Whether you call them Vegan Earl Grey Sugar Cookies or London Fog Cookies, all I can say is that these are my favorite SGTO cookie flavor yet! These chewy sugar cookies are speckled with vanilla bean and ground Earl grey tea leaves get brought to the next level with a vanilla bean glaze. YUM!
It has been a sugar cookie palooza over here at SGTO. What started as one recipe for my Vegan Funfetti Cookies has now turned into three additional sugar cookie recipes. We're talking Lemon Sugar Cookies, Matcha Sugar Cookies, Coffee Sugar Cookies, and of course the newest cookie to join the group- Earl Grey!
In contrast to my Earl Grey Cupcakes which use steeped tea for flavor, these cookies have actual tea leaves blended into the dough for the ultimate bergamot flavor.
Plus, I decided to add in a vanilla bean paste instead of extract to give these cookies an extra kick This makes them taste almost like an english tea in cookie form!
Steps to make earl grey cookies:
Like all my sugar cookie recipes, I kept these cookies super simple with only 9 ingredients (and only 8 if you use salted butter)!
Cream the butter, sugar, & tea
The first step to making all my sugar cookie recipes is to cream together the butter and sugar. Creaming helps to track air pockets within the dough that help it rise during the baking process.
The reason we add the tea leaves in at this time is that the best way to incorporate flavor into our cookie dough is through fat aka the vegan butter!
I like to grind up my earl grey tea ahead of time, but the creaming process also helps to break up the tea within the dough.
Mix in the remaining cookie ingredients
After creaming, add in the wet ingredients including the flax egg and vanilla bean paste and mix together.
Then add in the sifted dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Just note- if you are using salted butter like Earth Balance, you really don't need extra salt in this recipe. Mix together until a thick dough forms, but do not overmix as you don't want tough cookies!
Chill the earl grey cookie dough
This earl grey cookie dough will be pretty sticky, which is one reason we add it to the fridge for 30 minutes- 1 hour to chill.
Chilling the dough also helps to prevent it from spreading too much while baking and ultimately leads to a better flavor in the dough.
Seriously, DO NOT skip this step. Clean the dishes, watch an episode of TV, or read a few chapters while you wait!
Roll cookie dough in sugr before baking
Now for my favorite step! I decided I wanted to make these cookies a bit larger than my normal sugar cookies, so I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and measured each dough ball between 50-55 grams.
Then, I take each dough ball and use my palms to form it into a circle. Next, I roll it into a bowl of sugar. Rolling in sugar gives these cookies the best crackly top and also helps to prevent them from spreading too much! I first tried this step for my Lemon Sugar cookies and am obsessed with it now.
Then add each cookie dough to the baking sheet and press down lightly with your palms to flatten the cookie. Make sure there is at least 1-2 inches between each cookie dough ball as they will spread!
Bake the cookies
Finally, bake the cookies at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Please note, if you make smaller cookies, baking time will vary.
If your cookies are made using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, they likely only need 11-13 minutes of time in the oven. If smaller, probably 9-11.
The key to chewy sugar cookies is to remove them JUST when the centers set and are no longer raw/glossy, but still slightly undercooked. The cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet out of the oven, so removing them at the right time helps them not over-bake.
As soon as the cookies are done, bang/tap the tray of cookies on the counter. This helps to deflate the cookies and give them that wrinkly texture!
How to make a simple vanilla bean glaze
Making vanilla bean glaze is one of my FAVORITE toppings for desserts. Just check out my Vegan Blueberry Vanilla Scones or my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls for proof!
To make a vanilla glaze you actually only need three ingredients: powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and plant-based milk.
From there, the most important step is to sift your powdered sugar. This way, no clumps form in the glaze. Once the powdered sugar is sifted, add in the vanilla bean paste and milk/water. Then use a whisk or fork to whisk it all together until a smooth, yet thick, glaze forms.
P.S- don't make the glaze too thin. It really needs to be THICK to not dissolve into the cookies and to harden as you see pictured.
FAQ & substitutions:
I used Tea Pigs earl grey tea and then ground it using my cocktail muddler (Just using what I have, ha!). You can also use a spice grinder which would probably be an easier way to grind the tea.
You can, but the texture won't be as chewy as intended. If you do, I HIGHLY recommend using maple sugar over coconut sugar because it is sweeter and lighter in color- aka more like cane sugar than coconut.
I personally find coconut sugar just doesn't taste great in sugar cookies, but it can work. Also, if you do use a sugar alternative, I would skip rolling the cookies in sugar prior to baking as it won't give the same effect and may ruin the texture.
