Description
Delight in these fragrant Earl Grey Sugar Cookies, featuring a buttery, tender crumb infused with the subtle citrus and bergamot notes of Earl Grey tea. Finished with a bright, tangy lemon glaze, these cookies balance sweet and zesty flavors perfectly, making them a charming treat for tea time or any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Earl Grey tea bag, cut open, or 1 tablespoon loose tea leaves
Wet Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 50 g brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 30 g granulated sugar
Lemon Glaze
- 40 g powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the tea leaves from an Earl Grey tea bag. Stir together and set aside to infuse the flour with tea flavor.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter until it is very creamy and pale in color. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, continuing to beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugars. Beat again until fully combined and smooth.
- Add dry to wet mixture: Gradually add the flour and tea mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined. If there are small patches of flour remaining, gently fold them in with a spatula, careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Scoop cookie dough: Line a small cutting board with parchment paper. Using a 4-tablespoon cookie scooper, portion out balls of cookie dough and place them onto the parchment-lined board.
- Chill: Transfer the board with dough balls to the refrigerator and chill for about 15 minutes until the dough feels firm but not sticky to the touch.
- Prep for baking: While chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll in sugar: Once chilled, roll each cookie dough ball between your hands to form smooth balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in granulated sugar, coating all sides evenly. Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown but the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. They will firm up as they cool, resulting in a chewy texture.
- Swirl cookies: Immediately after removing from the oven, gently swirl the cookies with a large cookie cutter or use an upside-down bowl to push any irregular edges inward and create perfectly round cookies.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make lemon glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until you achieve a thick yet pourable glaze.
- Drizzle glaze: Transfer the glaze to a piping bag or use a spoon to drizzle it artistically over each cookie. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the cookie dough helps prevent excessive spreading and makes it easier to handle.
- The Earl Grey tea leaves infuse a subtle citrus and bergamot flavor, so be sure to use good quality Earl Grey tea.
- Do not overbake; the cookies should appear slightly underdone in the center for the best chewy texture.
- If you prefer, you can adjust the lemon glaze to taste by adding more or less lemon juice for desired tartness.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days for best freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
