These chewy, gooey matcha chocolate chip cookies are made with almond flour and pantry-friendly ingredients. These matcha cookies are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly too. Mix them up in one bowl, and have them in and out of the oven in under one hour.
If you're a fan of gluten-free cookies and matcha recipes, you're going to love these vibrant green gluten-free & vegan matcha cookies! Grassy matcha melds with butterscotch notes from cashew butter, maple syrup, and vanilla while grain-free flours build a soft and chewy cookie. Bittersweet chocolate chunks add earthy notes.
These gluten-free matcha cookies are:
- vibrant green
- soft & chewy
- chocolatey & gooey
- made with just one bowl in under an hour
- keep beautifully for up to a week after baking
- taste rich and buttery but they're actually..
- ..gluten-free, vegan, and paleo!
The Quest for Perfectly Green, Chewy Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies
These matcha cookies were inspired by my friend Jenny of Ceremonial Grade. In addition to being a talented photographer, designer, and fellow cat lady, Jenny is a matcha connoisseur. She had the brilliant idea to add a hefty dose of matcha to my tahini oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe earlier this year. She turned out the most dazzling green matcha cookies I'd ever seen.
Inspired by Jenny's cookies and using my paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base, I added matcha and made a few tweaks to keep the color bright.
These gluten-free cookies use cashew butter to create a chewy texture that puffs and spreads just like classic chocolate chip cookies. The light color of the cookies allows the vibrant green of the matcha to shine through, showcasing its buttery flavor beautifully.
For more GF matcha cookies, check out the matcha pistachio snowball cookies on page 200 of my GF cookbook! Different flavor and texture but same GF matcha goodness.
Matcha Cookie Ingredients & Substitutions
Just a handful of pantry ingredients go into these matcha gluten-free cookies:
- Matcha green tea powder is the star of this show. Use matcha that's bright green and fresh such as Encha culinary-grade matcha. More matcha tips below!
- Cashew butter forms the base of these cookies. I use Artisana raw cashew butter, which you can find at many healthy foodie stores or order from Thrive. Or make your own. For a nut-free version, use tahini in its place.
- Maple syrup sweetens and moistens the dough. I prefer a lighter maple syrup to let the matcha color and flavor shine. Agave should work as a substitute if you prefer, though it may taste a bit sweeter.
- Coconut oil adds richness. You can use extra-virgin, which is less processed with more coconut flavor, or use refined coconut oil for a more neutral flavor. Dairy-eaters can use ghee instead for a non-vegan option.
- Vanilla and salt sharpen the flavors.
- Baking powder helps the cookies puff while keeping the batter more acidic to preserve the bright green hue. A little baking soda helps the cookies spread and brown around the edges.
- Bittersweet chocolate chunks melt into gooey puddles. I prefer chopping up a chocolate bar for a mix of large and small bits. Use a paleo baking chocolate to keep these refined sugar-free, such as Raaka or Hu. Or use good-quality white chocolate such as Green & Black's for white chocolate matcha cookies.
Flours for Gluten-Free Matcha Cookies
A trio of grain-free flours creates a thick and chewy cookie that you'd never guess was gluten-free. I use Bob's Red Mill flours, which can all be ordered online or sourced from most health foods stores. If gluten isn't an issue, you can likely substitute all-purpose wheat flour in place of all three flours. Or you could try a gluten-free or paleo all-purpose blend.
- Almond flour adds mild flavor, protein, and a little nubby texture. I prefer blanched almond flour here, but unblanched almond meal will also work. For a nut-free option, sub by weight tiger nut flour. You could try using oat flour for a non-paleo option.
- Cassava flour makes the cookies super chewy and thick. You can substitute a GF or paleo AP flour blend, or use sweet rice flour for non-paleo.
- Tapioca flour makes the dough more extensible or stretchy, helping them develop crackly, craggy tops. You could try using another starch such as cornstarch or potato starch, but tapioca is your best bet.
How to Make Matcha Cookies
This small-batch recipe makes just 9 large or 12 smaller cookies and it can easily be doubled or tripled if you need more! It comes together with just 15 minutes of prep and less than 15 minutes of baking, meaning you can have fresh matcha cookies in half an hour – no chilling or special equipment required!
All About Matcha
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a green tea powder ground from specially processed green tea leaves. Matcha is traditionally grown and consumed in East Asia. Tea plants are shaded from the sun for three to four weeks prior to harvest. This causes the plants to produce more chlorophyl and theanine. The chlorophyl is responsible for the bright green hue of matcha, while theanine has a calming effect on the nervous system.
Is matcha gluten-free?