I haven't tested it myself, but I've heard from readers that Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking flours work with my cookie recipes. Just know it will affect the overall look and texture of the final cookie.
Cookie Troubleshooting: Why are my cookies not chewy?
With cookies, even 1 tablespoon of flour can make a difference in the end result. That is why I ALWAYS recommend weighing flour with a scale for cookie recipes. The main reason cookies get too "fluffy" and not chewy is because there is too much flour in the dough.
The second reason? Your cookies baked too long.
Sometimes, this is user error and sometimes it's due to your oven running too hot! My biggest advice is to watch cookies closely and remove them as SOON as the centers are set, no longer glossy, yet slightly undercooked.
Once you remove the cookies, they will continue to cook on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, so if you truly want chewy cookies, remove them 1 minute earlier than you think.
I'm not going to lie, these Vegan Earl Grey Sugar Cookies will be hard to beat. They're just SO flavorful, SO chewy, and have the bonus of a vanilla glaze on top. Enjoy!
-TSG
More SGTO vegan cookie recipes you will love:
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Vegan Earl Grey Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Earl Grey Cookies:
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar ½ cup for dough, 2 tablespoon for rolling before baking
- 2 teaspoon earl grey tea leaves ground
- 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon (8 grams) ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoon water, left to sit 5 minutes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
- 1 cup+ 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt *only use if unsalted butter, otherwise omit
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 Tablespoon plant-based milk
- ½ cup powdered sugar must be sifted
Instructions
- First add the butter, ½ cup of the sugar, and the ground earl grey tea to a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Then, add in the flax egg and vanilla bean paste and mix together about 10 more seconds.
- Next, add in sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix JUST until a smooth and thick cookie batter forms and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix or else you will form too much gluten and the cookies will not spread as much and be tough.
- Next, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, add to the fridge, and let chill for 30 minutes- 1 hour.
- Cover a baking sheet in parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F. Next, remove the dough from the fridge and separate into 50 gram balls (about 3 tablespoon per cookie). Roll into balls between your palms and then roll in the 2 tablespoon of sugar that was set aside so that each dough ball is coated.
- Place the lemon sugar cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart since they will spread. Then, lightly press down each cookie with your palm to encourage spreading.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned and the cookie is cooked through but has slightly soft centers. The cookies will continue baking after they are removed from the oven so the centers should still be soft, but not glossy or raw, when they are removed from the oven.
- Remove the cookie tray from the oven and immediately tap the tray on the counter a few times to produce a more “wrinkly” cookie. Then, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. The cookies will be soft and puffy out of the oven and will naturally deflate a little while cooling becoming much chewier.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the vanilla glaze by adding the vanilla bean paste and plant based milk to a small bowl and mixing together. Then, gradually add in the powdered sugar and whisk together until a thick glaze forms. Drizzle the glaze on completely cooled cookies and let sit about 5 minutes to harden, then serve!
Notes
- For round cookies, swirl the warm cookies between a round pastry/cookie cutter while the cookies are still warm.
- Cookies can be stored on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen up to 1 month and just need to defrost at room temperature before eating. Cookies can also be stored in a closed container in the fridge and will keep up to 2 weeks, but it will make them less chewy.
- If you are making smaller cookies, please adjust the cooking time. For a 1.5 tablespoon scoop cooking time is around 11-13 minutes. For smaller cookies than that, adjust cooking time accordingly.
- This cookie flavor is partly inspired by Sweet Simple Kitchen Earl grey cookies
Taylor says
Very tasty with a lovely, soft and lightly chewy texture. The earl grey flavor was SO subtle though, almost unnoticeable. I want to make them again and try adding more tea.
Trista says
so amazing!!! my roommates and i couldn’t get over how good they were. paired with the drizzle, especially warm right out of the oven; there’s nothing better.
Megan says
glad you enjoyed!
Fin says
Does the vegan butter need to be room temperature or softened at all?
Megan says
room temperature is best!
Sadie Fischesser says
I really love these and they are always a crowd pleaser! I’ve made them with a smaller cookie size (to get more) for parties and people love them. I also sometimes have made a lemon glaze instead of vanilla to really bring out the “tea” aspect and it’s a nice bright addition I think!
Megan says
Lemon glaze sounds perfect with them!
Krystal and Kai says
Soft, yet crisp and so very delightful. My 14 year old and I just made these. They were so simple. So delicious. She said they are actually now her favorite thing ever and has asked for them for her bday. Out of 8 cookies, we only have 3 left! Great without the glaze too (we only glazed 4) I’m wondering now how many other teas I can do this with….. I need more butter.
