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I am smitten with this cookie for its delicate flavor profile. It features buttery shortbread, enriched with notes of black tea and warm hints of cardamom. Why bother with an actual cup of tea when you can enjoy a cookie that captures the essence of chai? Of course, pairing it with a cup of tea is one of my favorite ways to savor it. (Fun fact: Chai translates to tea.)

I was thrilled when Aishwarya from India chose these flavors. Not only do I love them, but they also perfectly reflect her personality—warm, soothing, and a bit spicy. One of the things I admire most about Aishwarya is her ability to connect with people. She has a special talent for making everyone feel included, and her enthusiasm is truly contagious.

Now about the flavor she chose. Tea is a staple across India and, in my opinion, one of the better beverages on Earth. What strikes me is the intricate relationship between tea and Indian identity. Although tea has been cultivated in India for centuries, it only evolved into an industry after colonization, fundamentally changing subsistence farmers into agricultural producers. This shift traded self-sufficiency for market dependence. Regardless of its historical transformation, tea production has become a source of pride and a vital cultural institution.

Tea and Cardamom Shortbread
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Tea and Cardamom Shortbread

Recipe by Sarah
0.0 from 0 votes

These buttery shortbread cookies are infused with fragrant tea and warm cardamom, then finished with a delicate lavender glaze for a crisp, floral, and gently spiced treat.

Difficulty: Easy
Yield

3

dozen
Prep time

10

minutes
baking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

Ingredients

  • For the Tea Shortbread Dough

  • 3/4 cup Powdered sugar

  • 1/2 cup Butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

  • 2 cups Flour

  • 2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons Black tea (see notes)

  • 1 teaspoon Cardamom

  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

  • For the Glaze

  • 1 teaspoon Food grade lavender

  • 2-3 tablespoon Hot water – for soaking the lavender

  • 3/4 cup Powdered sugar

  • 1 tablespoon Water

  • 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Lavender water (you’ll use the lavender and hot water above to make lavender water)

Directions

  • For the Glaze
  • Heat 2-3 tablespoons of water to near boiling. Stir in the lavender and allow to steep for at least 10 minutes. I generally let it steep while making and chilling the dough. Sometimes longer for a stronger lavender flavor.
  • Put powdered sugar and cardamom in a bowl.
  • After allowing the lavender to steep, whisk in 1 1/4 teaspoon of lavender water and a tablespoon of water.
  • Add more water or powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time to achieve the desired consistency to either dip the cookies or drizzle on cookies.
  • For the Tea Shortbread
  • If using loose leaf tea, you can optionally pulse a few times in a spice and nut grinder to make the leaves a little smaller. If using tea from tea bags, you don’t need to reduce the size of the leaves.
  • Cream together the butter and tea until just combined. Do not beat until light and fluffy. You do not want to incorporate a lot of air into the butter.
  • Optionally, let the butter and tea sit for 30 minutes to infuse.
  • Add powdered sugar and cream until just combined.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and again mix until combined. If the dough does not come together, add a bit of water one teaspoon at a time.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead together briefly to make the dough come together, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. You want the dough to be a little, but not enough that it won’t roll out easily. If you lose track of time and it chills for longer, just let it warm up a little bit before you roll it out.
  • Assembly
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roll out the dough to 1/4 of an inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
  • Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.
  • Allow the cookies to cool completely before dipping in or drizzling with glaze.

Notes

  • It was important to me to use Nilgiri tea, which is from Kerala, because of this cookie’s sentimental connection. That being said, you can use any black tea that you like.
  • Some of my taste testers thought that 3 tablespoons gave this a strong tea flavor that bordered on too strong without the glaze. The tea aficionados did not. So although I recommend 3 tablespoons, the cookie works well with 2 1/2 tablespoons—-the tea flavor is just a bit more subtle.