Yes! Matcha contains just one ingredient – green tea – which is naturally free of wheat and gluten. Just be sure to purchase pure, unsweetened matcha powder. Add image
What does matcha taste like?
Matcha has a complex flavor profile. It tastes:
- grassy
- nutty
- earthy
- fresh
- a hint of bitterness and astringency in the finish
This complexity makes matcha pair well with sweets, where it tempers the sweetness of baked goods such as these matcha chocolate chip cookies.
The higher quality the matcha, the more bright and fresh it tastes. Lower quality matcha will be less bright in color, and it will taste more muddy, bitter, and astringent.
Where to buy matcha powder
Matcha is a specialty product and is best ordered online from a favorite source to ensure the freshest quality and proper handling. I love Encha matcha, which comes in three grades: ceremonial (highest grade, for enjoying just with water), latte grade (great for drinks as well as baking) and culinary grade (the most affordable option for baking).
How to store matcha
Matcha is sensitive to light and temperature, so it's best to store it in an opaque airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and vibrant. It will stay fresh for 6-12 months.
Matcha Cookies for Everyone
Matcha really shines when baked into these delicious cookies. With this gluten-free, vegan, and paleo-friendly recipe, these are cookies that just about anyone can enjoy. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this matcha cookie recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup (130 g) room temperature, well-stirred raw cashew butter*
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (130 g) maple syrup (preferably light)
- 3 tablespoons (35 g) melted, cooled coconut oil (or ghee if not vegan)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (33 g) cassava flour**
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (40 g) blanched almond flour***
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (10 g) culinary-grade matcha****
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 ounces (115 g) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate, plus extra for the tops (70-75% cacao mass)
Instructions
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Line a rimless cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth and emulsified.
- Place a strainer over the bowl and sift in the cassava and almond flours with the tapioca, matcha, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir to combine, then stir vigorously for 10 seconds. This makes the cookies extra soft and chewy. Stir in the chocolate chunks until evenly dispersed.
- Scoop 2-inch diameter balls of dough (3 tablespoons or a #24 spring-loaded ice cream scoop) onto the prepared cookie sheet, spaced 2-3 inches apart. Top each cookie with a chunk or two of chocolate.
- Bake the cookies on the top rack of the oven until golden and puffed, with the edges beginning to set and the centers soft, 10-14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet at 8 minutes for even baking.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and slide them, parchment and all, onto a cooling rack. Let them cool slightly; they will firm up as they cool.
- Enjoy warm from the oven, at room temperature, or let cool completely and store, covered at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
Stephan Tobin says
I think it's really interesting that you combine matcha with a chocolate chip recipe. I have never seen that, but it sounds really delicious.
I also want to praise you for giving complete preparations with photos for describing your recipes. I occasionally cook or bake things I find on the internet where the chef provides a video. But I usually find that frustrating, having to go over and over the video while I'm preparing the dish. Having photos and the descriptions along with them is much more user-friendly.
Holly says
Hi,
I have always thought cassava flour is the same as tapioca flour. As your recipe indicated that is not the case. Can you explain the differences?
Thank you very much!
Holly
Alanna says
Great question! Cassava and tapioca flour come from the same plant, but cassava is the whole ground root, with some fiber in it. Tapioca is just the starch. So they work a little differently in recipes.
Christy says
I just tried this recipe and the cookies turned out wonderfully! The dough/batter is quite unlike what I'm used to using - would you recommend it for any other particular cookies? I really loved the resultant texture.
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked the cookies! I've used the base for tahini chocolate chip cookies, almond butter oatmeal cookies, tahini oatmeal cookies, and paleo chocolate chip cookies. I'm working on a peanut butter version and a double chocolate version too! I think you could also spread the batter in a baking pan to make blondies with it. I've been wanting to try the recipe using hazelnut butter and cocoa powder as well. It's a really versatile formula! Please let me know if you try other recipes with it. :)
Gloria says
I can't find cassava flour and tapioca flour in my local grocery store. Would arrowroot flour and corn starch work as alternatives for the cassava (using arrowroot) and tapioca (cornstarch) flours?
Alanna says
Hi Gloria! Sorry you're having trouble finding those flours. You can definitely order them online if you like! Arrowroot flour and cornstarch are both similar to tapioca flour, but cassava flour is more like a grain flour than a starch. You'd want to use another all-purpose-like flour in place of it, such as sweet rice flour or a GF or Paleo all-purpose blend. I hope that helps!
Jenny says
Great recipe Alanna!
Alanna says
Aw thank you Jenny!
Elsie Novato says
The recipe looks interesting and would like to try it, however, I am allergic to both maple and agave. Do you know of a suitable substitute for the syrup ingredient? I think honey would be too sweet and result in an altogether different flavor profile.