Megan says
So glad you both loved them! I have a recipe for chamomile lemon sugar cookies you can try next if you want other tea flavors 🙂
Krystal and Carrera says
We made these again but swapped out the earl grey for a winter blend tea of peppermint/chocolate. I also lightly grated in some semi sweet baking chocolate. They turned out quite delightful. Now I’m wondering what other teas can be used for this!!! Ooh maybe a breakfast blend!
Lauren Calabrese says
Can I make this dough ahead of time and leave wrapped in plastic in the fridge for two days before baking?
Megan says
I wouldn't recommend storing the dough in the fridge longer than 24 hours. You can always shape the dough into cookie dough balls and freeze them for a few days, but will likely have to bake the cookies a few more minutes when using straight from the freezer.
Gabi says
Hi love,
I made these cookies and they came out lovely. The only thing is, I really can't taste the tea in there.. Any idea what I can do to bring the flavour out more?
They still were delicious, I just wish I could taste the tea. Any idea what went wrong?
Megan says
Glad you loved them! It's likely from the brand of tea you used- I would find a stronger brand or just add more of the brand you used to the batter next time!
Caden P. says
I have made these cookies several times and they are always everyone's favorite! Great recipe! The shock people get when they learn it is vegan is priceless haha. Since I'm gluten free as well, I use a 1 to 1 baking flour and they turn out perfect! It does make them just a bit more crisp when cooled, but I find the texture is still good. Another thing I change is using a rum extract/flavoring in place of the vanilla extract in the glaze. I like the combo with the vanilla flavor in the cookie and it enhances the earl grey! Overall I'm super happy with this recipe and love love love the joy it brings people when I make these cookies.
Megan says
Rum extract sounds like a great addition and glad they have been working gluten free too!
Kelly Kurcina says
Hi, Can I use some brewed lavender earl grey tea in place of the ground loose tea? Or a combo of both? Just a thought as I want to reduce the vegan butter and one last question, do you use a mortar and pestle to grind the tea?
Megan says
Using brewed tea and reducing the butter won't work in this recipe- it would lead to a totally different texture than the pictures and really wouldn't work. For the tea leaves, I just gently break it apart but a mortar and pestle would also work for a finer texture.
Merlin Simmons says
Wow!!! These are fantastic. I have never made a cookie that is flavored like a tea. I recently have fallen in love with earl grey though so I was intrigued. These cookies were so easy to make and they came out way better than I even expected! I used already steeped tea leaves so I didn't waste any leaves lol and they still had wonderful flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
So happy you loved them- Earl Grey is truly the best flavor! Thanks for the review 🙂
Lisa Cormier says
Wow! Are these cookies ever good! Everytime I make vegan cookies they're a big flop but not these ones! Thanks Megan!!☺
Megan says
Thank you so much!! I'm so glad you were able to make vegan cookies successfully 🙂
Anna says
Just made a batch and they turned out perfect! Thanks for recipe!!
Megan says
Yay so glad to hear that thanks for sharing 🙂
Brianna says
can I freeze the dough to bake at later time?
Megan says
Yes just form into cookie dough balls and make sure to freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet before storing in a container/freezer safe bags so they do not stick together. You'll also want to bake frozen cookies dough balls about 2 minutes longer.
Sophia says
I’ve never had a vegan cookie this moist, chewy, and stick together. Most vegan recipes healthify things, but this was just what I wanted: an actual cookie. Thank you
Wandolyn says
Could you do other tea flavors?
Megan says
Maybe! I do have recipes for chamomile cookies and matcha tea cookies on the blog as well.
Caroline says
I followed the recipe exactly and these cookies did not turn out as pictured. They didn’t flatten very much and they were not chewy at all once they cooled. They were still delicious, but not exactly what I was going for. What alterations do you suggest to make them chewier?
Megan Horowitch says
Hi- did you measure the flour in grams? It sounds like you may have used too much flour, but it's hard to know since I would need more details.
Mon says
Can I make this recipe non vegan by subbing the flax with real egg?
Megan Horowitch says
I don't cook with eggs so I personally couldn't say, however- I would assume it would work!
Jacob says
These cookies have tons of earl grey flavor which is great. I didn’t add the glaze and they were still delicious.
Jacob says
These cookies have tons of earl grey flavor which is great. I didn’t add the glaze and they were still delicious.
Megan Horowitch says
Happy to hear you liked them- The glaze adds a nice vanilla flavor but is totally optional 🙂
krystal elgert says
Can I cut open tea bags? Tetley or Twinings brand? I don’t have loose leaf 🙁
Megan says
I haven't tried either of those brands, but it should work.