A flavorful twist on one of my popular matcha sugar cookie recipes. Red bean stuffed matcha cookies are soft, chewy, and such a fun treat!
I wasn’t planning on sharing this one. It started as a “let’s see what happens” kind of baking day. I took my matcha sugar cookie dough and tucked in sweet red bean paste inside. No real plan, no expectations.
If you’ve been following along with my Matcha Monday series (on IG!), I’m always looking for an excuse to share whatever matcha experiment are happening in my kitchen. The red bean matcha cookies turned out so good that I knew I shouldn’t keep it to myself.
Table of Contents
Trust this Combo!
Matcha and red bean are a classic pairing in Japanese sweets for a reason! The slight bitter, grassy notes of matcha balances out the creamy, sweetness of red bean perfectly.
The base is my tried-and-true matcha sugar cookie dough (buttery, tender, with just enough matcha to give it that beautiful green color and earthy flavor without turning bitter). A spoonful of sweetened red bean paste goes right in the center before you seal the dough around it, and into the oven it goes.
Here’s the fun part: the red bean doesn’t melt or flatten out. Instead, each cookie bakes up with this sweet little bump right in the center, like the filling is announcing itself before you even take a bite. It’s unexpected and it’s a little rustic.
Baking Notes
- Use sweetened red bean paste (anko), not the whole adzuki beans you’d use for soups. You can find canned or tubbed anko at most Asian grocery stores, or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious.
- Don’t overfill. A small, well-packed spoonful is all you need.
- The bump is the best part. Don’t be tempted to smooth it over completely. It’s what makes these cookies feel special and a little bit handmade.
More Matcha Red Bean Recipes
- Matcha layer cake with red bean filling
- A twist on s’mores with matcha marshmallows
- Matcha Red Bean Mousse Cake
- Matcha cupcakes filled with azuki
Red Bean Stuffed Matcha Cookies
Ingredients
- 227 g salted butter, (1 cup) softened, room temp
- 350 g granulated sugar, (1 ¾ cup)
- 10 g matcha powder , (about 4 teaspoons) sifted
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 large egg yolk, room temp
- 355 g all-purpose flour, (2 ¾ cup)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, *
- 120 g sweet red bean paste, fine, (about ½ cup) sweetened adzuki paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- n the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), cream together butter and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Sift in matcha powder and mix until well incorporated.
- Add in egg and egg yolk. Continue to mix until well combined. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Use a #20 scoop to portion out matcha dough.
- Use a #100 scoop to portion out sweetened red bean paste.
- Flatten one portion of matcha cookie dough. Place one portion of red bean filling in center of dough. Wrap dough around filling. Shape dough into a round ball. Place on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Roll assembled cookie balls in sugar. Arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2-inches apart. Bake cookies on sheet at a time in the center rack of oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are set. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Notes
- The color of your matcha dough is dependent on the quality of your matcha powder. Higher quality matcha results in a richer, more vibrant green color.
- Make sure to use sweetened red bean paste. This comes in different textures from chunky to smooth. I prefer to use fine paste for this recipe.
- If you choose to use unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon
- Scoop Sizes: #20 scoop is a little over 3 Tablespoons, #100 scoop is a about 2 teaspoons
- You can also mix this dough by hand (as shown here).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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