Hazelnut & Vanilla Assam Tea Cookies

A cozy, tea-kissed treat for all of your autumnal gatherings…

There’s something special about baking with tea. Finding new ways to use the ingredients we’ve grown familiar with is practical magic. This kind of quiet alchemy can bring a lot of joy into the kitchen & to those you share your cookies with!

Time to get your mortar & pestle out✨

The tea is finely ground & melted into butter, infusing each cookie with a rich, aromatic depth that we here at the Herb Bar find to be equal parts comforting & enchanting. The result is a soft & chewy sugar cookie with crisp buttery edges. 

This recipe is simple to make, easy to adapt (vegan-friendly, too), * endlessly versatile. Try it with any of our seasonal teas - each one brings its own character to the mix.

✨ Hazelnut Vanilla Assam* – rich & grounding.
🌿 Green Chai Tea* – spiced, uplifting, & softly energizing.
🍂 French Quarter Chai – caffeine-free + notes of cinnamon, cardamom & clove.
🍫Belgian Chocolate Rooibos – decadent & caffeine-free.
🎃 Harvest Spice Chai* – a fall favorite that fills the kitchen with cozy aroma

*caffeinated blend

Bake a batch for gatherings, gift swaps, or a quiet afternoon at home - & don’t be surprised if the scent draws everyone into the kitchen.

Herb Bar Tea Cookies

Yield: About 20 cookies

Ingredients

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely ground tea leaves (Hazelnut Vanilla Assam or your favorite)
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg (or flax egg for vegan option)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (or GF flour if that is your vibe)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F & line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan, combine butter & ground tea leaves. Melt over medium heat until it just begins to sizzle around the edges. Remove from heat & let cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the tea butter, brown sugar, salt, & vanilla. Add the egg (or alternative) & stir until smooth.
4. Add flour, baking powder, & baking soda. Stir until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. The dough should have a sandy texture.
5. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie & space them 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.
6. Bake for 16–19 minutes, until set & lightly golden with crackled tops. Cool on the baking sheets or rack.

To stretch this recipe for a larger crowd you can make each cookie portion
1 Tablespoon of dough & drop the cooking time to 10 minutes. 

Store extras in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3- 5 days - or in the freezer for a few weeks (if they last that long).