Brown Butter Hojicha Earl Grey Cookies (Printable version)

Nutty brown butter meets roasted hojicha and Earl Grey for aromatic, chewy treats with white chocolate.

# What You Need:

→ Brown Butter

01 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter

→ Dry Ingredients

02 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 tablespoon hojicha powder
06 - 2 teaspoons Earl Grey tea leaves, finely ground

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 large egg yolk
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

12 - 2/3 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

# How to Make It:

01 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking and stirring frequently until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, hojicha powder, and ground Earl Grey tea leaves until evenly combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. If using, fold in white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
05 - Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight, for enhanced flavor development and optimal texture.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon mounds and space them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers remain slightly soft.
09 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The brown butter gives you that sophisticated, nutty depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • Hojicha and Earl Grey blend so seamlessly that each bite feels like a tiny, edible escape.
  • They're crispy at the edges but chewy in the middle, which is honestly the best texture combination ever.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the butter all the way—pale butter means missing the entire point of this recipe, so listen for that nutty smell and trust your instincts.
  • Chilling the dough overnight isn't just a suggestion; it's the difference between good cookies and ones that taste like you've been thinking about them all day.
03 -
  • If you want more intense tea flavor without overwhelming the cookies, increase both the hojicha and Earl Grey by 1/2 teaspoon each time you bake—taste as you go and find your perfect ratio.
  • Dark chocolate chips work beautifully too if you want something less sweet; they add depth and bitterness that echoes the tea flavors in an unexpected way.
Return