Glazed Earl Grey Tea Cookies {Mother's Day Cookie Gift Basket}
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3½ dozen cookies
 
Put together a Mother's Day gift basket with fragrant and delicate Earl Grey tea cookies glazed with tangy-sweet lemon and rose icing. Paired with a cup of tea, they are simply perfect for an afternoon snack or a tea party.
You will need:
For Earl Grey Cookies,
  • Bigelow Earl Grey black teabags - 2, divided
  • All-purpose flour - 2¼ cups
  • Salt - ½ tsp
  • Baking powder - ¼ tsp
  • Unsalted butter - ½ cup, softened
  • Sugar - 1 cup
  • Egg - 1, large
  • Rose water - ¼ tsp
For Lemon Rose Glaze,
  • Powdered sugar - 1 cup, sifted
  • Lemon juice - 2-3 tbsp
  • Rose water - 1 tsp
For decoration,
  • Dried rose petals - 2 tbsp
  • Lemon zest - 1 tbsp
How to:
  1. Earl Grey Cookies: Steep 1 Bigelow Earl Grey black teabag as per instructions and cool completely before beginning. Set aside the other teabag if you want to decorate your cookies with flecks of black tea.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and the contents of one teabag (optional). Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, a couple of minutes.
  4. Add egg and beat until combined. Then add rose water and 2 tablespoons of the brewed and cooled Earl Grey black tea (discard the rest or use it for another purpose). The mixture will look curdled but beat it on medium speed for a minute and it should thicken up.
  5. With the beater on the lowest speed, add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and mix just until the cookie dough comes together.
  6. Divide cookie dough into two portions, wrap them in cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least half an hour. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight or freeze it for longer durations. Set the dough out on the countertop to soften before rolling.
  7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to ¼" thickness. Cut out 2.5" heart or other shapes using cookie cutters. Re-roll and use the scraps of dough to avoid any waste. (If dough scraps seem too soft, pop them in the fridge for a few minutes and try again.)
  8. Place the cut out cookies 2" apart on a large parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15-20 minutes. (You can also pop the tray into the freezer for 5 minutes to speed up the process. Chilling helps the cookies keep their delicate shapes better when baked.)
  9. Bake in a 350 deg.F pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookie edges are lightly golden.
  10. Remove the cookie sheet from oven and rest for 5 minutes. Gently remove cookies with a flat spatula and cool them completely on a wire rack before glazing.
  11. Lemon Rose Glaze: Whisk together the ingredients for a thick but pourable glaze. If it seems too thick, add a few drops of lemon juice or water; if it seems too runny, add more powdered sugar.
  12. Spread the glaze over completely cool cookies. Decorate with rose petals and lemon zest, if desired.
  13. Store the cookies layered between wax paper in an airtight jar or container.
Notes:
1. This recipe can be used to make Chamomile Tea cookies using Bigelow Cozy Chamomile Herbal Tea.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2018/05/04/glazed-earl-grey-tea-cookies/