A warm batch of freshly baked cookies and a steaming cup of tea make for an ideal afternoon treat. These Earl Grey and Vanilla Sugar Cookies incorporate real Earl Grey tea directly into the dough, giving each cookie a delicate, irresistible flavor that tea lovers will appreciate. Even if you prefer coffee or milk alongside your baked goods, these cookies pair beautifully with either.
To bring the tea flavor into the cookies, this recipe uses tea bags rather than loose leaf. Bagged Earl Grey tea is finer and mixes more evenly into dough, producing evenly speckled cookies without large pieces of leaf. I used two standard Earl Grey tea bags—about 2 tablespoons of tea—which may sound like a lot, but the resulting flavor is pleasantly subtle when baked into cookies rather than steeped.
The dough is made like a classic sugar cookie and is portioned into 1-inch balls prior to baking. Rolling each ball in sugar before baking creates a slightly crunchy, sweet exterior that contrasts with a tender interior. Bake until the edges show a light golden brown for cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers. If you prefer a firmer cookie, add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
While these cookies are delightful straight from the oven, their flavor deepens if stored overnight. To intensify the Earl Grey aroma, you can place an open, unused Earl Grey tea bag in the cookie container while they rest—this will subtly enhance the tea notes. Expect gentle hints of bergamot, orange, and vanilla to come through, making these cookies a refined choice for any tea-time moment.
Earl Grey and Vanilla Sugar Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Earl Grey tea bags (about 2 Tbsp tea leaves)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Cut open the Earl Grey tea bags and add the tea leaves, then stir in the vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour remain.
Pour 1/3 cup sugar into a shallow bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, roll each ball in the sugar to coat, and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for 11–14 minutes, until the cookies are set and very lightly golden at the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.