These Chocolate-Dipped Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies are crisp, buttery and filled with earl grey tea flavour. Bergamot oil extract enhances the tea flavour in these cookies, and dark chocolate ties everything together.
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It's cookie season!
These Chocolate-Dipped Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies are simple to make and only use a few ingredients.
They are crisp and filled with earl grey tea flavour.
You can see the beautiful flecks of tea in the cookies. And to enhance that earl grey flavour, I add fragrant culinary bergamot oil to the cookies.
What is earl grey tea?
If you don't already know, earl grey is my favourite tea flavour. It's a black tea with the addition of bergamot oil.
I have a few earl grey recipes featuring this lovely tea:
Which type of earl grey tea to use?
For these cookies, you can use any type of earl grey tea you have on hand.
If you're using a loose leaf tea, place the tea leaves into a coffee grinder and grind them until they're quite fine.
You can also use bagged tea as well.
My favourite one to use is Trader Joe's Organic Earl Grey tea.
Ingredients you'll need
You'd be surprised to know that there's only 7 ingredients in these cookies!
- all-purpose flour: best to use all-purpose and not cake flour or bread flour for these cookies
- earl grey tea: any type of tea that you have on hand, whether it be loose-leaf or tea bags
- unsalted butter: if you have salted butter, you can use that but remember to omit the salt in the recipe. Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon portions.
- powdered sugar: also known as icing sugar, adds sweetness to the cookies
- vanilla extract: use a good quality pure vanilla extract
- bergamot oil extract: optional if you can't find it; use a culinary-grade bergamot oil, not essential oil.
- sea salt: to balance that sweetness
How to make the cookies
This recipe comes together so easily. All you need is a food processor.
- Place the dry ingredients into the food processor: flour, earl grey tea, powdered sugar, salt and give it a few pulses.
- Add in the butter, vanilla extract and bergamot oil.
- Pulse a few times until a dough begins to form. (Don't over mix, or the cookies will be tough).
- Dump the contents from the food processor onto a large piece of parchment paper and use your hands to form the dough into a cylindrical log.
- Wrap the log with plastic wrap and place into the fridge.
- Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and use a sharp knife to cut rounds, about 1 cm thick.
- Place the cut rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 375F for about 12 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
How to decorate the cookies
For these Chocolate-Dipped Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies, it's as simple as melting chocolate and dipping half of the cookie into the chocolate.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the dark chocolate and microwave in 20-second increments.
Give the chocolate a stir, and repeat until it's completely melted.
You can dip the cookie in the melted chocolate, or use a spatula/spoon to coat the cookie with chocolate.
Another way to add pizazz to the cookies is to drizzle drizzle the melted chocolate over the top instead.
Or you can just leave them plain -- they're just as good!
FAQ's
Which type of chocolate to use?
Use a good quality baking chocolate to decorate the cookies.
You can use baking chocolate chips (what I used here), chocolate callets, or baking chocolate bars.
With chocolate bars, you'll need to chop them first. Personally, I find it more convenient to use chips or callets.
How to store the cookies
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for as long as 1 week.
To prolong their shelf-life, you can store baked the cookies in the freezer as well.
Can I double or triple the recipe?
Yes! This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
Other cookie recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these other tea-based cookie recipes:
Matcha White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Strawberry Matcha Oreo Cookies
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- I love seeing your re-creations! Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Chocolate-Dipped Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies:
- ½ C all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon finely ground earl grey tea (2 tea bags)
- 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- pinch of sea salt omit if using salted butter
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon bergamot oil extract use culinary grade, not essential oil
- ¼ teaspoon earl grey extract optional
Decoration:
- 50 g dark chocolate melted
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, earl grey tea, powdered sugar, salt) into a food processor. Pulse a few times.
- Add in the butter, vanilla extract and bergamot oil extract (if using).
- Pulse a few times until a dough begins to form.
- Dump the contents from the food processor onto a large piece of parchment paper.
- Gather the dough with your hands and press to form a cylindrical log.
- Wrap the log with plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F/191°C.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and use a sharp knife to slice into rounds, about 1 cm thickness.
- Place the cut rounds flat onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies at 375°F/191°C for approximately 12 mins, until lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Decorate with chocolate:
- Add dark chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat the chocolate in 20-second increments, and give it a stir. Repeat until all the chocolate has melted.
- Dip the cookies in the melted chocolate, or use a spatula to coat the melted chocolate onto the cookie.
- You can also drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie if you like.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Recipe loosely adapted from Claire Robinson.
David @ Spiced
It's funny - I don't drink much hot tea in the warmer months. But once we hit the colder months, I make sure to keep the pantry stocked up on tea. Baking cookies with Earl Grey is a great idea - and dipping them in chocolate is an even better idea! 🙂 Also, this is the first I've heard of bergamot oil extract - I'm intrigued!
Michelle
Thanks so much, David! Bergamot oil is such an amazing flavouring! It can be a little difficult to find -- wish it's more available, like vanilla. 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I love earl grey tea and definitely love shortbread cookies so these are totally calling my name! Such a delicious way to kick off the week too 😉
Michelle
Thanks Dawn! They are absolutely divine with a cuppa earl grey! 😉
Christie
These cookies sound and look so amazing! Love Earl Grey!
Michelle
Thanks Christie!
Josiah - DIY Thrill
These Chocolate-Dipped Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies look like the perfect dessert to pair with tea!
Michelle
Thanks Josiah, they sure are great for afternoon tea!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
Haha! Cookie season is year round at my house, but I also consider these next two months true cookie season. Shortbread is one of my favorites and I love those beautiful earl grey flecks in the shortbread!!
Michelle
Thanks Tasia! True, cookie season is indeed year round 🙂
Ting
Would it be ok to sub the powdered sugar with regular granulated sugar? If so, is it a 1:1 swap?
Michelle
You can sub in granulated sugar -- use half the amount, so about 1 & 1/2 Tbsp.
Beth
My hubby and daughter are going to be all over these cookies! They look amazing and so yummy! Definitely making these soon!
Eliza Cross
Earl Grey is my favorite tea, and these cookies sound amazing. They look so delicate and pretty, too. Thank you for sharing another winning recipe!
Kristina Tipps
I loved these! Will be making them for my Mother's Day brunch!
Michelle
Awesome, thank you Kristina! 🙂
Evelyn
Do you happen to have the measurements by weight? I tried making these and they spread a bit too much and crumbled easily, maybe I didn’t measure the flour correctly? 🙁
Flavour was great though!
Michelle
Hi Eveyln, I have added the weight measurements. If the cookies spread, it may either too much butter or the cookie dough wasn't chilled long enough?
Biana
These cookies look amazing, and chocolate adds another dimension to them. Will be perfect with a cup of tea!
Denay DeGuzman
These cookies have the most beautiful flavor! I felt like I was enjoying a treat from a gourmet bakery or coffee shop. Next time around, I'll make two batches instead of one, and share them with a friend!
Michelle
Amazing, thanks for trying the recipe Denay! 🙂
teacozycookies
easy to make and so delicious!
Michelle
Thanks for your feedback and for sharing your creation with me on Instagram! 🙂