Description
Delight in these aromatic Earl Grey Sugar Cookies, featuring tender, chewy centers infused with fragrant Earl Grey tea leaves and topped with a zesty lemon glaze. Perfect for afternoon tea or a sweet treat any time of day.
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, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the tea leaves from the Earl Grey tea bag. Set aside to ensure even distribution.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat softened butter until very creamy and pale, about 3 minutes. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and beat until fully combined and smooth.
- Add dry to wet mixture: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a spatula to fold in any remaining flour to avoid overmixing, ensuring a tender cookie.
- Scoop cookie dough: Line a small cutting board with parchment paper. Use a 4-tablespoon cookie scooper to portion cookie dough into balls and release them onto the lined board.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cookie dough balls for about 15 minutes until firm but not sticky, which helps control spread during baking.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll in sugar: Roll each chilled dough ball between your hands to form a smooth ball. Roll each one thoroughly in granulated sugar to coat all sides. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between each.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until edges are slightly golden while centers remain soft. The centers may look underdone but will firm up as they cool, producing a chewy texture.
- Swirl cookies: Immediately after baking, use a large cookie cutter or an inverted bowl to gently swirl each cookie to create perfectly round edges, shaping any irregular sides.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Lemon Glaze – Mix: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until the glaze reaches a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Lemon Glaze – Drizzle: Using a piping bag or a spoon, drizzle the lemon glaze over each cooled cookie for a tart finishing touch.
Notes
- Chilling the dough balls helps prevent excessive spreading during baking, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies.
- The Earl Grey tea leaves add a subtle floral and citrus note; make sure to use fresh tea for best flavor.
- Rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before baking gives a sweet, slightly crunchy exterior.
- The lemon glaze adds bright acidity that complements the fragrant tea flavor beautifully.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
