matcha, which has a balanced flavor even matcha skeptics (like my husband!) will enjoy.
In This Post
Jump to Recipe✏️What is Matcha?
Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder made from finely ground dried tea leaves. It has a bitter, earthy taste.
It’s important to choose the right kind of matcha for baking.
I highly recommend selecting high-quality, pure matcha harvested in Japan. Be careful not to choose those mixed with sugar and/or milk powder for baking.
I used SEN CHA Naturals Organic Everyday Matcha Powder for this recipe testing, and it worked great.
Note: Matcha contains a small amount of caffeine (approximately 30 mg per serving), so keep that in mind if you avoid caffeine.
🍳Let’s Make This Together!
1. prep the ingredients
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Roast and chop nuts. Measure the sugars.
2. Make brown butter
Brown butter in a pot over medium-high heat, then chill in the fridge for 5 minutes.
3. Mix Butter and Sugar
Add the sugars to the brown butter and whisk until combined.
4. Add Egg and Yolk
Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until it starts to leave a trail of mixture, and when you scoop it up it leaves streaks like a ribbon that slowly disappears.
5. Combine with Dry Ingredients
Add dry ingredients to the mixture and fold with a spatula. Don’t overmix.
6. Add Chocolate and Nuts
Fold in chocolate chips and nuts, being careful not to overmix.
I divided the dough in half to make white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate versions in this picture.
7. Chill the Dough
Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. Bake the Cookies
Let the dough sit at room temperature until it becomes scoopable for about 10 minutes, then scoop onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
9. Cool and Enjoy!
Let cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!
💌If you created this recipe and liked it, please let me know by leaving a comment below or tagging me on Instagram (@giveme.umami). I’d love to see your creation!
Chewy Brown Butter Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nuts
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130g / 4.6 oz, spooned and leavened (note 1))
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder (12g / 0.4 oz)
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup nuts of your choice (roasted and minced (note 2) (e.g. hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, cashews), 28.25g / 1 oz)
- ½ cup chocolate chips of your choice (85g / 3 oz)
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar (packed, 66.2g / 2.3 oz)
- 2.5 tablespoons white granulated sugar (34g / 1.2 oz)
- 6.5 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g / 3 oz)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- Sea salt to sprinkle on top (note 3)
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons matcha powder, ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon baking soda in a small bowl and whisk. Roast and chop ¼ cup nuts of your choice. Dice 6.5 tablespoons unsalted butter into cubes.
- Brown the Butter: Place the butter in a pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Stir or swirl the pot continuously while browning the butter. Once the butter melts, continue browning for about 3 minutes, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Immediately remove the pot from the heat and pour the browned butter into a heatproof medium bowl. Place it in the fridge for 5 minutes to chill.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: Add ¼ cup brown sugar and 2.5 tablespoons white granulated sugar to the brown butter and whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add Egg and Yolk: Add 1 egg and 1 egg yolk and whisk until it starts to leave a trail of mixture, and when you scoop it up it leaves streaks like a ribbon that slowly disappears.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a spatula. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add Chocolate and Nuts: Gently fold in ½ cup chocolate chips of your choice and nuts, being careful not to overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Bake the Cookies: Move the oven rack to the middle. Preheat the oven to 350°F (around 325°F in a convection oven). Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes scoopable. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (note 4). Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes (about 8-10 minutes for 2-tablespoon-sized cookies and about 10-12 minutes for 3-tablespoon-sized cookies), or until the tops are slightly browned. Do not overbake, and bake one sheet at a time.
- Cool the Cookies: Take out the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until they are firm enough to transfer. Sprinkle sea salt on top. Then, transfer them to a rack to cool for at least 10 more minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
🗄️Storage Tips
Cookie dough
Freeze the cookie dough AFTER you let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours!
- Fridge: Store for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Scoop the dough onto a plate or baking sheet using a cookie scoop and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the dough to an airtight container or plastic bag and store for up to 6 weeks.
- To bake: Preheat the oven to 330°F and bake for 12–17 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Be careful not to overbake!
Baked cookies
Once the baked cookies are cool, place them in a plastic bag, such as a Ziploc.
- Room temperature: store for up to 2-3 days.
- Fridge: Store for up to 5-7 days
- Freezer: Store for up to 1 month
🍴More Dessert Recipes
Try our chocolate cornet recipe too if you want to explore more Japanese baking!
