If you’re as obsessed with matcha as I am, you’re going to love these matcha cookie dough balls! They’re a quick and fun way to satisfy your sweet tooth while sneaking in that earthy green tea flavor we all love. I like to keep a batch in my fridge for an afternoon pick-me-up or to serve when I’m craving something sweet but not too heavy. These are one of my go-to matcha snacks because they come together fast and don’t require any baking—just mix, roll, and chill!
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Ingredients for Matcha Cookie Dough Balls
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (heat-treated for safety)
- 2-4 tablespoons matcha powder (culinary grade works best)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy, adjust amount for texture)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips (or white if you prefer)
How to Make Matcha Cookie Dough Balls
1. Heat-treat the flour: Microwave the flour in a bowl for about 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to ensure it reaches 165°F throughout. Let it cool before using.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the heat-treated flour, matcha powder, and salt.
3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the vanilla and a bit of milk until smooth.
5. Combine everything: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Adjust the texture: If your dough seems too thick and crumbly rather than smooth, add milk a teaspoon at a time and beat until everything is smooth.
7. Roll into balls: Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to form the dough into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined plate or in mini cupcake liners.
8. Chill and serve: Refrigerate the dough balls for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pro Tips
- Heat-treating the flour is super important to make this a safe homemade edible cookie dough. I was very surprised to learn that raw flour technically isn’t safe to eat! Luckily, you can just quickly microwave your flour and it’s good to go, but make sure you don’t skip that step.
- Want an extra pop of matcha flavor? Sprinkle a little more matcha on top before chilling. Also, I have made this recipe with up to ¼ cup of matcha powder before and thought it was great. My husband, who doesn’t love matcha as much as I do, thought that ¼ cup was way too much, so it definitely depends on your audience and/or personal tastes.
- Swap in dairy-free butter and chocolate to keep these vegan-friendly.
- These make great simple desserts for girls’ night, holidays, or even an easy make-ahead snack. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. If you need to stack them, I would suggest putting a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers, or just storing them in mini cupcake liners.
FAQs
Can I freeze matcha cookie dough balls?
Yes! Just freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer to a zip-top bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
What kind of matcha should I use?
Culinary-grade matcha is perfect for baking and snacks—it’s more affordable than ceremonial grade and still delivers great flavor. You can easily find culinary-grade matcha online. Just check the label and make sure it says that this matcha can be used for baking.
Can I add more or less matcha?
Absolutely! This recipe is definitely flexible and can be adjusted to your personal matcha tastes. I made it once with ¼ cup of matcha powder (you might need a bit more milk to adjust for that much matcha) and thought it was fabulous. My husband, however, didn’t like that much matcha in such a tiny bite. 2 tablespoons is definitely a good middle ground to start with, and then you can adjust your matcha flavor up or down depending on your tastes. You can always start with less, do a little during-cooking taste test and then adjust up from there.
Do I have to chill them?
Chilling helps the dough firm up and the flavors blend, but if you’re in a rush, you can definitely sneak one early! I always do.
I hope you love these little balls of matcha joy as much as I did! They’re really a cute little matcha snack to have on hand and provide a great pick-me-up without having to make a cup of matcha tea.
Matcha Cookie Dough Balls
Equipment
- Electric or stand mixer
- Various Mixing bowls
- Small Cookie Scoop optional
- Mini Cupcake Liners optional, for storing
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour heat treated (see instructions below)
- 2 Tbsp matcha powder culinary grade works best
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp milk adjust amount for texture
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips white works too
Instructions
- Heat-treat the flour: Microwave the flour in a bowl for about 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to ensure it reaches 165°F throughout. Let it cool before using.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heat-treated flour, matcha powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla and a bit of milk (maybe 1-2 teaspoons) until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- If your dough seems too thick and crumbly rather than smooth, add milk a teaspoon at a time and beat until everything is smooth.
- Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to form the dough into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined plate or in mini cupcake liners.
- Refrigerate the dough balls for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
