Soft & Chewy Vegan Matcha Cookies with Silken Tofu

Looking for your next favorite cookie to enjoy with a glass of milk? Look no further than these Soft and Chewy Vegan Matcha Cookies with Silken Tofu! The complex flavors and unctuous textures of this cookie will have you reaching for the cookie jar again and again. Whether you’re settling into your reading nook with the latest “romantasy” novel, or going next book club meeting with a special treat, these cookies are going to be a hit.

Matcha is everywhere these days: matcha lattes, matcha muffins, matcha chocolate etc.! Matcha, for those who don’t know, is basically green tea (picked and processed a different way) ground into a very fine powder. It can be a great source of antioxidants and has also been shown to help blood sugar levels. It’s also super delicious by itself or in desserts and lattes alike, so it’s no wonder it’s popping up everywhere. But if you’re going to try any recipe with this bonafide superfood in it, My Soft & Chewy Vegan Matcha Cookies are a delight after a heavy meal, or just as a snack.

Whether you’re an aficionado or if you’ve only ever had matcha a couple of times, I guarantee these cookies will stay in your cookie roster for a long, long time.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Vegan Matcha Cookies

• All-Purpose Flour: Sub with gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option or a 1:1 baking blend.
• Salt: Use sea salt or alternatively substitute with kosher salt for a more pronounced flavor.
• Baking Soda: You can sub with baking powder (adjust to 1 1/2 tsp) if needed, though texture may be slightly different.
• Vegan Butter: You can sub with coconut oil (solid at room temp) or a neutral vegetable shortening.
• Granulated Sugar: Sub with coconut sugar for a less refined option, though the cookies may be darker in color.
• Silken Tofu (Soft Tofu): No silken tofu? No problem. Sub with applesauce, mashed banana, or a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water).
• Vanilla Extract: You can use vanilla bean paste or almond extract for a flavor twist.
• Matcha Powder (Culinary-Grade): You can choose to sub with green tea powder (though less vibrant) or extra cocoa powder for a chocolate-flavored twist.

Optional Additions:

• Vegan White Chocolate Chips: Swap for dark chocolate chips or vegan matcha chips.
• Chopped Nuts (Walnuts/Pecans): Use almonds, hazelnuts, or skip for a nut-free version.

What is culinary grade matcha and how does it compare?

Culinary-grade matcha, compared to ceremonial-grade matcha, is made to hold up during the high heat of baking or cooking, and when mixed with other ingredients. Its flavors are usually bolder and more robust compared to the sweeter, smoother taste of ceremonial-grade matcha. Culinary grade is also a bit less expensive than ceremonial grade, so it’s more accessible. It’s not a huge deal if you can’t find culinary-grade matcha powder at the grocery story, find what’s available to you and use that.

Making the Best Vegan Matcha Cookies

Prepare Your Batter and Preheat Oven

1. Preheat oven and line baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a smaller bowl and set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, cream together wet ingredients until smooth.

Mix the Batter

1. Sift in the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture and mix with a spatula.
2. Fold in chocolate and/or walnuts if you are using them.

Bake and Serve

1. Portion out the cookies, placing cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to prevent sticking as these spread while baking.
2. Bake for 12-15 minutes (depending on the doneness you prefer).
3. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it firm up for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
4. Serve with a glass of almond milk or matcha latte to go double matcha!

Storing Your Vegan Matcha Cookies

1. Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
2. Refrigeration: For extended freshness, refrigerate cookies for up to 1 week.
3. Freezing: Freeze unbaked cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

How Do You Like Your Vegan Matcha Cookie?

For Softest and Chewiest Cookies

1. Use bread flour and slightly over-mix the batter, this will develop the gluten slightly, producing a cookie with a bit more bite.
2. Underbake the cookies slightly in the center if you like a softer cookie.
3. Allow the batter to rest in the fridge for eight hours, preferably overnight so that the flour can absorb all the fat. This will prevent the cookies from spreading out too much and becoming too thin when baked (thin = crispy)

For Cake-y Cookies

1. Add more flour to the recipe, more flour will make the cookie denser and more cake-like.
2. Sub the baking soda for baking powder to get more of an airy rise in the oven.

For Crispy Cookies

1. For crispy edges, flatten the cookies slightly with your palm before baking on the sheet.
2. Use more fat (vegan butter in this case) and sugar for crispy cookies. This is because fat and sugar help the cookies spread out more, giving the cookies a thinner shape.
3. Melt the vegan butter instead of creaming it.

Made too many cookies? Here’s how you can use them up!

While I don’t understand the phrase “too many cookies” in the literal sense, I know how to help when people ask for creative and delicious use up or repurpose certain foods so that they do not throw any away.

1. Get packing! Buy some cute cardboard boxes and fill them up with cookies to take for your friends and family. It makes the perfect gift for when you visit someone’s home and they’ll love you for it.
2. Matcha cookie pie-crust: Crush the cookies up and add some vegan butter for a sophisticated and tasty pie crust.
3. Layered desserts: You can use these cookies as a layer in a trifle or tiramisu, especially if they’re a few days old and have gotten stale.
4. Matcha truffle balls: Crush the cookies, mix with some vegan cream cheese, and coat in dessicated coconut for a tasty and decadent snack.
5. Matcha milkshakes: Blend in a smoothie with some frozen bananas, dairy-free yogurt, and honey for a perfect treat.

Similar Recipes to Vegan Matcha Cookies

• Vegan Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Fudgy Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Easy Vegan Blueberry Cookies
• Vegan Cardamom Chocolate Cookies