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Chewy Earl Grey Sugar Cookies with Lemon Zest

A stack of freshly baked, pale green Earl Grey cookies speckled with tea leaves, resting on a white plate.
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Create soft, chewy Earl Grey sugar cookies infused with aromatic bergamot and brightened with fresh lemon zest. These gourmet cookie recipes offer a sophisticated dessert idea perfect for afternoon tea.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves (from about 4 tea bags)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the Earl Grey tea leaves in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind until the leaves are very fine, resembling coarse flour. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until just combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and the ground Earl Grey tea leaves.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps prevent spreading.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
  9. Place the cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  10. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. These cookies will be chewy.
  11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. If desired, dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar for presentation.

Notes

  • For the strongest tea flavor, use high-quality loose leaf Earl Grey tea.
  • If you prefer a crisper cookie, bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
  • You can substitute the lemon zest with 1 teaspoon of lemon extract for a different flavor profile.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://alchemychef.com/earl-grey-cookies-chewy-lemon-zest-recipe/