Gluten Free Matcha Cookies (Almond Flour)
These gluten free matcha cookies are buttery, chewy and made with almond flour and tapioca flour for a naturally grain-free treat. They’re finished with a sweet white chocolate drizzle and can be decorated with googly eyes for a fun Halloween twist. Leave off the eyes for a simple matcha cookie you can enjoy any time of year!
Why You’ll Love These Matcha Cookies
- Gluten-free and grain-free: Made with almond flour and tapioca flour instead of traditional wheat flour or grain-based gluten-free flour blends.
- A fun way to enjoy matcha: The earthy flavour of matcha pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the white chocolate.
- Easy to make: The dough comes together in one bowl, then gets rolled into a log, chilled and sliced into rounds before baking.
- Perfect for Halloween: Their naturally green colour makes them a fun Halloween treat. Add googly eyes for a little extra personality!
- No special decorating skills needed: A simple white chocolate drizzle is all you need to finish these cookies.
I had a lot of fun creating these sweet little cookies! It started with the idea of making a green cookie for Halloween. I didn’t want to use any synthetic food colourings, so from there, the idea of a matcha cookie was born! The cookies are soft when they first come out of the oven but firm up as they cool, turning into lovely, thin and chewy matcha cookies.
The white chocolate drizzle levels up these cookies by adding sweetness to balance out the slight bitterness of the matcha. It also makes them look pretty! The candy googly eyes are totally optional, but they’re a fun twist if you’re making these around Halloween. Either way, they’re delicious!
Even my sister, who isn’t a matcha fan at all, said, “It’s a good cookie!” Don’t just take our word for it, though. You’ll have to see for yourself! And if you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other gluten-free cookie recipes, like my Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookies or Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies. The holidays are right around the corner!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Unsalted butter: Use softened butter so it creams easily with the sugar. I recommend bringing it to room temperature before starting.
- Almond flour: Use finely blanched almond flour rather than almond meal. It provides a tender texture and works well with the tapioca flour.
- Tapioca flour: Also known as tapioca starch, this helps bind the dough and gives the cookies structure. It’s important to use tapioca flour rather than cassava flour, as they aren’t interchangeable.
- Matcha powder: Matcha gives these cookies their beautiful green colour and earthy flavour. Culinary-grade matcha is a good choice for baking. You can find it on amazon!
- Xanthan gum: VERY important! A small amount helps bind the gluten-free dough together and gives the cookies much needed structure. Without xanthan gum the cookies would spread too thin and be extremely delicate. So, don’t skip this ingredient!
- White chocolate chips: white chocolate chips are melted to create the drizzle. It adds a little extra sweetness that pairs nicely with the matcha.
- Coconut oil: Helps thin the melted white chocolate so it’s easy to drizzle over the cookies. You will need about 3 teaspoons to achieve the right consistency.
- Candy googly eyes: These are optional but make the cookies extra fun for Halloween if you’re making them around that time of year.
How to Make Easy Gluten Free Matcha Cookies
Step 1: Make the matcha cookie dough.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and beat again until combined.
Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, matcha powder, xanthan gum and salt to the same bowl. Beat until a dough forms. This may take a couple of minutes. Alternatively, you can knead the dough with your hands until it comes together.
Step 2: Shape the dough into a log and chill.
Roll the dough into a log approximately 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pat the ends flat, wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Slice and bake the cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and slice into rounds approximately 1/3 inch thick. You should get about 24 cookies. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least an inch between each one, as they will spread slightly. Bake for 7 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before making the white chocolate drizzle. They’ll be very soft when they first come out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool. Don’t rush this step!
Step 4: Make the white chocolate drizzle.
When 20 minutes has passed, make the white chocolate drizzle. Add the chopped white chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in 30–40 second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Start with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil and add more as needed until the chocolate reaches a consistency that’s easy to drizzle. I needed 3 teaspoons for 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips.
Step 5: Decorate the cookies.
Drizzle the melted white chocolate back and forth over the cookies. If you’re making the Halloween version, add two googely eyes to each cookie while the chocolate is still melted. Otherwise, keep them as-is. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the white chocolate to harden. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Matcha Cookies
- Use finely blanched almond flour. This gives the cookies a smoother, more consistent texture than coarser almond meal.
- Measure the flours carefully. For the best results, spoon the flour into your measuring cups and level it off rather than packing it down.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes makes it easier to slice into even rounds and helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
- Slice the cookies evenly. Aim for approximately 1/3-inch-thick rounds so they bake consistently.
- Let the cookies cool completely. These cookies are delicate when they first come out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool, so leave them on the baking sheet until completely cooled.
- Adjust the coconut oil gradually. Start with 2 teaspoons when melting the white chocolate and add more as needed. You want a consistency that’s easy to drizzle but not too thin.
- Add the googly eyes before the chocolate sets. If you’re making these for Halloween, place the eyes onto the melted white chocolate before transferring the cookies to the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not all matcha cookies are gluten-free. Many traditional recipes use all-purpose flour, which contains wheat. These cookies are made with almond flour and tapioca flour instead, making them naturally gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, check that your matcha powder, chocolate and candy decorations are suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Yes! These cookies are made with almond flour and tapioca flour rather than wheat flour or other grain-based flours. Both are grain-free ingredients, making this a great option for anyone looking for grain-free cookies.
Absolutely! The googly eyes are simply a fun Halloween decoration and aren’t necessary for the recipe. You can leave them off and enjoy the cookies with just the white chocolate drizzle. They’re delicious either way!
Matcha has a distinct earthy, slightly grassy flavour with a mild bitterness. In these cookies, the sweetness of the sugar and white chocolate helps balance the matcha, creating a lovely combination of flavours. I’m not a huge matcha fan, but I really love these cookies! So, I’d say the flavour is mild and worth trying if you’re on the fence!
Once the white chocolate has fully hardened, transfer the cookies to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place; ideally in the fridge. This will prevent the white chocolate drizzle from softening an smudging which can happen when coconut oil comes to room temperature.
Gluten Free Matcha Cookes (Almond Flour)
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Hand Mixer
- 1 Microwave-safe Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup fine almond flour
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 2-3 teaspoons coconut oil
- 48 candy googely eyes *optional
Instructions
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Add the vanilla extract and beat again until combined.
- To the same bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca flour, matcha powder, xanthan gum and salt and mix until a dough forms. This may take a couple of minutes. Alternatively, you can knead with your hands until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to the counter top and roll into a log shape about 10" long and 1.5" in diameter. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the log into 24 even rounds, about 1/3" thick. Transfer cookie rounds to the prepared baking sheet about 1" apart and bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. They may look a little undercooked in the middle but thats ok!
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes. Then make the white chocolate drizzle.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate and coconut oil in 30-40 second increments in the microwave until completely melted and smooth, stirring in between. Start with 2 teaspoons coconut oil and increase to 3 if needed to get the right consistency for drizzling.
- Drizzle the white chocolate back and forth over the cookies. Use as much or as little as you prefer. If adding googely eyes, do so now. Add two googely eyes on each cookie.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
- Enjoy!