Alanna says
What sweetener do you usually use in cookies?
Rai says
Hey, I know you said sub almond for Tiger nut or oat. But could coconut work? Or any other alternative? Oat is one of the few that kinda doesn’t sit well with me 🥲
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Great question. Coconut flour is tricky to work with because it's super absorbent. You could try using ~2 tablespoons coconut flour in place of the almond flour. They might spread too much or not enough, so you'll want to experiment. You could also try doubling the cassava flour or subbing any other grain flour that you like (rice, millet, etc.) or a gluten-free all-purpose blend. Please let me know what you try!
Rai Simmons says
Oh that’s fair! I am new to baking as a whole so I’m nervous to mess up haha. I wonder if buckwheat could work? I think buckwheat was said to work well just like cassava but I’m not sure for cookies. I will try it regardless 🫶🏽 thank you
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
You could definitely try buckwheat flour! If it's dark flour, it will have a slightly stronger flavor and darker color but it's easier to find. Please come back and let me know how it goes!
Rai says
Thanks so much! Would you recommend the same amount for the buckwheat as the oat/almond?
Appreciate your help x
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ideally it would be the same weight. So if you're using cup measurements, it would be closer to 1/4 cup buckwheat flour :)
Rai says
Gotcha! Thank you dear. I’ll try this weekend x
Kayla says
These are in the oven! I substituted Hojicha powder because I love it’s smokey flavour in baked goods. I can’t wait!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ooh I love hojicha!! How did it work out??
Kayla says
They were out of this world delicious! Thank you!!!
Jennifer says
I’m looking forward to making these, but just wanted to say how much I appreciate having metric units (yay kitchen scale!) and also the scoop number. My kind of recipe!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw I appreciate that you appreciate those details! Anything to make baking easier and cut down on dishes too, right?!
Ann says
Hi Alyanna,
If I use Matcha Tea powder that is not Culinary grade, is the flavor of the cookie going to be flat? I was just curious if there is a less balanced or too strong. Thank you for clarifying. These look delicious!
Ann
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Ann,
Great question! I've made this with ceremonial grade matcha and they were still divine. As long as your matcha is bright green it should work beautifully. Please let me know if you try the recipe!
Mario says
I've tried this recipe without the matcha powder and with cocoa powder as well. Both came out amazingly delicious. Definitely a solid recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh I bet cocoa powder would be delicious here. So glad you like the recipe, thanks a bunch for the note!
ROMY says
Matcha and Chocolate! Both are my favorite! Im so exited to see you combine them together! Thanks for sharing this! I will try by myself!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Nice! Please let me know how you like them. :)
Erin says
These are amazing! Mine didn't have even the tiniest hint of green, though. My matcha is not nearly the quality of yours. Thank you for sharing!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you loved these cookies, though I'm sorry to hear about the matcha color (or lack thereof)! I've found it hard to find good (non-oxidized) matcha other than special ordering it, unfortunately. But I'm glad they were still tasty regardless. Thanks a bunch for the note!
Suzi says
This recipe looks great, I really want to try! I am wondering if I can substitute the maple syrup with jujube syrup? Also I can't have coconut is there something that can replace the coconut oil? Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Suzi, Great questions! I've never worked with jujube syrup so I'm not sure how it compares to maple in terms of thickness, sweetness, and color. If it's very dark and/or strong-tasting, it might obscure the color and flavor of the matcha. If it's thicker than maple, the cookies won't spread as much, so you would want to thin it with a little hot water.
As for the coconut oil, you can use ghee if you're not vegan, or palm oil, or you could try another liquid oil such as grapeseed or sunflower (not sure how a liquid oil would affect the final cookie).
If you experiment, it's always best to make just one change at a time. Please let me know what you try!
-A
Leslie Henry says
Hi! I made these cookies for the holidays. They were very well received! Today I tried the recipe in a 9” square metal pan and baked them for 30 minutes. Oh my! I love these even more than the cookies. A green blondie made my day. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
What a fun idea to bake these into blondies! I bet they're extra thick and chewy that way, yum. Thanks so much for the feedback and I'm glad the cookies were loved too!
Leslie Henry says
Correction! I used an 8” x 8” metal pan.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ah good to know, thank you!
Ruth says
hi can I substitute chocolate for something else, not keen on chocolate specially in baked goods
cheers Ruth
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Ruth, for sure! You could just leave out the chocolate if you prefer, or you could try adding some nuts, such as macadamias. Or if you like dried fruit in cookies, you could go with dried blueberries or cranberries. Let me know what you try!