Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies: An Easy Slice-and-Bake Holiday Recipe

Earl Grey shortbread cookies are what happens when your favorite afternoon tea moves into the cookie tin. Buttery, crumbly and scented with bergamot, they taste fancy and ask almost nothing of you. Our version is a slice-and-bake log, so you can mix the dough on a quiet evening, stash it in the fridge and bake fresh cookies whenever the holiday calendar allows.

Why Earl Grey works so well in shortbread

Shortbread is mostly butter, sugar and flour, which makes it a blank canvas. Earl Grey brings two things to the party: a gentle black tea backbone and the bright citrus perfume of bergamot. Butter holds onto that aroma well, so a couple of tablespoons of tea goes a long way. If you're curious where the bergamot comes from in the first place, our guide to what Earl Grey tea is tells the whole story.

A plain, classic Earl Grey is the easiest place to start. TRULY TEAS' Earl Grey is organic black tea with natural bergamot oil and nothing else, and its smallest bag starts at $6, which is plenty for a batch or two. Lathered Artisan's Earl Grey Black Tea is another good pick, a South Indian black tea with bergamot and cornflower petals that the maker suggests for baking too.

Earl Grey shortbread cookies

Makes about 2 to 3 dozen, depending on how thick you slice. Prep takes about 15 minutes, plus at least an hour of chilling.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (contains dairy)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (contains wheat)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons loose leaf Earl Grey, or the tea from several tea bags, measured to 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Grind the tea first. Pulse the leaves in a clean spice or coffee grinder, or work them in a mortar, until they look like coarse sand. Finely ground tea spreads its flavor evenly and won't leave chewy bits of leaf in your cookies. Tea from bags is usually fine already, so you can skip this step for it.
2. In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the powdered sugar (and vanilla, if using) for about 2 minutes, until it looks pale and creamy.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the flour, salt and ground tea together so the tea is well spread through the flour.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter and mix on low speed, or with a sturdy spatula, just until it comes together. It may look crumbly at first. Squeeze it with your hands and it'll hold.
5. Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches across, wrap it snugly and chill it until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. (Waiting is the hardest part of this recipe. We believe in you.)
6. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
7. Slice the cold log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick and set them about 1 inch apart on the sheets.
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, since they're fragile while warm, then move them to a rack to cool completely.

A quick food-safety note

Please don't taste the raw dough. Flour is a raw ingredient and can carry germs such as E. coli until it's baked, so save the sampling for after the oven. When you're done mixing, wash your hands, bowls and counters with soap and warm water.

Make-ahead and storage tips

The dough log keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrapped well in the freezer for about a month. Let a frozen log soften on the counter for a few minutes so it slices cleanly. Baked cookies stay crisp in an airtight tin for up to a week and can be frozen for about a month.

Easy variations

• For a floral twist, swap in a lavender blend such as TRULY TEAS' Lavender Earl Grey, which pairs organic black tea with lavender and bergamot oil. Go gently, since lavender can take over.
• A quick citrus glaze is just powdered sugar stirred with a little lemon or orange juice until it's thick but pourable. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies.
• Chocolate fans can dip half of each cookie in melted dark chocolate and let it set on parchment.
• The grated zest of half an orange, beaten in with the butter, adds an extra citrus lift.

Serving and gifting

Shortbread and a pot of tea are an old, happy match. For something floral to pour alongside, Tea + Linen's Monista French Earl Grey is a softly citrus, petal-scented black tea that its maker suggests serving with shortbread. A stack of cookies in a tin, tied with ribbon and tucked next to a bag of the same tea, makes a gift that feels homemade and thoughtful without eating your whole weekend. You'll find more ideas in our holiday tea gift ideas by budget, and ready-to-give boxes in Gift Sets. If you'd like to compare a few more bergamot teas first, browse Black Tea.

Quick answers

Can I use Earl Grey tea bags for shortbread?

Yes. Cut the bags open and measure out 2 tablespoons of tea. Bagged tea is usually ground fine already, so it mixes straight into the flour.

Do I need to grind the tea leaves?

We recommend it. Ground tea gives a more even flavor and a smoother texture than whole leaves, which can feel chewy in a crisp cookie.

Why did my shortbread spread in the oven?

Usually the dough was too warm. Chill the log until it's firm, slice it cold and bake it right away.

Can I make Earl Grey shortbread ahead of time?

Yes. Keep the wrapped dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for about a month, then slice and bake when you need it.