Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Tea-cookies that live up to their name, these Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies are made with powdered organic Equal Exchange, Earl Grey tea for a ‘tealicious’ zing!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or vegan butter, room temperature (We like Miyoko’s Vegan Butter)
• 1 cup powdered cane sugar
• 2 Tbsp orange juice, fresh squeezed
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups unbleached wheat flour, or 1 to 1 gluten free flour (We like Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend)
• 1 or 2 Earl Grey tea bags (We used Equal Exchange Earl Grey Tea)
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Mix in orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract.
4. Using a mortar and pestle, grind tea to powder. (You can also use a spice grinder or high powered blender.)
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, tea powder, and salt.
6. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture with a wooden spoon until blended.
7. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten with a fork dipped in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
8. Bake cookies for 15-18 minutes, or until set and slightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack.