Tea Cookies

I've made this recipe a few times and it's super easy. I like that you can change the tea for different flavor profiles. I've never actually made this cookie with earl grey tea.

For the Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons tea leaves, from approximately 6 tea bags
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

The normal directions are as follows:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized. Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed.

3. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

What I did for this batch was a bit different. I actually made the dough for these cookies around Christmas. I thought I was going to include it with my Christmas Cookies Extravanganza, but I ran out of room for them. So I chucked the dough in the freezer, and gave myself 2 months to use it up for something.

I decided to make these for my book club meeting and decided to roll out the dough and make heart-shaped cookie cutouts for the occasion. I would normally leave these cookies unfrosted, but I decided to try it out to see if it would be good.

Since I've never frosted cookies before, I did some research to see what I should use. I decided to try the meringue-based frosting, which I've never tried  before. I used Martha Stewart's Small-batch Royal Icing recipe from her Cookies book. (If you clicked the link to the Umbrella Sugar Cookies, it's step 6 for the royal icing.)

For the Royal Icing
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
7 1/2 tsp meringue powder
1/4 cup chai tea*

* You're supposed to used water, but I decided to try chai tea to reinforce the flavor in the cookies.

1. Mix all the ingredients with an electric mixer using the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 10 minutes.

2. Use immediately.



The royal icing didn't taste much like chai tea, just a lemony taste, which I suspect is how meringue makes everything taste.