These Earl Grey shortbread cookies will melt in your mouth, combining sourdough and tea in one delicious bite! Made with coconut oil, this shortbread is naturally dairy-free, but still tastes so good that you won’t notice the difference. With Mother’s Day coming up, these shortbread cookies will make a lovely treat to share with your mom.
Needing to use up my sourdough starter this weekend, I decided to experiment with making shortbread cookies, and they turned out so cute! While these cookies are not very traditional due to the addition of sourdough starter and coconut oil (instead of butter), they still make an elegant treat for sharing with friends.
The Earl Grey tea leaves give these cookies a subtle, sophisticated flavor which pairs well with an afternoon cup of tea. However, if you don’t prefer the taste of Earl Grey, you can omit the tea leaves and use vanilla instead.
Although I don’t think I can truly call these cookies “healthy,” they are actually dairy-free and vegan, making them great for entertaining guests with allergies. (And you don’t have to worry about getting sick from eating the cookie dough :))
What is shortbread?
Shortbread (sometimes known as biscuits in England) is cookie made with a ratio of 2 parts butter to 1 part sugar. As far back as the Middle Ages, they’ve been a popular treat in Scotland. Traditionally, they are served at tea time, but they make a yummy treat for any time of day.
While most shortbread recipes don’t involve sourdough starter, the sourdough balances the sugary shortbread quite well. Plus, it means you don’t need to throw out your sourdough discard.
Why should you put shortbread in the fridge before baking?
Shortbread is made with a lot of butter (or in this case coconut oil), which tends to make cookies spread out when you bake them. Refrigerating the cookie dough before baking will keep the butter from leaking out, giving your cookies the perfect texture.
Can you freeze shortbread cookies?
Yes! Freezing these cookies will give you an easy option for dessert when an unexpected guest arrives. You can freeze the cookie dough by cutting the cookies into shapes and freezing them for a few hours on a baking tray. Once they’ve set up, put them in an airtight plastic bag and store for up to 3 months before baking them.
Tips for baking Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies:
- If you don’t have any loose leaf Earl Grey tea, you can just open two Earl Grey tea sachets and use those leaves instead. No one will know the difference. 🙂
- I used coconut oil instead of butter in this recipe to make the shortbread dairy-free. However, if you’re allergic to coconut, you can always replace the coconut oil with 3 sticks of softened butter. In this case, you should first cream the butter and sugar before adding in the flour, salt, sourdough starter, and tea leaves.
- Feel free to shape these cookies however you like! I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter, but you can use any shape really. Alternatively, you can also just cut them into squares or triangles. Whatever is easiest for you!
- Because shortbread contains so much oil, you have to keep the dough as cool as possible before baking so that the oil doesn’t leak out of the cookies.
- Make sure to refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before cutting out your cookies. Also, if the dough seems to be getting too soft as you’re cutting them out, refrigerate the cookies again while you preheat the oven.
Tools you will need
To make your own shortbread cookies, you will just need parchment paper, plastic wrap, a rolling pin, and heart-shaped cookie cutters if you want. 🙂
Ingredients you will need
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups coconut oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
- 2 tbsp water
How to make Early Grey Shortbread Cookies
Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and Earl Grey tea leaves in a bowl. Stir in the coconut oil until combined. It will be a bit crumbly.
Add in the sourdough discard and stir to combine. You may need to use your hands to make it a cohesive dough. If you’re dough is too crumbly still, add up to 2 tbsp of water so the dough forms a ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven has a convection setting, you can use this to make sure your cookies brown evenly.
Take your cookie dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll out your cookie dough to about 1/2″ thick.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out your cookies and place them on baking trays lined with parchment paper.
Bake your cookies for 20 minutes until the bottoms are a light golden brown. Enjoy!
Did you enjoy these Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies?
If so, make sure to check out other yummy sourdough treats at the Kitchen Counter! Here are a few other ideas for inspiration:
Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies with Sourdough
These Earl Grey shortbread cookies will melt in your mouth, combining sourdough and tea in one delicious bite!
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups coconut oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and earl grey tea leaves in a bowl.
- Stir in the coconut oil until combined. It will be a bit crumbly.
- Add in the sourdough discard and stir to combine. You may need to use your hands to make it a cohesive dough. If you're dough is too crumbly still, add up to 2 tbsp of water so the dough forms a ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven has a convection setting, you can use this to make sure your cookies brown evenly.
- Take your cookie dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Roll out your cookie dough to about 1/2" thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your cookies and place them on baking trays lined with parchment paper.
- Bake your cookies for 20 minutes until the bottoms are a light golden brown. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 36 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 145Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 68mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 0gSugar 6gProtein 1g
Hannah says
Thanks Ashley! 🙂