I brewed a cup of hojicha one afternoon and couldn’t stop thinking about how good it would be folded into something sweet. The tea was warm and gently smoky, with familiar cocoa and caramel notes that linger long after the cup was empty. My mind kept drifting back to linzer cookies- a dough I know well, one that holds flavor beautifully.
Strawberry and stone fruit feel especially lovely with hojicha. Chocolate works beautifully too, tucked between the cookies as a creamy ganache, rich and smooth and melting slightly into the crumb.
Baker’s Note:
This recipe lends itself well to small changes. The dough works beautifully with other teas, and the filling can shift with the season — a jam you love, caramel, or ganache. Some favorite combinations: Earl Grey with raspberry, oolong with caramel, chamomile with apricot.
Ingredients
Butter. High quality, unsalted and room temperature.
Powdered Sugar. For a melt in your mouth texture.
Granulated Sugar. For sweetness and crunch.
Egg yolk. Helps bind the dough and gives a richer flavor.
Vanilla. For a floral sweetness. I use Signing Dog Double Strength.
Sourdough Discard.
Flour. Hayden All Purpose Sonora is my go to.
Hojicha. Roasted japanese green tea. Gives these cookies a toasted malty flavor. I like Rishi’s Hojicha tea. I finely grind it for this shortbread. Cap Beauty makes a lovely Hojicha Powder.
Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
Jam. Strawberry and stone fruit pair beautifully with hojicha.
Sourdough Hojicha Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1 egg yolk , room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (50 g) sourdough discard, room temperature (optional)
2 1/4 cup (270g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely ground hojicha tea or hojicha powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup jam or ganache of choice- I love strawberries and stone fruits with hojicha
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, hojicha and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butte and sugars, until light and fluffy- about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk, sourdough discard and continue to mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, tea and salt. Mix on low speed, until the dough starts coming together. Don’t over mix.
- Divide the dough in half and shape into two discs. Place one between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat. Place the sheets on a cookie sheet and transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 48 hours. Or place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from the fridge/freezer and peel off the parchment paper. Using a cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out desired shapes Using a smaller cookie cutter, cut out the middles of half of the cookies. Re roll the scraps and place in the freezer to firm up.
- Place the cut-outs on your cookie sheets, about 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Dust the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar. Add a spoonful of jam to the bottom halves. Place the sugared cookies on top pressing gently to create a cookie sandwich.
Leave a Reply